How to Keep a Garden Tilled With No Tiller

Almost any landscaping project or vegetable garden begins with loosening or mixing the top 6 to 12 inches of soil. This creates a light, airy space that allows plant roots to expand. While loosening the soil is easily accomplished with a tiller, it can be expensive to rent or buy. Instead, use specially designed hand tools that loosen large sections of soil at once yet still fit between planting rows.

Sturdy shoes
Broad fork or U-bar
Garden hoe

Instructions

- 1
  Put on sturdy shoes before attempting to loosen the soil, as the broad fork requires that you step on it.
- 2
  Walk over the top of the garden and remove any stones or sticks you don't want mixed into the soil. In addition, if there are weeds or grass, pull them up with your hands or use a garden hoe to rake them up.
- 3
  Stand at the edge of the garden and place the tines of the broad fork, which resembles a large pitchfork, into the soil but do not push them down.
- 4
  Grasp the two handles in your hands and push them forward until your arms are fully extended and the broad fork is angled slightly forward. Step down on top of the metal tines with your foot to push them all the way into the soil. Depending on the hardness of the soil, you may need to step on the sides alternatey to jostle the tines all the way into the dirt.
- 5
  Pull back on the handles by 6 to 12 inches, then push them forward 6 to 12 inches beyond the starting point.
- 6
  Lift the tines out of the ground and move them 6 inches behind the first location. Repeat the process to loosen the soil here as well. Continue using the same method across the entire garden area.

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