ptsg
Super Member
I do it mostly as brush/weed control as I don't have the right implement for it. The cons of doing it with a tiller is that it will create an hard layer under the tilled ground that won't let the air flow and water getting to the ground where it needs to me.I've wondered if I should till in my orchard. What's the advantage?
Ideally you want to use a chisel plow, similar to the one in the picture below. This process will loosen the ground down to a foot or so deep that will let air flow, water and nutrients go through. Also, this won't damage the roots of the trees. It's an important process, specially when the trees are young.
I'm planning on getting a chisel plow some time in the future. From what I've heard from people that have been doing this their entire life, this process really makes a big difference on the growth and production of the orchards, plus it helps reducing the use of herbicides.