what size rototiller?

[hiya]

I have alot to learn . I would like to start a veggy garden . I have a 1 acre lot with grass , well drained . This lot is not used for much and I would like to start maybe a 20'x20' veggy garden .

I need a roto tiller , can anyone suggest the size I might want?

[rainbowgardener]

Hi and welcome to the Forum! I retitled your post so it will catch more people's eyes who might be familiar with rototillers.

If all you are planning to till is the 20x20 area, that's very small and you just want a small tiller. You can rent them easily. That would be best for something you need to use at most a few hours twice a year.

You don't need to till it at all. Type sheet mulching into the Search the Forum feature above and find lots of info about no-till alternatives.

[garden5]

20' x 20', if you are in good physical condition, is doable with a shovel. This is especially true if you break up the work over a few days.

However, if you're in no condition for something like this, or if manual labor is just not your style , here are two articles that will help you to choose a tiller: [url=https://www.professorshouse.com/your-home/gardening-plants/buying-a-rototiller.aspx]Buying a Rototiller[/url], [url=https://www.lawnmania.com/roto-tillers/]Rototiller Quick Guide[/url].

Hope this helps .

[Gary350]

You probably don't need to buy a extremely expensive tiller. Tractor Supply store has some pretty good tillers. They have them with front and rear tine. The rear tine is nice but they are large and take up more space in storage. I would buy a with a 5 hp engine.

Lowe's and Home Depot have some cheap junky tillers I think they are over priced too. It is hard to buy a good tiller these days they are NOT made to be repaired. The tillers most places are selling these days have a vertical shaft engine just like a lawn mower the shaft goes to a gear box. The stuff is made cheap and it does not last long. See if you can find a use tiller with a horizonal shaft that is V belt drive at a yard sale on craigslist. Also check the lawn mower shops for a good used tiller.

The engine on my tiller threw a rod I shopped all last summer for a new tiller but decided the new stuff is all junk. I bought a new 5 hp engine an put it on my old tiller. It worked fine in my garden this year and I expanded my 20 x 35 garden to 24 x 35.

Here is a photo of a nice rear tine like they sell at Tractor Supply stores. These are very nice I have always wanted one of these but I just don't have enough space to keep it in my garage.

https://nashville.craigslist.org/ele/1941021455.html

Here is a photo of an oldy but goody see if you can find one of these.

https://nashville.craigslist.org/grd/1940899964.html

[rainbowgardener]

Still think there's no reason in the world to buy an expensive machine you are going to use MAYBE 8 hrs a year or less, when you can rent it easily and inexpensively.

IF you get more experience and stay interested and expand your garden and have some experience with rototillers so you know what you want, THEN consider buying one.

[Charlie MV]

If you are REALLY going to garden 20x 20, the small tillers like a honda harmony or similar is great. They weigh about 40 lbs and you can plop them where you want to for tilling or storage.

If there is any chance your garden will grow, get a tiller that has a reverse feature. Helps storing and tilling tight places

[gumbo2176]

hiya, when I was on the lookout for a tiller, I scanned the local ads in the paper and looked on Craig's list. One day an ad appeared for a used 5 hp. Sears tiller for $125. I went and checked it out and wound up buying it over 2 yrs. ago and have been using it averaging 3-4 times a year for the past 2 years. The only thing I've had to do was change the drive belt and clean the carb for smoother operation.

I had rented a tiller before getting this one and it cost something like $50 a day, so for less than 3 rentals, I got a decent used machine.

A few years before Hurricane Katrina came, I had picked up a great used 8hp. Troybilt with 3 forward and 2 reverse gears for $400. That was a real nice tiller with all the attachments, but it sat under saltwater for a couple weeks and I had enough on my plate to make time to fix it properly.

[tomf]

If you want to beat your self up get a front end tine tiller, the rear end tillers are much less abusive to your body.

[gixxerific]

I like abuse and have a front tine.

But I'm trying to get away from using it.

If you must get one look for used. Someone suggested Sears which I would assume is Craftsman. I have an 'ol Skool Craftsman that works great and obviously been around a while, through the family as well and still kicking. But they are not cheap so check Craig's list or something first or rent.

One tip, some rental shops if you rent on Sat will only charge you one day for Sat and Sun since they are closed on Sun (if that may be the case). You just might have to bring it back at opening on Mon. Been there, it's a good deal one free day you just have to get up early and bring it back on Mon. That gives you more time to do what you are going to do. I go to Nuway not sure if that is around you.

Moral of the story is they don't make things like they used to. Get something older it will last a hell of a lot longer.

[TWC015]

I have an older 5 hp Craftsman front tine tiller that my grandfather gave to me.

It works perfectly fine. I recommend it to others if you can find an older type.

I don't think the tiller is "abusive" to your body, if you are used to using it. Even when you first use it, it really isn't that bad.

The only time I would do a 20x20 area by hand is if the outside temperature is in the 60s or colder. I don't like using a shovel to prepare an area during this time of year.

[gixxerific]

I have an older 5 hp Craftsman front tine tiller that my grandfather gave to me.

Small world, same here.

[gumbo2176]

If you want to beat your self up get a front end tine tiller, the rear end tillers are much less abusive to your body.

Especially if you are cutting a new garden in clay based soil with a front tine tiller. The used Craftsman I picked up is a front tine tiller. Even though I didn't have a garden for almost 3 years after Katrina, when I worked the ground where my garden was, it turned up pretty easy once I got past all the nice St. Augustine lawn that took over that space.

I prefer the rear tine tillers with counter-rotating tines but they were out of my price range when I was looking for one and I couldn't find one used to save my life. Ironically, 2 weeks after I bought the Sears tiller I saw a TroyBilt in a thrift store. I stopped to look at it and it was an 8hp. with electric start and had 2 attachments, 1 for cutting the sod away from the soil and the other a row maker once the soil is turned. My luck is, it was sold and they did so for $250----heck of a deal for someone.

[GomoIsGardening]

20x20, a few hand tools would be your best bet. If you must have a tiller, I don't recommend the Mantis unless your garden is all raised beds. Walking backwards, sucks!

Don't spend money before the horse. If you have a way to rent, do that!

My thinking is this way you can also decide which brand and size might be the best for your situation.

[DoubleDogFarm]

You should listen to your Uncle Tomf, he knows what he's talking about. Of coarse he probably has a pto driven tiller attatchment.

I grew up in my parents two rental stores. They had two Taylor Rental Center franchises. There were so many times when the customer went cheap. They would rent a front tine rototiller, for a rear tine job. They would take the front tine tiller home and be back shortly. Same old story, "this thing just took off running across the ground". So now they would give in and rent the proper tool for the job. We rented Merry Tiller front tine tillers and Kubota AT70S and Barreto rear tine tillers. The Barreto is a hydraulic beast.

I own one of the Kubota AT70S. It probably has to many bells and whistle for a first time rototiller purchase.

https://www.manuals.us/browseproducts/Kubota-AT70S-Tiller-Operators-Manual.HTML

Eric

[jal_ut]

If you have an acre get the biggest tiller you can afford. You may be thinking 20x20, but you will soon want more space. 20x20 is hardly enough space for a hill of pumpkins.

I really like my Troybilt Horse. I know, expensive, but mine is 36 years old and still going. It will till circles around any front end tiller I ever saw. Make your rows 32 inches apart and use the tiller for cultivation and weeding.

[gumbo2176]

Jal, I was using my tiller for that very purpose but I find it easier to just lay down some cardboard and cover it with organic matter to keep the weeds down and to hold moisture-----especially in the summer when it is hot as all get out.

I know your garden is considerably larger than mine so it may not be something you would undertake but with only 5 rows, that means I only have to cover four 45' long x 3' wide areas between the rows.

I sure miss the 8 hp. TroyBilt I used to have. It was not hard at all to till with that machine. One hand operation was easily achieved.

[tomf]

One thing I would recommend is that after you get the ground worked up amend your soil. If it is clay add sand and compost, if it is sand add clay, toss all you rakings and lawn cuttings and such on it and till it in one more time. You may even ask your neighbors for some clippings and you can get compost locally in most places. One way to see what your soil is like would be to take some of it and put it in a jar then shake the jar up. It should settle out to around 1/3 clay, 1/3 loose sandy kind of stuff and 1/3 organic soil. This is the standard formula but I feel lots of organics are good.

I have a front end Sears tiller I got cheap but I have not used it in years as it fits few jobs I do and I do not like working that hard. For a walk behind I like my BCS, it is perhaps a bit much for a small garden and they are not close to being cheap but they are powerful and built like full on farm gear. You can even get a ride behind seat for it. I have hay cutter that goes on it and the handle bars turn around so you can use it as a cutter. I also have a small tiller that goes on my Sthil weed wacker.
Each job needs a different tool depending upon what you need to get done so we may all my need different tools.

Hiya it may be best for you to rent a larger rear end tiller and work up the spot you want as a garden and then get a smaller tiller as the soil will have been loosened up and it will not take as much to work it.

DDog your right I have a 5' PTO tiller; it works well for big jobs. I have tilled many an acre with it and it's kind of fun when you can do it sitting down.

The BCS tiller.
[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e57/twistedtomf/tiller3.jpg[/img]

The PTO tiller.



[img]https://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e57/twistedtomf/tractortiller.jpg[/img]

[tomf]

I did not give very good instructions on testing your soil in the above example so I'll do so now. The jar should be like a mayo jar size jar and fill it with 1/3 soil, then fill it up with water. Shake it up and let it set. When it settles down and clears look to see what your soil has in it.

[DoubleDogFarm]

adding to Toms soil test. They recommend you take your soil sample about 6" below the surface.

Eric

[jal_ut]

[img]https://donce.lofthouse.com/jamaica/johndeeretill.jpg[/img]

Just a little tiller for you.
6 feet wide. 56 HP tractor. Does a great job.

[rainbowgardener]

hiya - these boys love their toys! Remember they are talking about acreage. You couldn't turn one of those machines around in 20x20. And you are new to gardening, it would be good to get some experience first before you decide that you are going to want to garden more of your 1 acre.