Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["John D'hondt" <dhondt@eircom.net>]

The shredds I put in the garden beds did break down, mostly (I
> hand-cultivated them in 2-3 inches, not deep--the tiller went deeper); 
> maybe contact with soil is what they need?
>
> Don't yell at me for tilling, I don't want to anymore! But Hubby, who 
> studied horticulture in the 70s, still thinks soil must be mixed up.
>
> Barbara M
> Foster, RI

I would suggest to let the worms do the work. They will do all the mixing 
required and at the same time will keep the soil aerobic and drained.
One possible suggestion is that we use transplants of just about any 
vegetable we grow. Seed in special trays (35 -150 individual cells) in a 
potting green house. When the seedlings are tall enough we transplant 
outside where the beds have been made ready by surface hoeing or mulching. 
One big advantage is that almost every seed planted makes it while direct 
seeding outside can be disastrous mostly through possible cold weather and 
loads of predators. Remember seeding a few thousand peas and have three come 
up thanks to mice.
But that way it would also not matter that there was a layer of raw oak 
leaves on the surface.
john