Neutral

Switching to no-till or reduced tillage should be planned at least a year in advance so preparations can be made necessary implements can be obtained. Implements should match farm labour availability. You will also need to decide if no till or reduced tillage methods are appropriate based on farm area and desired crops, and start with a small area to determine feasibility. Cereal and legume crops are suitable for no tillage while vegetables and other crops often require some tillage – i.e. reduced tillage.

There are two forms of no-tillage, conventional and organic. Conventional no-tillage includes the application of herbicides to manage weeds, prior to and after planting. Organic no-tillage does not incorporate the use of herbicides, but includes other methods for controlling weeds, including cover crops, crop rotation and free-range livestock. Organic no-tillage is more suitable as it assists mitigate any climate change impacts on the farm.

No till

• Step 1: Prepare fields using conventional (herbicide application) or organic processes include cover crop (Technical Brief 15) and crop rotation (Technical Brief 09).
• Step 2: Test soils – aiming to balance nutrient and pH levels. In the case of acidic soils, add small amounts of lime each year.
• Step 3: Avoid soils with bad drainage, as they become water-logged.
• Step 4: Level the soil surface, removing uneven areas to assist even seed planting.
• Step 5: Eliminate soil compaction.

Reduced Till

• Step 1: This approach is similar to regular tillage, but with significantly less disturbance of the soil. Tilling is only done where needed, and the rest of the soil is undisturbed.
• Step 2: Strip-tillage or zone-tillage involves tilling and seeding in 15 cm strips leaving areas in-between undisturbed.
• Step 3: Ridge-tillage involves preparing ridges post-harvest and letting them settle over time to be planted the next seeding period; with ridges not more than 60 cm apart.

More information of each of these specific practices should be sought prior to implementation.

Crop rotation is a complimentary farming method when practicing no-tillage, as it promotes maximum biomass levels for permanent mulch cover, while controlling weeds (with pre- and post-emergent herbicides), pests, and diseases, as well as improving soil nutrition and fertility.

To effectively implement biochar the following should be carried out. Tools required – shovel and a metal sieve.

• Step 1: Acquire charcoal from local vendor, and sieve or grate the charcoal into fine material in a pile. Biochar should not be applied to soil directly after production. It should be allowed to ‘rest’ for one to two months.
• Step 2: Rotate the pile every 2-days for a period of up to 10-days (total).
• Step 3: Prior to application, aim to wet (but not waterlog) biochar stock with water or preferably urine. If done when still warm, it will fracture the charcoal, increasing surface area for absorption.
• Step 4: Spread the biochar evenly across soil prior to planting and let it settle or mix with the top layer of soil. One to three kg/m2 is recommended, depending on the degree of soil required.
• Step 5: Regularly monitor soil pH, water retention and soil texture, keeping records if relevant to ensure that improvements are realised, and negative impacts do not arise.

Biochar can be produced on-farm, but will require collection of plant and waste feedstock (see above). Biochar can be produced on-farm using a trench. A biochar trench is a dug recess where crop residues are burned to create charcoal. Tools required are a shovel and one or more roofing sheets (one-metre long).

• Step 1: Dig trench 50 to 70 cm deep, and one to two metres long, ensuring that roofing sheets fully cover the trench void.
• Step 2: Start a fire in one end of the trench, throwing in loose crop residue or other organic waste, keeping the fire under control (not creating large flames and smoke).
• Step 3: Keep fire burning until trench is full of char.
• Step 4: When the trench is full, and flames have burned-out, cover the trench with the roofing sheet, sealing edges with loose soil, trampling it down to ensure closure.
• Step 5: Leave the covered trench for five to six hours to extinguish.