Tillers: What say you

[FALaholic]

I'm thinking of tilling a portion of my yard.
I wanted to ask the hive what is their take on tillers.
The portion of land has been lawn for decades, and I was simply thinking of getting a small 50cc tiller to do the work. When I inquired about renting one, I was advised to rent the medium sized tiller .

I can either purchase a used small tiller for ~$120 or I can rent a medium tiller for $62 a day.

 

[DGBAMA]

Unless you just enjoy physically abusing yourself i would highly recommend spending more on a rear tine model with counter rotating tines. y

 

[Thomas]

I'm new to growing tobacco but I have had a garden for the past 14 years, and lots of different tillers. If you are looking for something to break new ground you are almost certain to be disappointed with a 50 cc tiller. I have one and it is priceless for working between plants through the growing season but its no good for ground that has never been broken. If you are considering a larger tiller try to find a shaft driven counter rotating rear tine model such as troy built. My father-in-law has one that is 25 plus years old and is still going strong. it will work circles around my belt driven rear tine I can cut 6" deep with his on one pass and have to cut 2" at a time with mine.

 

[FALaholic]

You guys are the bestest.

Thomas, your input solidified my decision.

One more question. My only reason for inquiring into a tiller is because the land has never been tilled before. I don't plan on purchasing, but merely renting for one day. Once the land has been tilled, can the following seasonal tillings be done with a hoe? Or even a 50cc tiller?

 

[DGBAMA]

You guys are the bestest.

Thomas, your input solidified my decision.

One more question. My only reason for inquiring into a tiller is because the land has never been tilled before. I don't plan on purchasing, but merely renting for one day. Once the land has been tilled, can the following seasonal tillings be done with a hoe? Or even a 50cc tiller?

A 50cc tiller is more of a "cultivator". If you do not purchase a "real tiller" then you should plan on renting one for the first tilling each year. The "cultivator" is not really suitable for spring ground breaking.

 

[Boboro]

Spray the lawn with grass killer now, dig it up by hand or get a tractor with a turnin plow. Thick lawn grass and tillers don't mix well.

 

[Brown Thumb]

The bigger the better , I prefer 4 wheel drive , seat , and Beer holder.
makes for a easy day .
5 footer works good , but I wish it was a 6 footer.

 

[AmaxB]

I agree with all the above did may 1st last spring. Rented a monster tiller mowed my spot and busted my butt an entire day breaking the grass and ground. A good tiller cost, you must store, and maintain it. I think renting is a good option unless you would use it often.

 

[deluxestogie]

How many square feet of sod do you plan to till?

Bob

 

[Knucklehead]

A mistake I made this year that I will correct this fall is that I broke new ground in the spring. What I'll do this fall is break ground, work in sand, rotten sawdust, manure and peat moss. (my soil has a alot of clay) I will then plant crimson clover to help choke out competition and put nitrogen into the soil. If the crimson clover is overtaken with weeds and grass, I will till it under again before the weeds and grass go to seed. Then it will get tilled again right before I plant with possibly more composted manure. I lost alot of leaf weight this year to poor drainage and compacted soil that made it hard for the roots to grow.

Weed seed can stay dormant for decades until the right conditions come along for them to germinate. For awhile, you will be pulling weed seeds to the surface every time you till. If you till them back under after they germinate and kill them before they go to seed, you can eventually end up with a relatively weed and grass free patch with no poisons. I've done this with food plots for deer and it works. I know from this year that constantly pulling grass and weeds in a pain in the nether regions. In a wet year you can fall way behind.

 

[Chicken]

definatlly kill the grass first.....

or it wii come back to haunt you.

 

[FALaholic]

How many square feet of sod do you plan to till?

Bob

I was just about to mention the size.
5 yards x 10 yards, so 15' x 30' = 450 sqft

The size doesn't bother me, which made me think that I could get away with using a hoe. But the fact that the land has never been tilled, leads me to believe that it would be a back breaker.

 

[FALaholic]

Guys much info here, many thanks for the knowledge.
Once I spray herbicide on the lawn, how long do I have to wait before I plant?
I never thought of planting anything other than bacca plants.
As for composting, I have only planned on covering the patch with horse manure, then tilling it again. Fertilizer is up in the air. I was thinking of taking some Osmocote and adding it directly to the hole that the plants will be transplanted in. Or maybe just take another members advice and not add any extra at all, just manure.
My soil is sandy, a little more sandy than I would like, so something added to retain water may be added. Trying to go from watering everyday to, the least, every 3 days; I really do like every 5 days like I am now with my transplants.
Soil pH, I don't think I'm going to have a fighting chance. I've added a teaspoon of Epsom soil acidifier to each of my SOLO cups, and it has been a month now, and still no change in pH. Yet my plants are doing quite well.

 

[FALaholic]

Almost forgot to mention, pesticide.
I'm beginning to get an infestation of red millipedes. They are beginning to make their way into the house. In the past I've treated them with Spectracide. Will Spectracide be leached into my plants? Will red millipedes eat my roots? I used to simply use Red Billed Ibis to control the insect problem, but they haven't been coming around much lately.

Will I be able to get my patch ready for permanent transplant in a week or so?

 

[johnlee1933]

Herbicide has been mentioned several times. I use a propane "earth torch". I burn the offending weeds AND cook the seeds before I till. If the weather is dry I have a hose to dampen all the surrounding weeds and grass. I then decide what to spade in and cook it also if I guess there is more weed seed involved. Then I cover it with a tarp for the winter. Come spring I turn it over again and get to planting. Soil test and adding cotton seed meal and whatever is a part of the process after I get the test back.

John

 

[Boboro]

Spray the grass killer now Wate 4 weeks and spray what comes back up. Plant in buckets till you get a garden that will produce. Put a lot of peat moss in the garden to up the acid.

 

[FALaholic]

Spray the grass killer now Wate 4 weeks and spray what comes back up. Plant in buckets till you get a garden that will produce. Put a lot of peat moss in the garden to up the acid.

Thanks. 4 weeks, or less is about the time that I would like to permanently transplant them.
Buckets have been what I've used in the past for growing other plants. I originally planned on doing my entire batch in buckets, but now I have more plants than I do buckets, hence the reason for going straight to ground.
I guess I'll just have to take my largest and plant them in buckets for now, while I wait for the patch to clear.

 

[Thomas]

One more question. My only reason for inquiring into a tiller is because the land has never been tilled before. I don't plan on purchasing, but merely renting for one day. Once the land has been tilled, can the following seasonal tillings be done with a hoe? Or even a 50cc tiller?

It depends on the soil type you have. Half of my garden is clay that is a job every time I till it, the other half was used as a place to toss cinders from a coal stove way before my time, the soil is always loose and my mantis will turn it over good in the spring. You should have a better idea of what you have after you have worked it for a season.

 

[johnlee1933]

It depends on the soil type you have. Half of my garden is clay that is a job every time I till it, the other half was used as a place to toss cinders from a coal stove way before my time, the soil is always loose and my mantis will turn it over good in the spring. You should have a better idea of what you have after you have worked it for a season.

Well said. Know your ground before you make an expensive choice.

John

 

[LeftyRighty]

You're messing out on great soil amendment by using herbicide or burning the weeds. Since tilling 'virgin' soil is next to impossible, and hand digging seems eminate, just dig and turn under the weeds or grass. 90% or more won't come back, and the remainder that does can be attacked with your shovel again. Or, as Johnlee suggests, cover with a plastic tarp for a month.

What I've done on virgin soil before - dig and turn over with a regular shovel in the fall, then re-dig in the spring, or a month later, with a good spade, even deeper.

Lot of work, but worth the effort. Adding organic matter, and getting deep to all the nutrients of the sub-soil. I've never seen a tiller yet that can equal a good spade dig.