How to use a Tiller?

[jellyghost 378]

I haven't used a tiller before.  Do you have to break the ground with a plow or shovel before tilling?  Can a tiller cut right into my grass lawn?

 

Edited August 21, 2018 by jellyghost

[WHX?? 48,782]

Depends upon the soil. but be best to plow it first. It will cut into a grass lawn but get ready for a rough ride. If it's clay underneath be a real rough ride ...and hard on the tiller.  not the best attachment for sod busting.   You could kill the grass with roundup first  but you are still gonna have a rooty mess that will need to get raked out. Especially if the grass is well established.

[lynnmor 7,302]

If your ground is not particularly hard, you should be able to simply run the tiller.  I need to remove the lift assist spring at times to get enough depth.  Mowing as short as possible will reduce the debris that needs to be incorporated.

[Skipper 1,788]

I have tilled lots of lawn and what not, and not ever done anything to the ground before hand. But yes it depends on how hard your soil is.  If it is really hard I would run thru it with a single tooth first, to break the hard layer 

 

I find it easiest when the soil is moist, not wet, not dry.

[JoeM 7,871]

It can take several passes. We try to bust the top grass off first then go lower on the second pass. Used both a gear drive and hydro prefer the hydro. Wheel weights help a lot to control bounce.

The video is my neighbor using a 312-8 several years ago.

 

[MalMac 1,331]

I don’t disagree with using wheel weights. I myself have never used them or needed them. So the way I look at this is ........ I must need to go on a diet. 

[stevasaurus 22,709]

I think it was stated above...cut the grass as short as you can first...saves a lot of spoil. 

 

I am going to add one more thing.  If this is new ground you are disturbing, make sure you call JULIE before sticking anything in the ground.  JULIE is a free service and will let you know if you have any utilities in the area.  If you hit and damage something...if you live through it...you are responsible to pay to fix it.  Utilities do not guarantee depth of plant.    Do not assume you have nothing buried where you want to dig...you may have a high pressure, 3' gas pipe under the ground that is 6" deep and no one told you it was there.  I know people that have had that happen. 

[Sarge 3,463]

Absolutely - I used to work as a Utilities Locator, the reason we pushed for JULIE to become a law required even by homeowners was from 2 different long-distance fiber-optic lines being cut. One fella knocked out most all of Peoria's long distance and some local service by merely renting a small auger to plant a bush, he was only 18" deep when he hit the line. The earth goes through changes and many of the underground utilities were buried many years ago - as ownership changes, the knowledge of those lines being there is lost. There are residential neighborhoods that have 1,000psi natural gas lines running through them to feed heavy industry - this stuff is nothing you want to encounter. My right hand has a lot of nerve and tendon damage from taking a 480v primary line into a surface mounted transformer - cable was only 16" deep versus the old minimum of 24", never trust anything. Also, just for reference - no locator on earth will ever tell you a depth from their equipment - it makes them highly liable in case of any injury/damage.

 

If there are lines/pipes, dig it up at a 90* right angle to the marks left by the locator, and please be careful.

Sarge