Is plowing soil before planting better than roto tilling?

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Posted by tewitt1949 none (My Page) on

Sun, Sep 8, 13 at 20:23

I've had a garden for the last 20 years. The first 4-5 years I used a regular farm plow to work up the garden. Then I bought a rototiller and have used it ever since. But it seem like since switching to the tiller, although the plants always grow, it seems like the plants are not thriving like they should. I always blame it on weather

, poor fertalizing, etc.
The rototiller which gets down about 4-6 iches and the plow that I use completely rolls the ground over to about 14 inches deep. Before switching to the tiller, for instance the tassels on my sweet corn was over 7 1/2 feet tall, had big ears and was great. Since switching to the tiller (and I may be wrong)the plants just don't seem to grow like they should.
I have noticed the ground below the till depth is hard and I'm thinking the roots can't penagrate down through the hardened dirt.
Am I way off on my thinking or is it possable the deeper ground has to be loosed up yearly?

This post was edited by tewitt1949 on Sun, Sep 8, 13 at 20:47

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RE: Is plowing soil before planting better than roto tilling?

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Posted by vgkg 7-Va Tidewater (My Page) on
Thu, Sep 12, 13 at 16:37

It has been said that tillers will compact the soil over time, the lower layers become "deadpan" is what I recall about it. The soil forum may have more specific info you're looking for.

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