Alternatives to tilling - Ask Extension
1. Hello! I am new to gardening. Have started small and next year would like to expand. Heard someone mention that tilling is no longer a preferred me...
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Alternatives to tilling #941574
Asked August 04, 2026, 9:54 PM EDT
1. Hello! I am new to gardening. Have started small and next year would like to expand. Heard someone mention that tilling is no longer a preferred method to prepare a garden. Other than raised beds, what method would be best to use? Where can I find classes in the twin cities area to learn more about gardening in Minnesota?
2. Also looking for organic remedies for fungus on sunflower leaves and also on zinnia leaves. Wanting something that is safe for pollinators.
Wright County Minnesota
Expert Response
Thank you for writing.
Unless your garden is on old compacted lawn, tilling is not really needed. If you do till, do it when the soil is dry and do not go deeper than 6 inches.
https://news.oregonstate.edu/news/no-till-gardening-keeps-soil-%E2%80%93-and-plants-%E2%80%93-healthy
This group can help you get started in Wright County. https://www.facebook.com/WCMGs/
Buy a good vegetable garden book of the upper midwest. They are readily available in new and used bookstores or in libraries. https://griver.org/
I would need to see a picture of the kind of fungus that you are talking about to suggest a remedy.
Good luck
Unless your garden is on old compacted lawn, tilling is not really needed. If you do till, do it when the soil is dry and do not go deeper than 6 inches.
https://news.oregonstate.edu/news/no-till-gardening-keeps-soil-%E2%80%93-and-plants-%E2%80%93-healthy
This group can help you get started in Wright County. https://www.facebook.com/WCMGs/
Buy a good vegetable garden book of the upper midwest. They are readily available in new and used bookstores or in libraries. https://griver.org/
I would need to see a picture of the kind of fungus that you are talking about to suggest a remedy.
Good luck
Thank you so much for the original response.
A few follow-up questions.
1. Organic fertilizer recommendation for flowers
2. Pollinator safe Treatment for sunflower photo attached
3. Pollinator Safe Treatment for zinnia photo attached
Thank you for writing back.
The zinnia disease is cercospora zinniae. I can not see how crowded your plants are. See management suggestions here. Shift to soil watering. Promptly remove any diseased leafs that drop. https://extension.psu.edu/cut-flower-updates-august-8-2025
The sunflower disease is downy mildew. I am sorry that I cannot find any references for it for the home gardener as opposed to sunflower farmers. Humidity, overwatering and crowding set the stage. Accordingly your job is to allow the soil to be dryer, decreasing crowding and snip off badly disease leaves with a snip regularly dipped in lysol.
It might help to get a larger picture of your garden to assess crowding. No videos! Do not use automatic sprinklers.
The zinnia disease is cercospora zinniae. I can not see how crowded your plants are. See management suggestions here. Shift to soil watering. Promptly remove any diseased leafs that drop. https://extension.psu.edu/cut-flower-updates-august-8-2025
The sunflower disease is downy mildew. I am sorry that I cannot find any references for it for the home gardener as opposed to sunflower farmers. Humidity, overwatering and crowding set the stage. Accordingly your job is to allow the soil to be dryer, decreasing crowding and snip off badly disease leaves with a snip regularly dipped in lysol.
It might help to get a larger picture of your garden to assess crowding. No videos! Do not use automatic sprinklers.
