When To Plow Under The Garden

[MSgt Mike]

I've done a search and I haven't yet found the answer to this question. When should I plow under my garden? This fall before the ground freezes or leave it exposed all winter and plow it under in the spring once the ground dries up a bit? Garden is in N Colorado at 5300ft. Thanks.

 

[Handyman]

I always plow my garden in the fall, that allows any clods to break down through frost action during the winter. it also allows any crop residue to break down and most of it will be gone come spring.

 

[Brendon-KS]

I would sure agree that fall plowing is usually the best, especially if you have clay soil. In the spring you can get caught with wet weather and not be able to get in when you want. The freezing and thawing during the winter will mellow the toughest clods, even if the soil was a bit damp when plowed. This will also allow the ground to dry out and warm up quicker in the spring.

 

[Fergienewbee]

I'm going to rent a chipper and run all my corn stalks, squash vines, tomatoe plants, etc. through it. Then I'll disk it all in and plant rye, plow under in the spring.

Larry

 

[El Toro]

I plow mine when the garden quits producing usually early Fall. I usually plant a cover crop and lightly till that in. I always plow that under in the Spring. Hal

 

[Anonymous-0]

My saying around here in wisconsin is "IF YOU DONT PLOW IN THE FALL DONT PLOW AT ALL"

 

[paul]

In the clay here in my part of Minnesota, spring plowing leaves the ground very lumpy, hard, and dry. With our short growing season, you don't have time to let the ground mellow, and allow weeds to flush. As well, all the snow melt & frozen ground makes it very wet to plow, setting up the hard lumps.

So in these conditions, it is far, far better to plow in fall, let winter mellow the ground, then work it over lightly in spring to level & kill the weed flushes.

In lighter soil, more mild climate, spring plowing might work better.

--->Paul

 

[sammydwm]

We plow whenever we get around to it.
We add lots of organic material every year. Keeps the soil friable and able to be worked when we want to not when we have to......

 

[camju]

Plow in fall and work it after it gets below freezing if posible.If you work it after it stays frozen you can kill most of the bugs as they can't burrow in after there cold.

 

[dakota dave]

I run a rotary mower over the garden and plow it under in the fall. The ground mellows over the winter and spring prep is easier. Most of our springs are to wet to plow.

 

[Jg20601]

Here in Maryland we would plow in early spring, but that had to do with cleaning the barns out.
Tobacco stalks and barn trash would be taken out all winter and after weathering 4 weeks or more would be plowed under.

(barn trash is unsellable tobacco, sand, corn cobs and shucks, bee nests, leaves and weeds from around the barn)

 

[fixerupper]

The ground will warm up sooner in the spring if you plow the trash under in the fall. Jim