Question for you guy with tillers

screamin400 · Jun 1, 2017

The photos online of the Mahindra tiller seem to be of an older flat top style. The one my dealer has is a rounded top. I have looked at the county line at tsc and the KK at runnings. In person the Mahindra has a nicer appearance and I think the rounded top may like the grass better? I have heard this but I do not know this. The Mahindra is more money but does look better built. I can have either today.

My main issue is that I am subcontracted to do this field. Lady is paying a large sum to have it done quickly. I am a perfectionist on my work and a box blade and york rake will not give the appearance that I prefer but then again it may be what the contractor has in mind. He is coming this morning to take a look. So far he says he thinks it will be fine. In my mind it will not look like the work I try to do. If I am spending this kind of money I do not want to see any standing grass in my new grass. I know what I would do as the contractor and I know what the right thing to do is as a sub but going to let the contractor make the decision.

screamin400 · Jun 1, 2017

This is the area I am doing. Hopefully it dries out a bit from the storm we got right before some of these pics. No lie I have been over this 10 times to get it to look like that and I am not happy with the look. I am pretty sure a good tiller will run through this grass. I am thinking a tiller can do this in one day and I will be 4 days at the rate I am going.

jenkinsph · Jun 1, 2017

With two passes at 90 degrees to each other I don't think you will have any standing grass.

I do lots of box blade work too but I do not use a box blade to replace a tiller. Most times working over fields I till first then use box blade to grade and smooth.

radioman · Jun 1, 2017

looking at your grass picture - i dont think you will have major problems with plants wrapping around your tiller if you get one. looking at your dirt pics - you should not be working the land when its wet - it just creates more work and its like day and night when soil is dry enough to work. also the worked wet dirt doesnt look to bad right now and i am afraid that if you will it anyways - you will create more work for your self. you may bring up rocks and stones and other hidden surprises to the surface where you need to go back and pick it up and remove. you are trying to save time and this could set you back.
I would wait till the dirt actually drys out so the dirt can go thru the rake better sandlike and you can get a better finish.

sometimes waiting long enough is the best thing to do instead of making yourself trying to do things in a short period of time with a deadline.

Ivan49 · Jun 1, 2017

screamin400 said:
View attachment 511330 View attachment 511329 View attachment 511331

This is the area I am doing. Hopefully it dries out a bit from the storm we got right before some of these pics. No lie I have been over this 10 times to get it to look like that and I am not happy with the look. I am pretty sure a good tiller will run through this grass. I am thinking a tiller can do this in one day and I will be 4 days at the rate I am going.

A tiller will work good on that. What I have found with mine is areas with that type of grass till really good, but if you have something like 3 foot tall rye it will wrap around the tiller

screamin400 · Jun 1, 2017

Sun is out so should be drying out quickly I hope. I have a deadline so it is what it is. I have 8 hours in that little bit. I am not 1/3 of the way done.

Ford850 · Jun 1, 2017

Ivan49 said:
A tiller will work good on that. What I have found with mine is areas with that type of grass till really good, but if you have something like 3 foot tall rye it will wrap around the tiller

This is what I have found with mine too. I just tilled some areas last evening that looked similar to the pictures, and one pass knocks most of it out. Two passes and it's clean.
Be careful when tilling an area to be seeded for a lawn though. Do not till very deep, or it will settle and have rows of ridges and dips in the years to come.

jenkinsph · Jun 1, 2017

Here is a picture after running my tiller over a pasture. Two trips with the tiller and one pass with the land plane grader scraper. My concern would be since you have to do this so quickly the grass doesn't have any time to dry out. I suspect you will be okay though.

jenkinsph · Jun 1, 2017

screamin400 said:
The photos online of the Mahindra tiller seem to be of an older flat top style. The one my dealer has is a rounded top. I have looked at the county line at tsc and the KK at runnings. In person the Mahindra has a nicer appearance and I think the rounded top may like the grass better? I have heard this but I do not know this. The Mahindra is more money but does look better built. I can have either today.

My main issue is that I am subcontracted to do this field. Lady is paying a large sum to have it done quickly. I am a perfectionist on my work and a box blade and york rake will not give the appearance that I prefer but then again it may be what the contractor has in mind. He is coming this morning to take a look. So far he says he thinks it will be fine. In my mind it will not look like the work I try to do. If I am spending this kind of money I do not want to see any standing grass in my new grass. I know what I would do as the contractor and I know what the right thing to do is as a sub but going to let the contractor make the decision.

Do it right and do it once is the cheapest and best way to come out and preserve your reputation. A tiller is the right tool for this job. Good luck with it.

Spindifferent · Jun 1, 2017

As others have said, you will need to wait until the soil is dry enough to use a tiller on it. When the top several inches of the the soil are dry enough to crumble into your hand, then you can till it. Otherwise, it will be a very sticky mess and likely clog the tiller tines until the tiller is useless.

Good luck!