Organic Garden

Introduction: Soil Tillage & Cultivation

UNIT OVERVIEW

Cultivation is a purposefully broader

concept than simply digging or tilling

the soil—cultivation involves an

array of tools, materials and methods

that, when properly combined,

promote and maintain optimum soil

health and good tilth, a composite

term for the overall physical

characteristics of a soil (texture,

structure, permeability, consistency,

drainage, and water-holding

capacity). In short, tilth equals the

workability of a soil in relationship

to its ability to grow plants.

This unit introduces students to

the tools, techniques, and rationale

behind traditional French-intensive

organic gardening and mechanized,

field-scale soil cultivation. Beginning

with the concepts of soil cultivation

and tillage, students will learn about

the aims of cultivation, and the

appropriate applications of primary

and secondary tillage techniques.

Through demonstrations and a hands-on

exercise, students will begin to develop the

technical skills needed to cultivate Frenchintensive raised beds using both primary

and secondary tillage tools and techniques,

and will become familiar with the various

tillage tools and processes used in mechanical cultivation and bed formation.

Unit supplements detail cultivation goals,

particularly at the garden scale; discuss

tillage and bed formation sequences, and

the importance of row spacings at the field

scale; as well as the origins of the French

intensive method.

MODES OF INSTRUCTION

> LECTURES (3 LECTURES, 1–1.5 HOURS EACH)

Lecture 1 covers the definition of cultivation and tillage, the

general aims of soil cultivation, the factors influencing cultivation approaches, and the potential impacts of excessive or

ill-timed tillage.

Lecture 2 includes a brief history of the French-intensive

method of cultivation and the tillage tools and techniques

used to prepare garden beds with this method.

Lecture 3 addresses tillage tools, techniques, and sequences

used in field-scale mechanized production systems.

> DEMONSTRATION 1: PREPARING THE GARDEN SITE FOR

FRENCH-INTENSIVE CULTIVATION (1.5 HOURS)

Demonstration 1 outlines the steps for preparing a site for

French-intensive permanent raised beds.

> DEMONSTRATION 2: FRENCH-INTENSIVE CULTIVATION

(1.5 HOURS)

Demonstration 2 outlines the steps for demonstrating the

cultivation and maintenance of French-intensive permanent

raised beds using primary and secondary cultivation.

> HANDS-ON EXERCISE: GARDEN BED CULTIVATION

(2 HOURS)

In this exercise, students practice cultivating permanent

raised beds using traditional French-intensive cultivation

techniques.

> DEMONSTRATION 3: MECHANICAL TILLAGE AND

CULTIVATION (1.5 HOURS)

The Demonstration 3 outline details the steps for demonstrating tractor-mounted tillage and cultivation equipment.

> ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS (1 HOUR)

Assessment questions reinforce key unit concepts and skills.

> POWERPOINT

See casfs.ucsc.edu/about/publications and click on Teaching

Organic Farming & Gardening.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

CONCEPTS

• The definitions of cultivation and soil tillage

• The objectives of soil tillage

• The factors influencing the timing and type of

tillage used

• The primary features and rationale behind the

French-intensive raised bed method of tillage

• The primary features and rationale behind

modern mechanical/field-scale methods of soil

tillage

• The positive and negative effects of tillage on the

physical, chemical, and biological properties of

the soil

• Definitions and applications of primary and

secondary tillage techniques

• Field equipment and common soil preparation

sequence used in primary and secondary tillage

SKILLS

• How to evaluate and adjust soil moisture to

within a proper range prior to soil cultivation

• How to evaluate soil conditions to determine

the need for/type of cultivation

• How to use primary and secondary soil

cultivation techniques to develop and maintain

French-intensive raised beds

Lecture 1: Overview of Soil Tillage & Cultivation

Pre-Assessment Questions

1. What is soil cultivation?

2. What is tillage?

3. What are some possible positive consequences of soil cultivation?

4. What are some possible negative consequences of intensive and frequent soil tillage on

soil quality?

A. Defining Soil Cultivation and Soil Tillage

1. Cultivation: The total assemblage of tools and techniques used to develop and maintain

soil fertility and crop production in garden and farm systems

2. Tillage: The operation of implements through the soil to prepare seedbeds