Tilling uncut grass

[thunder86]

So my cutter still hasn’t come in yet and we have a lot of raining coming which is perfect for a fall food plot. Would it be ok on my tiller to till up a spot that has waist high grass/briars? I’d rather wait if it will cause a problem with the tiller and just assume to not have one at all if it comes down it. But if it’s not gonna hurt it I want to use it.

 

[stevewarner1957]

Well you will wind the grass up on the tiller and spend all your time trying to clear it. Also the grass can cut the seals and cause leaks. My recommendation is, don’t

 

[bigtiller]

I have owned 4 tillers, 3 different brands and everyone of them would never make it 20 feet before the tines were wrapped nearly solid with vegetation.

You need to mow first.

 

[Tx Jim]

Briars with grass wrapped around tiller rotors will be an ""eye opening/closing experience"". I strongly suggest to avoid this task if at all possible.

 

[CausticUrbanCoast]

Use a brush mower if you have access, if not blade/scrape it if it must be done.

Actually strike that, rent a cutter or pay a neighbor to use a flail on it.

 

[thunder86]

Thank you all. I won’t do it until I get my cutter. I’d rather not have a food plot at all this year and keep my tiller new for the next 20 years of using it than messing it up.

 

[stevewarner1957]

Good idea. When you get your cutter spend extra time cutting and recutting the material. It will pay dividends when you till. Make the material as small as possible. Easier on the tiller and easier to break down in the soil

 

[CausticUrbanCoast]

Thank you all. I won’t do it until I get my cutter. I’d rather not have a food plot at all this year and keep my tiller new for the next 20 years of using it than messing it up.

Well you can go old school, get up at 6am and use a scythe on it ... sort of depends how big you are thinking. Could also buy a $100 ride-on and mow it at top height.

 

[Redlands Okie]

Another vote for cut first, then till. I will even go on to say it helps if the cut material has time to dry out, when its still green it still tangles up some. If I had time I would even go with the cutter up high then cut it again with it close to the ground which results in smaller segments, less likely to tangle.

 

[Diggin It]

we have a lot of raining coming which is perfect for a fall food plot.

That's about the worst time to have freshly opened soil.

Gentle rain is fine. Heavy rain will lead to much less soil where you want it.