Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 4 — Narrative / commentaryGrey literature

O’Hara B. 2020. No-till intensive vegetable farming. White River Junction: Chelsea Green Publishing.

2020

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Summary

This practitioner-oriented book by Bryan O'Hara examines no-till approaches adapted to intensive vegetable farming, with a focus on building soil biology and reducing mechanical disturbance. Published by Chelsea Green, a specialist agricultural press, it sits within a broader literature on regenerative and conservation horticulture. The work is likely grounded in the author's own farming experience at Tobacco Road Farm in Connecticut, offering applied guidance rather than formal experimental data.

UK applicability

While written from a North American context, the core principles of no-till vegetable production — soil biology conservation, compost application, and minimal disturbance bed systems — are broadly applicable to UK market garden and horticulture settings. UK growers interested in transitioning away from rotavation or deep tillage may find the practical guidance relevant, though climate and soil type differences should be considered.

Key measures

Soil health indicators, tillage practice descriptions, crop management protocols, likely anecdotal yield and bed productivity observations

Outcomes reported

The book likely describes practical no-till techniques, soil management approaches, and their implications for soil health, labour efficiency, and crop productivity in intensive vegetable systems. It probably draws on the author's direct farming experience alongside relevant agronomic principles.

Theme
Farming systems, soils & land use
Subject
Fruit & vegetables
Study type
Narrative Review
Study design
Narrative review
Source type
Grey literature
Status
Published
Geography
North America
System type
Horticulture
Catalogue ID
XL0859

Topic tags

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