Our first 'tilling'!

[curly_kate]

Renting is a tiller the way to go on spaces that size. We bought a front end tiller, and it was worthless. So we sold it, and now rent a rear tine. Makes things go sooo much quicker, and we don't have to worry about maintenance or storing it.

 

[ducks4you]

bodyflight -no, you didn't mislead. I figured that we were all discussing tillers and I'd share my experiences. The one I own cost about $650, including tax. It's a Troy-Built, but I would recommend a name brand above an off brand. I use it in places other than my garden throughout the year, and I have 5 acres, most of which is fenced in turnout and schooling areas for my horses. I definitely rent those things that I know I'm not going to need to use a lot of, since it saves time changing oil and the other maintenance stuff.

I am so inspired by everyone here that is doing the things that make sense on their properties or growing stuff inside their apartments.

 

[DawnSuiter]

We need a soil breaking MONSTER to really work it over here... something that would cost near $1000 really... and because of where I live, the only things you really find for sale used.. are either ancient or broken & need repair. So if we rent one a couple times.. maximum $125 spent over 2 years... then the soil will be workable enough for a little $350 jobbie that I can store easily and maneuver myself on down the road (in age I mean). But the hard work is gonna have to be done by something seriously heavy duty, then we can keep it up with something a bit more lightweight.

DH is dying to buy one from the pawn shop, but again they are all wimpy or so sad looking.. every time he goes he leaves empty handed.

 

[ducks4you]

I was wondering: would adding sand help break up bodyflight's soil?

 

[DawnSuiter]

yes, it's what we use in our chicken coops for bedding, so inevitably the gardens get a nice amount of sand... construction sand though, course with lots of little pebbles. When we shovel out a coop we just spread it all evenly in one of the available gardens. The compost piles dont' have a lot of sand because we use a kitty litter scooper to get the poop.

We have several gardening areas... the newest being this corn "field" or patch really... the others we have worked by hand over the course of the last 3 or 4 years, shovel by shovel full. The sand is great so far, not too much though or it becomes concrete. We've also brought in a load of topsoil in the truck and worked that into the other gardens. But was hoping not to cheat this time & update this one with all the goodies we've collected since last year.

 

[ducks4you]

Any horse owners nearby? If you could pick up, then cover to heat up and kill any unwanted seeds, you'd really ramp up your soil. It doesn't take that long for horse manure to age, AND you'd probably get it mixed with bedding.
BTW, I'll bet you have it easy growing lavendar!

 

[DawnSuiter]

Yes, horses across the street, and occasionally I am lucky enough to get a large planter full but not often enough. She gardens too

I've never tried growing lavender, I Do like it... maybe I'll try next year... I don't have much in the way of herbs, just a basic italian mix and some Russian sage which we don't eat.

Lavender sachets in the dresser drawers would be nice...

 

[journey11]

I don't know how rural your area may be, but you might try to find someone with a big ol' tractor and pay them to do the initial tilling if your soil is that hard. Talk about getting down to business!

One of my neighbors tilled and expanded my garden for me last spring and I paid him in vegetables!

 

[PunkinPeep]

I don't know how rural your area may be, but you might try to find someone with a big ol' tractor and pay them to do the initial tilling if your soil is that hard. Talk about getting down to business!

One of my neighbors tilled and expanded my garden for me last spring and I paid him in vegetables!

Sweet deal!

 

[dickiebird]

I bought a 3 pt. tiller last spring. This thing does 5 ft. at a whack!!! Put our garden (first in about 30 yrs.) in an old horse riding ring. Used a bunch of well composted donkey and chicken manure, along with a good helping of ag lime.
Plowed the plot, then disced, then tilled. The one thing I should have done and didn't was remove the sod/weeds before I started.
Had good success with everything, except I couldn't keep up with the weeds.
Over the last week I've been adding more donkey/chicken compost. About 3" over the entire plot.
This last Sat I tilled everything in and boy does it look nice.
The big tiller sure works good!!!

THANX RICH