Tiller Help! Clay packed into tiller tines

[rScotty]

How much tilling did you accomplish doing it in the wet sloppy soil like that?
It almost seems like a tiller would compact wet soil rather than break it up.
Did you do any good to that acre?

I ask because I don't know much about working clay soil; ours is sandy without any clay at all.
Sometimes we wish we had just a bit of clay to help hold moisure in the soil. We did add some clay to the lawn and a small garden. It helps there.

Even without clay we find a lot of use for pressure washers & have two: one gas & one electric.
rScotty

 

[Beeenvenue]

I got about 1/3 of an acre well tilled, 1/3 tilled a little bit but mostly just the surface broken, then the last 1/3 was not much at all, just pushed the surface around.

The wheelbarrow looked pristine compared to me - splash back was king at those pressures when it was like spraying directly onto concrete.

Air chisel - perhaps but those are air hogs and I have never invested in pneumatic equipment for home (just a pancake for tires). But the problem with clay is it is rock solid until you want it to be then it gives just enough you can’t use it for leverage against itself.

I’ll avoid when I can and if I can’t then I’ll start with the pressure washer next time and save my arms.

A gas powered unit wouldn’t have helped unless it can work off an non pressurized water source (tank). Even then I bet I used 100+ gallons. We hope to build in another year or so (thanks COVID we were just about to start in March) so perhaps by next spring I’ll have water and power available.

 

[CoyPatton]

I got about 1/3 of an acre well tilled, 1/3 tilled a little bit but mostly just the surface broken, then the last 1/3 was not much at all, just pushed the surface around.

The wheelbarrow looked pristine compared to me - splash back was king at those pressures when it was like spraying directly onto concrete.

Air chisel - perhaps but those are air hogs and I have never invested in pneumatic equipment for home (just a pancake for tires). But the problem with clay is it is rock solid until you want it to be then it gives just enough you can’t use it for leverage against itself.

I’ll avoid when I can and if I can’t then I’ll start with the pressure washer next time and save my arms.

A gas powered unit wouldn’t have helped unless it can work off an non pressurized water source (tank). Even then I bet I used 100+ gallons. We hope to build in another year or so (thanks COVID we were just about to start in March) so perhaps by next spring I’ll have water and power available.

If you watch ads from a variety of places look for a hammer drill that will just hammer. These are electric units and can be ran off of a decent portable generator. You can get a variety of chisel buts for them for various jobs HF sells a couple of different models, but watching other locations may result in a brand name tool for similar price.

 

[mad_planter]

Tilling clay soil that's as wet as that will actually cause more harm then good. It will mess up the soil structure and cause compaction. Suggest waiting until its dryer.

 

[CoyPatton]

Tilling clay soil that's as wet as that will actually cause more harm then good. It will mess up the soil structure and cause compaction. Suggest waiting until its dryer.

Agreed!
But that did not help with his issue.
And sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do!

 

[stuckmotor]

I'd heard about Texas black clay but never seen it to know it. Thanks for the photo's.
BTW
What makes it black? I'm told that our clay is red because of iron oxide.

 

[Beeenvenue]

Interesting that the black clay is decomposed microscopic limestone. Most of the area in North Central Texas have tones of limestone under the surface (sometimes at the top) and as it decomposes into tiny particles apparently that is the clay. Not sure why it goes from white to black (organic matter?)