Zero tillage is not appropriate for compacted soils that have lost both humus and structure. First, they must be loosened. Research on restoration of the compacted arable layer of Ordinary chernozem demonstrated physical, chemical and biological benefits from subsoiling and incorporating successive crops of spring and autumn vetch. The regenerated soil became friable and better able to support fundamental life processes; the content of organic matter, especially fresh organic matter, was increased; and, over the next 4 years under a five-field rotation, the quality and quantity of crops increased substantially. © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021. All rights reserved.