Teaching Organic Farming and Gardening

Tillage and Cultivation

Unit 1.2 | 35

a) Primary tillage: Incorporation of cover crop

residue in spring

i. Mowing (flail or rotary)

ii. Apply compost with manure spreader prior
to residue incorporation, if necessary

iii. Incorporate cover crop residue and compost
with spader or off-set wheel disc

iv. Rototill or disc field to improve surface
uniformity following residue breakdown

b) Secondary tillage: Seedbed establishment

i. Form beds with lister bar and shovels or
rolling cultivator

ii. Shape bed with bed shaper

c) Bed formation and planting

i. Plant beds with seeder, transplanter, or by
hand

d) Cultivate planted beds with sweeps, knives,
or rolling cultivator at timely intervals to
minimize weed pressure

e) Incorporation of crop residue

i. Mow crop residue

ii. Incorporate crop residue

iii. Chisel or subsoil, if necessary

iv. Disc and roll

v. Reshape and plant beds

• Mechanical cultivation