Author Topic: Tillers-need info. ASAP  (Read 1952 times)

Offline Rooney

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Tillers-need info. ASAP
« on: March 21, 2014, 06:14:24 PM »
So we have decided to definitely incorporate a nice sized garden this year.  I think we need it for crops that we need in higher quantities like green beans, carrots, peas, corn and sweet potatoes.  Hubby is ready to start getting the ground ready.  Sooooooo....we need a tiller.  I know most of you grow gardens and would have to have one already.
Questions:
Front-tine or rear-tine tiller?
Is the brand Husquavera OK? (my dad has a Troybilt, but that kind of a price isn't an option for us)
Does the ground need to be plowed or disked up before using the tiller?

Any info. you can give will be appreciated.  We will probably purchase one this weekend (if what we need is in stock that is.)
This road to self-sufficiency sure is getting expensive. :P

Offline luv2bmom

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Re: Tillers-need info. ASAP
« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2014, 08:12:38 PM »
Yay to your garden!!

I can only share with you our experience when we started our garden years ago!  We have a rear-tined Cub Cadet tiller and dh prefers it b/c you can push down on the rear for it to dig deeper.  It's harder to do that with the front-tined. 

Dh went over our garden spot with the tiller, over and over and then we would rake up the grass and clumps...wait a few days and do it again....I think it took 4 different times of tilling to loosen the soil well.  We also live in a rocky area so we picked up alot of rock!  We also added organic manure in 40lb bags, dh would put a least a dozen bags each year. 

Good luck, I hope this helps!!  :)

Pixie, wife to Coby
mother to Megan, Amanda
and to our beloved late son Braden
Baboo to Mont, Ada, Brinly and Brielle
mil to Warren and Marcus

Offline Alice

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Re: Tillers-need info. ASAP
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2014, 07:00:45 AM »
We also have a Troybilt rear-tined tiller. I'm surprised that you alluded to the price being high. Ours wasn't terribly expensive at all.  It digs so nice and deep and I can even run that thing with ease.

We've been tinkering with the idea of a garden in our new place and we're leaning towards doing it. I love going outside and harvesting things. My dad offered to grow for us but then we always will have to ask for something and I want the freedom to grab and go anytime.

I'm so ready for spring to spring!

Alice
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Offline wrancher

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Re: Tillers-need info. ASAP
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2014, 07:28:14 AM »
I can't really recommend a brand in particular we gave a craftsman I think that us at least 15 yrs old and acts like new. I do recommend rear tine for the same reason.  I love ours

Offline Rooney

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Re: Tillers-need info. ASAP
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2014, 10:58:12 AM »
Thank you so much for your replies everyone!  :)  We feel like this will be a good addition to what we get out of the greenhouse and give me some things to possibly can. 

Pixie- I may see if my dad will disk the spot up first so poor DH doesn't have to go over the spot so many times.  I think that we may go with the Cub Cadet rear-tine too.  The first mower we bought was a Cub Cadet and we still use it on the rental houses.  Seems like they hold up pretty well. :)  We will do the same thing you do using the organic manure too. :)  Do you till it in several times also?

Alice- I would love to have the Troybilt like my dad has, but they are a minimum of $2000 and go up to around $2800 at Lowe's.  Just too high for us, especially since we only will use it once a year. :)

Janice- I am thinking most brands would work too because they get used so little. :)

Offline Cheryl

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Re: Tillers-need info. ASAP
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2014, 11:01:57 AM »
We don't own a tractor but my husband uses our rear tine Craftsman tiller to go over the spot several times like Pixie said.  We have had our tiller about 7 or 8 years.  I don't know what it cost originally because we traded something for it ( a stove, I think :-\) and it was used when we got it.  It's held up well over the years and it gets a workout every spring! :)
Cheryl in Alabama
Wife to Tony
Mother to Lana & Emily
Nana to Logan & Madilyn

Offline Rooney

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Re: Tillers-need info. ASAP
« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2014, 11:13:16 AM »
We don't own a tractor but my husband uses our rear tine Craftsman tiller to go over the spot several times like Pixie said.  We have had our tiller about 7 or 8 years.  I don't know what it cost originally because we traded something for it ( a stove, I think :-\) and it was used when we got it.  It's held up well over the years and it gets a workout every spring! :)
Cheryl, we don't have a tractor either, but we live on the corner of one of my dad's farms and he has them.  I would just use his tiller too, but it is old and doesn't work anymore. :P

Offline Cheryl

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Re: Tillers-need info. ASAP
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2014, 11:22:36 AM »
It's good that you live close enough to borrow a tractor if you need one.  We want a small one but it's not in the budget right now.  Someday... ;)
Cheryl in Alabama
Wife to Tony
Mother to Lana & Emily
Nana to Logan & Madilyn

Offline MoWin

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Re: Tillers-need info. ASAP
« Reply #8 on: March 22, 2014, 04:40:40 PM »
I am glad you are going to grow a garden, Lindsay. I love seeing everything growing and harvesting fresh veggies. We have a Troy rear tine. We bought it about 12 years ago and spent $2000 for it then. I about passed out on that purchase, but we used tax refund money. Kevin had wanted one for a long time. It does an amazing job. Kevin tilled the whole garden area last fall. Today, he went out and made one pass. It was like velvet. I do prefer the rear tine tillers. We also have a front tine tiller and a little Mantis. You might say we are tiller poor. LOL Anyway, I think the rear tine tillers do a better job. Don't know anything about any other brands, just Troy. Our front tine is a a cheapie Walmart tiller that Kevin hates. I rolled it end over end the very first time I tried to take it down the hill to our garden. It started bouncing and got away from me. I stood with my mouth open for a second, then ran to the bottom of the hill to rescue it. LOL It didn't hurt it any, but Kevin still says he hates it. LOL

Good luck.

Blessings,
Winona
Winona in northwest Missouri
Wife to Kevin
Mom to Carolyn, Cathryn, Isaiah, Hazel, and Jon
Grandma to Ashton, Ava, Noah, Izabella, and Maddison
Furbabies: Aeris, Buddy, and Callie