A New Tiller

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Fusion_power

Yep, keep your "hand" in. In the dirt that is!

I have a Troybilt Horse tiller to work my garden. I also have a 5 HP Tillsmith front tine tiller to cultivate with. I'm 55 and can still use them several hours per day, but can tell it takes more out of me than it did 25 years ago.

I meant hang not hand.
Amazing what one letter will do.
Worth

[AlittleSalt]

Today, I was able to till 3' x 35' in 10 minutes. Sandy Loam free of rocks/roots/etc. It does bring a smile to my face when I think of how easy and efficient it was to use. Tomorrow, the test will be on an even smaller bed 2.5' x 20' because I have quite a few leftover Texas 1015Y onion plants needing a place to grow in.

Next week, my brother, my wife, and I will be tilling leaves into our established 45' x 45' garden - I'll let you know how the tiller does. Still, the garden won't be a really good test because the soil is loose and friable already.

What will be a good test is when we try to till the area in our back yard that is clay and has Johnson grass roots buried in it. This area will become a large raised bed 15' x 50', but is lower on our priority list. This area will have to wait until February. (Even though I really want to find out how the tiller does there.)

Worth, I am fluent in Typonese. I know what you meant.

[bjbebs]

I hope your electric holds up,Salt. My experience is with both PTO driven and gas powered tillers. I have used 2 Honda F220 mid mounts for more than 20 years. The older one is usually loaned to family and neighbors and sees considerable abuse. Fluids are changed yearly and clutch and carburetor adjustments as needed. These are used to till leaves, crop residue and cover crops in existing gardens. On occasion they are used to break sod.
I've never had to open the gear housing and never replaced an internal part. These tillers will outlive my gardens.

[Worth1]

One time while visiting a friend in Austin I saw a guy trying to till a vacant lot with a wee little Mantis tiller.

It looked like someone had a wild Kangaroo on a leash.

Worth

[bjbebs]

If you try to open up new ground with one of these small tillers , a visit to the dentist might be needed. They will bounce you around enough to loosen a filling. But in an already prepared bed they do a good job. You can throttle them down to barely turn the tines or spin them quickly to chop up plant material. It's amazing what a 2 1/2 HP tiller can do. They also fold up and transport easily.

[AlittleSalt]

The one we bought has a handle. Makes it easy to carry. I learned long ago to let the tool do the work. Tilling in our garden has proven to be easier than I thought. I got it a little too close to the fence once. Yes, it climbs fences too.