Comparing no-till raised beds and traditional trenching

At Halfmoon Harvest, we compared no-till raised beds with traditional tilled beds to explore ways to improve tulip quality and make planting and harvesting more manageable. We planted 3,800 bulbs across 19 varieties, with 100 bulbs of each variety in each growing system.

Preparing the beds and planting

Wooden raised bed frame with wire mesh and metal hoops during preparation

Trench beside a raised bed, with tulip bulbs and a shovel along the walkway

Preparing compost in a long wooden raised bed beneath metal hoops

Bags and crates of tulip bulbs arranged beside the planting beds

Hands arranging tulip bulbs in rows on dark compost

Close-up of tulip bulbs placed on compost before covering

Tulip bulbs in a raised bed with part of the bed covered in compost

Easier harvesting, with more bulbs attached

The clearest benefits of no-till raised beds were faster, easier harvesting and a higher proportion of stems harvested with bulbs attached. Tulips could be pulled by hand from the loose compost with less digging, physical strain, and stem breakage. Traditional trenching required more effort to loosen bulbs from our heavy clay soil.

No-till beds produced 1,794 harvested stems, compared with 1,769 from tilled beds. The larger difference was in bulb attachment: 1,726 no-till stems retained their bulbs, compared with 1,544 tilled stems. This represented approximately 96% of harvested stems in no-till beds versus 87% in tilled beds. Keeping bulbs attached supported our storage practices and reduced losses associated with bulbs breaking off during harvest.

Tulips growing in a wooden raised bed beneath mesh covering, with a harvest crate nearby

Harvested tulips in a green crate with bulbs and roots still attached

Longer stems for floral design

Average stem lengths were greater in no-till beds for 15 of the 19 varieties, equal for three varieties, and shorter for one. Across the reported variety averages, no-till stems averaged 17.4 inches compared with 15.9 inches in tilled beds, a difference of approximately 1.5 inches. Longer stems gave us greater flexibility for bouquets and floral design.

Drainage and soil observations

Raised beds also drained well, while the trenched plots experienced early spring pooling. Soil tests showed little change during the study, so we could not demonstrate improved soil fertility within the project period.

What we learned

Overall, the project supported no-till raised beds as a practical method for improving tulip harvest quality and reducing the physical demands of harvesting on our farm. Growers should weigh these benefits against construction costs, compost handling, and cleanup requirements.

Tractor access made moving compost easier for us; farms without that equipment may face greater material-handling demands. Longer-term monitoring would help determine how the system affects soil fertility and total production costs over multiple seasons.

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