Tillage Radishes Boost No-Till Soil Health

Farmers find cover crops improve soil structure and reduce costs

Apr. 18, 2026 at 8:44am

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A bold, abstract painting in earthy tones depicting the intricate underground network of tillage radish roots interacting with soil particles and nutrients, conveying the structural order and natural processes at work beneath the surface.Tillage radishes' deep taproots help break up dense soil, improving structure and drainage for no-till farmers seeking to improve their soil health.Monmouth Today

The wet harvest last fall and continued saturated soil conditions this past spring in many parts of the country left farmers unsure whether to till or not till their fields. Some farmers, like Garth Mulkey in Oregon, have found success with using tillage radishes as a cover crop to improve soil structure, cut costs, and expand their crop rotations through a no-till approach.

Why it matters

As more farmers adopt no-till practices to improve soil health and reduce environmental impact, cover crops like tillage radishes have emerged as a key tool to help ease the transition away from traditional tillage. The deep taproots of tillage radishes can loosen compacted soils without the need for heavy equipment, while also providing other benefits like nitrogen fixation.

The details

Garth Mulkey, a no-till farmer in Monmouth, Oregon, has found success using tillage radishes as part of his cover crop rotation. The radishes' deep taproots help break up dense soil, improving structure and drainage. Mulkey has also expanded his crop lineup by incorporating small grains and other cover crops, nearly tripling the diversity of his operation. Other no-till pioneers like David Brandt in Ohio have also seen benefits from using tillage radishes and other cover crops to retain soil, increase tilth, and provide nutrients for their main crops.

  • The wet harvest in fall 2025 left many farmers unsure about tilling their fields this past spring.
  • Garth Mulkey has been no-tilling his Oregon farm for more than 20 years, incorporating cover crops like tillage radishes along the way.
  • David Brandt switched to no-till in 1971 and started experimenting with cover crops, including tillage radishes, in 1979.

The players

Garth Mulkey

A no-till farmer in Monmouth, Oregon who has found success using tillage radishes as part of his cover crop rotation to improve soil structure and expand his crop diversity.

David Brandt

An Ohio no-till pioneer who has been using cover crops, including tillage radishes, since 1979 to retain soil, increase tilth, and provide nutrients for his main crops.

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What they’re saying

“With the dire economics agriculture faced in the early 1980s, there was no opportunity for me to join our Wisconsin family farm operation. But farming was my first love and you might say, I was blessed.”

— Dave Dum, No-till Farmer

“Using a three-crop rotation with corn, soybeans and wheat, Brandt incorporates cover crops into the wheat stubble. Cover crops are used to retain the soil, increase the tilth of the soil and to provide nutrients, especially nitrogen for the next crop, usually corn.”

— David Brandt, No-till Farmer

The takeaway

As more farmers adopt no-till practices, cover crops like tillage radishes have emerged as a key tool to help ease the transition by improving soil structure, reducing costs, and expanding crop diversity - proving that conservation-minded farming can be both economically and environmentally sustainable.