tiller newbie notes

[Bird]

<font color=blue>It looks . . . like mine is a reverse rotation model</font color=blue>

I'm not familiar with that model, but one glance is all it takes to tell whether it is or not. Just look at one of the tines. If that tine is sticking straight down, is the sharper edge toward the rear (forward rotation) or towards the front (reverse rotation - or "counterrotating"). Counter rotating tillers always seem to cost more, and while they have some advantages (and disadvantages), I think the cost is the most important difference./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

 

[TerryinMD]

Bird,

Mostly we sell them at a Garden Market.

You can use them almost like an onion. They have a milder flavor. We've used them in stir frys and leek soup.

We prefer buying our leeks and onions as young plants. Growing them from seed has worked but takes time and constant vigilance to keep the young plants healthy. I work full time and commute about 100 miles back and forth from work. My wife works part time doing mechandising and full time as a mom so the live plants have worked best for us.

Yes we replant all of our onions and leeks every year. Also, we constantly move the beds to reduce the onion maggot damage. Those little buggers can destroy a crop if your not careful.

To grow a good crop of leeks, do the following. Prepare your beds and till as deep as possible. Take your middle buster and draw a furrow. We keep all of our rows at 50' in length so that we can use commercial soaker hoses. Place the leeks at the suggested intervals and cover the white portions of the leek. Once they begin to grow, you continue to backfill into the furrow. The reason to do this is to get a thick and tall white stock because that is the desirable portion of the leek. We also bury the soaker hose a couple of inches in the ground. This way you don't waste your precious well water. You need about an inch a week to have a good crop. My wife usually runs our soaker hose system for about two hours and that provides plenty of moisture to the plants. Do not mulch onions, leeks, or shallots. It is better to have bare ground to keep the tops dry and insect free.

Sounds like you might be able to harvest them now. I use either a narrow trenching shovel or garden fork to harvest. Just put the shovel about two or three inches away from the leek, push it in about 6 or so inches, pull the shovel towards you a little to loosen the soill and root system, and enjoy.

Hope this answers your questions.

Terry

 

[Bob_Trevithick]

<font color=blue>...The HST with 4wd drive give you control over your ground speed with infinite control depending on soil conditions. Wouldn't have it any other way (well, unless I can find someone to do all of the tilling and harvesting whilst I have a mint julip while supervising. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif).</font color=blue>

Terry,

I can't picture you as the "Gentleman Farmer." /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif You would be itching to run out to that field and jump on that tractor! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Bob_Trevithick]

Ron,

Thanks for that link to that thread.. I should have done a search.. /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif

Great graphic showing how the reverse tiller works!

The guy who ran into the fence is fine, and his tractor is fine. Just a quirk of the smaller JD HST's, I guess, which don't have wheel brakes. He learned this the hard way. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Bob_Trevithick]

<font color=blue>... If that tine is sticking straight down, is the sharper edge toward the rear (forward rotation) or towards the front (reverse rotation - or "counterrotating"). Counter rotating tillers always seem to cost more, and while they have some advantages (and disadvantages), I think the cost is the most important difference./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif</font color=blue>

Ahah.. I hadn't even realized there were sharp and dull edges. /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif The sharp edges on the bottom tines are facing the rear, so I guess I have the normal forward rotation. That's probably good, aside from the money issue, as we have a lot of rocks that keep coming to the surface. I am pondering using a single-bottom mouldboard plow to turn over the land before plowing, and get as many of those rocks out as I can before hitting the area with the tiller. But that's a different thread. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Thanks for the tips!

 

[RPM]

fractal,

Where did you pick up your tiller? Auction?

I was just quoted $1600 for a Land Pride 1042 (42" tiller) ... can you say sticker shock!

Patrick

 

[s1120]

The hydro powerd tiller I have for my Ingersoll can spin ether way. You just flip the tines around. I have not had a chance to use mine yet, but I alredy have a few peple who will pay me to do there gardens./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Getting payed for tractor time, got to love it./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Bird]

Thanks, Terry, I was just curious because the first time (quite a few years ago) that I saw a recipe calling for leeks, I didn't know what they were, and it seems to me that most folks in the this area don't know what they are. I can only recall seeing them in a grocery store one time. I tried tasting these we have and can see how they might be good for cooking, but haven't used any of them. I do set out 2 to 2.5 eighty foot rows of 1015Y onion plants every year. Sounds like they're less work./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif And I "rotate" all the vegetable crop every year; never plant the same thing in the same spot.

 

[RPM]

Bird,

There's a big list of leek recipes <A target="_blank" HREF=http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blv104.htm>here</A>.

There is a strong tradition of growing leeks in the UK - especially in Wales where it could be called the national vegetable. Pretty much all of the agricultural shows you visit (again, especially in Wales) will have a leek growing competition. Some of these guys get them a couple of feet long and as thick as your arm.

The best known leek dish over there? Probably leek and potato soup. Runner up would be boiled leeks served as a vegetable with just about anything.

This definitely has me thinking about adding leeks to the list for this year's garden!

Patrick

 

[RPM]

Couple of images ...