The Aztecs used many different ways of cultivating the food that they ate and used as Tribute goods. Below are description of the different methods used, and then how Chinampas compare to them.
Extensive Agricultural Methods
Slash-and-burn
Infield-Outfield Method
Intensive Agricultural Methods
Hillside Terracing
Irrigation Agriculture
Raised Fields Agriculture
House-Lot Gardens (Calmil)
Slash-and-Burn System
In this system of agriculture, an area of land is cleared by cutting down the vegetaion, allowing it to dry for a period of time and then is burned. The ash from the burned vegetation is used to fertilize the crops. Farmers can then grow crops for about 2-3 years. After that time period, that area is then allowed to lay in fallow for a certain amount of time and then the process is repeated.
Infield-Outfield Method
This method is similar to the above method, but the time that is allowed for fallowing is different. This difference in fallowing time is most likely due to lack of land and population growth.
Hillside Terracing
This method is used to farm on hillsides. The farmers would terrace the hill to prevert the loss of their soil due to runoff and erosion.
Irrigation Agriculture
This was considered one of the most efficient ways to produce food. The Aztecs used this method largely by undertaking huge irrigation projects that no other society in that area did.
Raised Fields Agriculture
This is the type of agriculture is also known as chimanpas. They have also been refered to as floating gardens because of how they are built. This type of agriculture did not have a very long fallow period, only about 3 months or less, between 3-4 years of farming. This was because the fields were only about 1 meter (very rare to more than that) above the water level. Much of the crops found were started out a seedlings in seedbeds before being transplanted to the actual farming area.
House-Lot Gardens (Calmil)
These gardens were connected to individual households. They were small and would grow tomatoes, chiles, herbs, and flowers for use by the household.