How to Prepare a Garden Without a Tiller

A tiller, or rototiller, is on every avid gardener's wish list at one time or another, because it eliminates the backbreaking work of turning the soil by hand. In some instances, however, such as raised beds or small niche gardens, a tiller will not work, and you have no choice but to go the old-fashioned route, using hand tools and sweat. A few tricks and tools help make the task less daunting.

Gardening can mean growing an acre or more of vegetables, or planting a few annuals along a fence. In any case, it means breaking through the soil and turning it into a workable medium ready for seeds and new plants. When breaking new ground for a garden without a tiller, start ahead of time and take it one step at a time. Consider the size of the new garden and whether you are physically capable of it, since turning unbroken ground over several times can put a strain on back muscles. Start well ahead of time to enlist nature's aid in the process by speeding up the decomposition of disturbed vegetation and stimulating bacterial action in newly exposed soil.

Before you pick up a spade or garden fork, mow the area or use a scythe or garden shears to kill the grass or other plants in the selected area. Next, smother any remaining growth with a layer of black plastic, corrugated cardboard or several layers of newspaper. Overlap the edges of the materials so that no sunlight can sneak in to stimulate growth, and leave them on for at least three months. Secure the edges of the plastic with stakes or small rocks, and wet the cardboard and newspaper to keep it in place. Doing this in the fall ensures that no parts of the plants survive to sprout again the next spring. This makes the new ground much easier to turn over, since there are fewer roots clinging to the soil to provide resistance.

Once most of the old vegetation is out of the way, it's time to decide on what tools to use to get the job done. A spade is a must for making the first cut into the soil, because it allows you to make a clean edge around the garden, delineating the actual space you are using. If you don't have a spade, a garden fork is a good substitute, since it has the added advantage of aerating the soil as you turn it over. Shake as much soil as you can from the clods, and then place them root end up on the subsoil. Discard any stones, large stubborn roots or other debris that you come across. Work from one edge of the garden to the next until all the soil has been turned over, and then let it rest for a few days to dry out. When working with sod that has never been disturbed, you may have to repeat these steps until the soil is as loose and free of debris as possible.

As the soil dries, it takes on a whiter dusty look, and it's not as heavy to work with. A hoe or three-pronged cultivator comes in handy to further break up the soil. Again, working from one edge of the garden to the next, attack the soil using the sharp edge of the hoe or the cultivator. This could take more than one pass, depending upon how stubborn your soil is. Once the soil is relatively free of chunks and other debris, work 1 to 2 inches of organic matter, such as aged manure or compost, into the top few inches of soil. Finish the garden bed by dragging it with a garden or bow rake, making one pass first with the tined edge to remove any stray debris, and a final pass with the flat side to smooth out the soil.