back to tilling.
In winter, I covered this plot. (and posted about it)
I raked it all clear, and even though it was relatively weed-free, I decided to till:
While tilling, I noticed, that the soil was dense and wet.
The main thing that the no-till community claims is that mulching improves the soil.
I obviously can't judge the mircobiome, but just the way the soil is all compacted and doesn't drain well, proves the opposite.
I have not tilled this plot in 3 years. I did cover crops, chop&drop, etc...
(I also made posts then, but I am too lazy to link it all rn)
The soil quality degraded, as far as I can tell.
context matters
This is heavy clay soil.
This is a wet climate.
I am not dismissing mulching entirely, but in my context, it just doesn't make sense.
It's not easier, it doesn't improve the soil and it doesn't keep the weeds down as well as tilling does.
(thistles and stuff still made it through the thick mulch)
The most important thing, though, are these:
These are slugs.
They will go to town on anything with green leafs.
They lay their eggs in anything moist, like... mulch.
old method
The 'old' method, that my grandparent's generation used was:
Rough-till the soil in winter, rake in spring and plant.
Keep the grass short, rake up leaves and other debris and keep the soil barren over winter.
This is the opposite of what the permaculture/non-till people propagate.
However, I am now fully back to the 'old' method.
In my context, it's the only thing that really works consistently.
I am still mulching around the fruit trees and berry shrubs.
In that context, it is a huge improvement.
But not for veggies.
TL;DR:
tilling > mulching (in my climate)
better drainage, fewer weeds, fewer slugs.