We stopped tilling one section of our farm not to follow a trend, but because the soil was showing fatigue. This was a controlled decision on lateritic land in Birbhum, not a full-farm conversion.
What followed surprised us. The soil did not soften. Weeds did not reduce. Crops did not thank us immediately.
This article records what actually happened when tillage stopped completely, without ideology and without shortcuts.
The Trial Context
The no-till section sat beside regularly tilled land. Soil type, rainfall exposure, crop choice, and organic inputs remained the same. Only mechanical disturbance was removed.
Residues were left on the surface. No corrective mulching was added initially. We wanted to observe raw soil behaviour first.
What the Soil Did First
The Surface Became Harder
Within weeks, the topsoil felt firmer than the tilled section. Foot pressure increased resistance. Many would call this failure.
It was not.
Tillage had been creating artificial looseness. Once disturbance stopped, the soil collapsed into its real structure.
This phase is unavoidable.
Moisture Stayed Longer Below
Despite surface hardness, moisture lasted longer below five to seven centimeters. Rainwater was no longer escaping through repeated soil breakage.
In lateritic soil, internal moisture matters more than surface softness.
What Happened to Weeds
Weed Pressure Increased Early
Weeds emerged faster and denser. Years of buried seed banks surfaced together.
This is where most no-till trials end.
Weed Types Changed Mid-Season
As weeks passed, aggressive annuals reduced slightly. Shallow-rooted species dominated.
The soil environment was shifting. Weeds were responding first.
Crop Stress Told the Real Story
Early Stress Was Visible
Seedlings struggled initially. Root penetration slowed. Nutrient access was uneven.
Stress was not uniform. Plants near residue cover and shade handled conditions better.
Resilience Improved Later
Surviving plants developed deeper root systems than those in tilled soil. During dry spells, wilting appeared later and recovered faster.
The soil did not become kinder. The plants adapted.
What Soil Biology Revealed
Stopping tillage reduced mechanical damage to fungal networks. But recovery was slow, not dramatic.
Earthworms appeared later than expected but remained stable once established.
Biology responded to consistency, not claims.
When we stopped tilling completely, the soil surface hardened first, weeds increased and shifted in type, crops faced early stress, but internal moisture retention improved and plant resilience increased over time.
Why This Matters for Small Indian Farms
No-till is not a shortcut. On fragile lateritic soils, the first season is often the hardest. Early discomfort is not failure.
Testing no-till on a section, not the entire farm, allows learning without risking livelihood.
What We Learned at Terragaon Farms
Tillage hides soil weakness by breaking structure repeatedly. When disturbance stops, soil reveals its truth first.
Healing begins only after reality is exposed.
Transferability Notes
These observations come from rainfed lateritic soil in Birbhum. Heavier or irrigated soils may behave differently. Local trials are essential.
Krittika Das is a field practitioner and primary author at Terragaon Farms in Birbhum, West Bengal. Her writing is grounded in daily farm work, long-term soil observation, and small-land realities of eastern India. She focuses on natural farming, soil ecology, ethical dairy, and low-input systems, translating field experience into clear, practical knowledge for farmers and conscious food consumers.
