Rototilling 101? Beginner info needed please.

[ebinmaine 70,698]

Okay folks..

 

No one in my family has ever used a rototiller.

None of us have even seen one operated in, maybe 30 years?

 

Give me the basics.

Really basic.

 

[Gasaholic 257]

Breaking hard ground (as in fallow fields grass covered) you're going to find tons or rocks & stones. If the intent is for a garden, the best bet is to strip off the sod layer (about 2 inches give or take) first - that'll be the toughest to break through - (Sod cutter, front loader, bulldozer, or a steel bottom plow, or good old hard manual labor with a shovel) down to bare raw dirt. Then when you start tilling, try to set a depth control (if equipped) to around 2 or 3 inches at a time, you'll need many passes to get down to a good 6 to 8 inch tilled depth.   In previously tilled soil that has not had a chance for grass to build up that thick root system (the sod layer) where it has been previously tilled and cleared of rocks, you can often get a full tilled depth in just one or two passes.   Be aware of rocks (large rocks can tangle in and break tines and jam up) and every single year that I till my garden (even after 4 years) I am still finding big rocks, although they get smaller and smaller as the years go by and rocks are picked out.  You'll probably need a shovel and/or long pry bar for the biggest rocks (even a 6 inch rock can be a real pain to dig out, and tiller tines will just skip up and over it until it gets loosened and dug out, if the tines don't jam up or break on them, hence the 2 inch at a time tilling depth guideline)   I do my tilling with a Troy-Bilt Horse model (from the 1970's - almost as old as I am) , a tractor mounted tiller just makes it easier due to width and you're sitting in the tractor instead of walking behind. 

 

In short, be prepared for a lot of hard back-breaking labor , even with a tiller, breaking virgin hard grass-covered ground (as in Back Yard) ain't gonna be easy.  This year we're gonna set up a bunch of raised beds (24 inch deep) in addition to the big garden (which I'll be breaking ground with the Farmall Cub and singe bottom plow followed by disc harrow before tilling)  Main reason for Raised beds is we're gettin' too old to be bent over or kneeling in gardens plus we are going to fence it in to keep the ^%$&^%# Deer out of there. (they don't bother the tater's , garlic, dill, etc that we grow in the big garden) 

 

[ri702bill 8,963]

IMHO.... the first attempt should be a 2 person job. You cannot run the tractor and see what is happening at the tines at the same time.....

8 speed or hydro?? First time I'm inclined to use the 8 speed in first-low. (ya can't get into too much trouble going that slow....) Every time you let the clutch out, you get the same result going from forward to reverse & back. Not exactly the same on the hydro - you may have to fiddle to find the sweet spot each time you shift......

Edited April 16 by ri702bill

[squonk 42,515]

Years ago my wife bought herself a gen u ine Troy Bilt tiller. It was hilarious watching her try to till unbroken ground. I had had a hard time getting it into her head when the tiller caught a hard spot or a rock just let go of the handles. No she hung on and was practically dragged across the yard! 

[Pullstart 64,495]

@Monstrosity runs a tiller with his hydro.  He twisted the belt to run the tiller backerds’.  That’s an option too.  Otherwise, slow and steady.  Maybe even limit your down stroke if need be.  Bust up that sod, then go deeper.  You can mow super low too before starting if needed.

[Handy Don 13,340]

In your neck of the woods, where rocks and soil are in nearly equal proportions, I’d strongly consider initially going over the ground with a ripper (numerous, successively deeper passes down to 12” in a criss-cross) or even with a backhoe just moving dirt around to loosen the soil and start to persuade rocks to be removable.

Then decide where you will be building the stone wall with all the rocks you’ll be removing.

Then spend many hours moving already-exposed rocks from the to-be-tilled area to said stone wall site.

After that, pick up at @Gasaholic’s thread with "Then when you start tilling, ..."

[SylvanLakeWH 27,499]

I don't understand... simple formula:

 

BBT + hand shovel = Tiller

 

 

But if that isn't an option,

I think @Handy Don hit it on the head...

[ebinmaine 70,698]

10 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

Then decide where you will be building the stone wall with all the rocks you’ll be removing.

Then spend many hours moving already-exposed rocks from the to-be-tilled area to said stone wall site

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's almost like you know what I'm working with.....

 

 

 

 

We are most assuredly going to Ripper Spike the whole area before the tiller is used. I can't remember the depth I can get down to but it isn't quite 12"... 8 to 10 maybe?

 

We are expanding a little bit this year so there is a small area of grass. Mostly bare dirt from three previous seasons of gardening.

[Pullstart 64,495]

8-10” deep with a ripper is about 2” further than a tiller will dig.  Golden!

[squonk 42,515]

Ya got that back hoe. Rip it up and hoe out the rocks. Seat time! 

[Ed Kennell 40,462]

3 hours ago, ri702bill said:

You cannot run the tractor and see what is happening at the tines at the same time..

                         Unless you put the tiller on the front.

 

 

 

 

[ri702bill 8,963]

1 hour ago, Ed Kennell said:

  Unless you put the tiller on the front

That makes it all too easy!!

[Ed Kennell 40,462]

1 minute ago, ri702bill said:

That makes it all too easy!!

Old guys with stiff necks have to get creative.

[ebinmaine 70,698]

1 hour ago, squonk said:

Ya got that back hoe. Rip it up and hoe out the rocks. Seat time! 

 

Believe or not that isn't super convenient for the area. There's a fence on 3 sides and also set up/ takedown/move multiple times. 

 

Definitely easier to use a machine in a linear motion.  

[ri702bill 8,963]

51 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

There's a fence on 3 sides and also set up/ takedown/move multiple times. 

One slip of the left foot & there will be a fence on TWO sides..!! 

[kpinnc 13,718]

I always run my mold board plow across any area I'm looking to till. We have heavy, wet, rock infested red clay here and it can be like concrete. 

 

Second if you have a disc set they work well to break clods up and allow the fresh turned dirt to breathe a little. 

 

The rule of thumb here is that you don't till until the broken dirt is dry enough that you can't squeeze it into an intact clod with your hand. If it stays together, it's still too moist. It should fall apart in your hand when it's dry enough. Otherwise tilling just allows it to form a concrete that defeats the purpose. 

 

When you are ready to till, plan on multiple passes. You aren't aiming for powder consistency, but rather uniform depth and coverage. Tillers leave a 6-8 inch section in the center untouched, so go back over the area with about a foot of offset to the previous path to ensure uniformity. 

 

Lastly, your soil is going to have qualities that differ from most any other place. So that means you have to figure out what works best for you. For me, I added all my leaves in the fall and burned them when weather permitted for some semi-natural fertilizer. After a couple seasons my garden area had dark, rich soil while the underlying clay was red as paint. Your soil PH will determine what you need. Most state's agriculture departments have free testing to help you decide what works best for you. 

[ebinmaine 70,698]

16 hours ago, kpinnc said:

I always run my mold board plow across any area I'm looking to till. We have heavy, wet, rock infested red clay here and it can be like concrete. 

 

Our soil is heavy and often wet but dries well. No concrete qualities to it. 

I'll be using the Single Ripper Spike in a similar manner to your moldboard as far as ripping open and to some extent turning the surface.  

 

 

16 hours ago, kpinnc said:

 

Second if you have a disc set they work well to break clods up and allow the fresh turned dirt to breathe a little. 

 

We do have a disc set but a VERY short span. Would a disc work in reverse? 

I'd have to pull forward a few feet then reverse. Repeat.  Repeat. Repeat. .....

 

16 hours ago, kpinnc said:

 

The rule of thumb here is that you don't till until the broken dirt is dry enough that you can't squeeze it into an intact clod with your hand. If it stays together, it's still too moist. It should fall apart in your hand when it's dry enough. Otherwise tilling just allows it to form a concrete that defeats the purpose. 

 

Up here the dirt is ALWAYS a little moist. Always. Dry powder is rare. 

 

 

16 hours ago, kpinnc said:

 

When you are ready to till, plan on multiple passes. You aren't aiming for powder consistency, but rather uniform depth and coverage. Tillers leave a 6-8 inch section in the center untouched, so go back over the area with about a foot of offset to the previous path to ensure uniformity. 

 

That's a great point I hadn't thought of. 

Half passes.  

 

16 hours ago, kpinnc said:

 

Lastly, your soil is going to have qualities that differ from most any other place. So that means you have to figure out what works best for you. For me, I added all my leaves in the fall and burned them when weather permitted for some semi-natural fertilizer. After a couple seasons my garden area had dark, rich soil while the underlying clay was red as paint. Your soil PH will determine what you need. Most state's agriculture departments have free testing to help you decide what works best for you. 

 

The Local Garden Professional aka BBT is getting a test kit of some sort.  

 

 

 

[HyperPete 484]

This might also be helpful.  I can't attach a PDF, so hopefully you can access it via my Google Drive:

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-7_Dm66XmprcmLQkX-muq1YPGXchIp8T/view?usp=drivesdk

 

 

[ebinmaine 70,698]

1 hour ago, HyperPete said:

access

 

Thanks Pete!   Phone opens it.  

[kpinnc 13,718]

4 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

That's a great point I hadn't thought of. 

Half passes.  

 

At least on new unbroken soil. 

[953 nut 57,855]

15 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

On 4/18/2025 at 12:24 AM, kpinnc said:

I always run my mold board plow across any area I'm looking to till. We have heavy, wet, rock infested red clay here and it can be like concrete. 

 

Our soil is heavy and often wet but dries well. No concrete qualities to it. 

I'll be using the Single Ripper Spike in a similar manner to your moldboard as far as ripping open and to some extent turning the surface.

The biggest advantage for the mold-board is it brings the rocks up to the surface for easy collection in addition to allowing for quicker drying of the soil.

[ebinmaine 70,698]

11 hours ago, 953 nut said:

The biggest advantage for the mold-board is it brings the rocks up to the surface for easy collection in addition to allowing for quicker drying of the soil.

 

On 4/18/2025 at 12:24 AM, kpinnc said:

I always run my mold board plow across any area I'm looking to till

 

I told Trina about the above comment. 

We can see the logic.  

 

Is there a thread for how to mount and use a moldboard plow?

 

 

[953 nut 57,855]

25 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

a thread for how to mount and use a moldboard plow?

Show us the plow and we can fix you up.        Jim @WHX?? and @Pullstart have lots of plowing threads.

[SylvanLakeWH 27,499]

25 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Is there a thread for how to mount and use a moldboard plow?

Host a plow day...  

 

Very educational... and the food is delicious! 

[ebinmaine 70,698]

3 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Host a move rocks and firewood  day