Reduced Tillage

Example of plants grown using no-till methods

As one of the six soil health principles of Regenerative Agriculture it's important to consider where and when it's possible to reduce or eliminate tillage. No-till practices protect the soil surface, so water tends to infiltrate instead of running off. It is also used to help maintain and support the soil biology, with benefits in terms of fungal relationships essential for nutrient uptake and carbon sequestration. Reduced tillage (often referred to as Conservation tillage) practices include no-till, strip-till, ridge-till, mulch-till, and vertical/shallow-till. Each has specific applications which would increase their suitability for different production systems, including crop type, soil type, weather patterns and climate, and equipment availability, among other factors. They all leave plant residue on the ground that serves as mulch and protection for the soil.

Download a printable fact sheet based on this page. (PDF)

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Mentor Farmers
Useful Information
Videos
Websites and Podcasts
Science Literature

Mentor Farmers Share Experiences with Conservation Tillage

All of our mentor farmers who grow row crops (vegetables or grain) employ some sort of no-till or reduced tillage. The following ones share most about their experiences:

Useful Information

farmer using machinery to strip till his land

Classification of Conservation Tillage Practices in CA

A review of conservation tillage systems by the UANR and the USDA NRCS's Conservation Tillage Workgroup.

(PDF)

Strip-Tillage in California’s Central Valley

A publication from UC Davis detailing the benefits and problems encountered with strip tillage and how to make it work.

(PDF)

Equipment You Might Need

Learn about strip tillers, vertical tillers, no-till planters, seeders, mulchers, etc.

Tillage Intensity and Conservation Cropping in the United States

Publication by the USDA on how conservation tillage used along with other soil cover practices can lead to a range of soil health benefits.

Videos

Practical Conservation Tillage for Western Region Organic Cropping Systems

Video from Organic Farming Research Foundation

Mark Schonbeck of the Organic Farming Research Foundation discusses approaches to reducing the adverse impacts of tillage on soil life and soil health. He covers recent research into newer tillage tools and minimum-till strategies for Western Region organic vegetable, fruit, and field crop production. Recorded January 23, 2019.