Rototilling a 20'x30' Area

SouthernX · Mar 25, 2009

I have a 20'x30' foot area that I am thinking of using for a garden. I thought I might rent a walk-behind rototiller to till it.

1) The 20'x30' area has never been tilled before. Can I use the walk-behind rototiller to get it turned or will I have to do something to the ground before I try and till it with the walk-behind?

2) We have lots of rocks in our soil. Will the walk-behind just pull them out or do I need to get them out of the soil before trying to rototill?

3) If I rent a rototiller with a tilling width of 16"-20" how long would it take me to do the 20'x30' area?

framer · Mar 25, 2009

Yes a self propelled tiller should work fine. Works good if you have a little
moister in ground.It will bring up grape fruit size or little larger rocks to surface.Depends how big of rocks and how many to remove.Average tilling
about hour and half. Good luck. Framer

oldmanmike · Mar 25, 2009

Depends on how hard the ground is, and what type of soil. Clay is the worst, Florida sand is the easiest. Go rent one, but expect to be out there a couple of days to do a real good job - down four to six inches. Deeper the better.

A friend of mine in upstate NY has a 60' by 30' - He plows it. Too many rocks for a rototiller.

If there's turf grass, you'll have to make a couple of shallow passes to loosen it up, and then rake the clumps out with a spring rake, not a steel rake.

If it's bare ground, make your first pass shallow. Any tiller, when you hit a fist-sized rock, it's going to buck on you, so take it easy.

In any case, go shallow first couple of passes, then gradually go deeper.

The first time it'll take you awhile. Next time, it'll take you 45 minutes. Look for a good used one. Once you get into gardening, you'll realize you need this thing for more than just springtime.

Charlton John · Mar 25, 2009

I agree w/ framer. I myself have done this w/ a Troy built walk behind tiller (med size) for a 24x32 garden. Many rocks as well. Should handle no problem, I had to go over it, rake it out, and do again, and then again. Couple hrs. worth of work but deffinetly feasable. I then brought in some fresh manure and spread around before planting the veggies, good luck!

Egon · Mar 25, 2009

Heavy sod may also take a little time and more than a few choice words.

Of course it all depends on how heavy a tiller you can rent as they are not all created equally!

2manyrocks · Mar 25, 2009

I think if you can find someone to plow it for the same cost as the rental, you'd come out ahead. There is a lot of work in breaking sod and in breaking up the soil for the first time. It can be done with a rear tine tiller, but I don't think it will be fun.

If you plow it, at least you're burying the old grass further under the ground instead of having chopped up grass and roots all mixed in the top layer of your soil.

Mickey_Fx · Mar 25, 2009

Food for thought. If currently in grass, I'd either remove the sod or spray with Round-up kind of product and let it sit for a couple weeks to insure the grass is dead. Will take some effort to break up the grass and roots and get them turned under.

As for time, expect a full day from a clock aspect. You will need to run over the plot numerous times to get the soil worked up 6-8 inches deep. If ground is real moist, soil still wet enough to clump, I'd run over the plot, let it set for a couple hrs and make the next run and repeat until it has reached the full depth the tiller will permit. On a sunny day, you'd be surprised how quickly moisture will evaporate when exposed to the sun and air.

I've been gardening the same piece of ground for close to 40 yrs and this is how I've always done it. Even today with the CUT and large tiller, I till 3-4 times before planting. I can get the full depth on the first pass but soil isn't to the consistency I like before planting.

Wis Bang · Mar 25, 2009

My bowling partner was going to place a large area of patio pavers below his deck and was complaining how hard it was to dig out by hand. I loaned him our Troy Bilt 'pony' and he was very grateful.

He dug out a compacted area under 30 sq ft and has a spoils pile about 10 x 40 X two feet thick of the uncompacted dirt. He did cut the sod w/ a shovel and transplanted it to cover all the spots the dogs had dug/worn down.

Qf course this is in a 50 yr old development that had been a potato farm & wasn't very rocky.

Johndeere3720 · Mar 25, 2009

Ive used a good sized Honda tiller for the small garden and be careful on hard ground! On hard ground, keep the wheels on the ground or the tiller will fly forward! In the smaller garden, we till it atleast 5 or 6 times before even thinking of planting. We spread chicken manure before we till to add nutrients to the soil for the plants. I prefer using my grandpa's johndeere 2210 tractor to till gardens. I have 2 reasons, 1 you dont fly forward on hard ground making it more of a fun job, and 2, you cover twice as much area as a regular walk behind tiller. If my moms little garden wasnt fenced in (to keep deer and elk out) I would use the 2210 with the tiller. If you have any projects that need to be done around the house, rent a tractor with a loader and tiller. It will make the job easier and a lot more enjoyable!

coobie · Mar 26, 2009

SouthernX said:
I have a 20'x30' foot area that I am thinking of using for a garden. I thought I might rent a walk-behind rototiller to till it.

1) The 20'x30' area has never been tilled before. Can I use the walk-behind rototiller to get it turned or will I have to do something to the ground before I try and till it with the walk-behind?

2) We have lots of rocks in our soil. Will the walk-behind just pull them out or do I need to get them out of the soil before trying to rototill?

3) If I rent a rototiller with a tilling width of 16"-20" how long would it take me to do the 20'x30' area?

Do you own tractor by chance?If so rent a 3 point tiller.I thought I read in some of your previous posts you owned a tiller,is that correct?coobie