Gardening isn't for me

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  • thunderchicken

    Grandmaster
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    5   0   0
    Feb 26, 2010
    6,435
    113
    Indianapolis
    So, for the first time in my life I had to rent and run a tiller. I have determined that gardening isn't for me. I know a rear tine is supposed to be easier to run but a front tine was all the rental place had available. That thing about beat me half to death. Started @11am and finally finished @ 4:30pm. I was so beat I took a shower, ate dinner and went to bed at 8:45. When I got up it was a chore just to get everything moving again. If she wants a garden again she can do it with potting soil and some wood boxes... That sucked
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
    Emeritus
    Rating - 100%
    187   0   0
    Dec 7, 2011
    191,809
    152
    Speedway area
    There is a bar on the back of the tiller. It is adjustable and will drop down. That helps the operator run the unit.
    Also, let the unit do the actual work. We just leveled out a section of the yard with my tiller. It was un-tilled ground and started out rough as heck to do. Once I got the tine speed and drop bar set I just let it eat and made sure it was pointed where I wanted it to go. It is not a fast process.
     

    thunderchicken

    Grandmaster
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    5   0   0
    Feb 26, 2010
    6,435
    113
    Indianapolis
    Man a few times when I took a break I thought my wife better start planning paul bearers. I can't remember the last time I let something whip me like that. Next time I will probably pay someone and save myself
     

    bacon#1

    Expert
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    2   0   0
    Feb 3, 2014
    1,066
    48
    Outside The Matrix
    I still remember the first time I ran my dads tiller. Whatever you do son don't let go of this lever, if it jumps you will automatically pull that lever and it will stop. Um, I let go of the lever it jumped and it ran on auto pilot for about 25 yards before he caught it.
     

    thunderchicken

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Feb 26, 2010
    6,435
    113
    Indianapolis
    There is a bar on the back of the tiller. It is adjustable and will drop down. That helps the operator run the unit.
    Also, let the unit do the actual work. We just leveled out a section of the yard with my tiller. It was un-tilled ground and started out rough as heck to do. Once I got the tine speed and drop bar set I just let it eat and made sure it was pointed where I wanted it to go. It is not a fast process.

    I had that bar up, down and everywhere in between. Even with the engine speed turned down it pulled pretty hard but the worst was how badly it wanted to bounce. Tine speed was controlled by squeeze handle on the handle bar so once she took to bucking & you bear down it was full speed on the tines. Won't ever use a front tine again nope not gonna do it
     

    d.kaufman

    Still Here
    Staff member
    Moderator
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    Rating - 100%
    128   0   0
    Mar 9, 2013
    14,715
    149
    Hobart
    If you were breaking new ground it definitely is a slow and rough process. As another has mentioned the worst is over now and will be easier each year. I have a 20' by 50' area for my garden that took about a day and a half in the virgin ground. Now it takes me about an hour and thats makin 3 passes over it. I do have a decent size rear tine tiller. She's an oldie that i bought 6 years ago off Craigslist for $100 and fires right up year after year. Keep an eye out for good deals, especially at end of summer, so you dont have to rent next year
     

    Gluemanz28

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    29   0   0
    Mar 4, 2013
    7,430
    113
    Elkhart County
    I got caught skipping school when I was in the seventh grade.

    My Dad said son I'm sure glad you decided to stay home today because I needed some work done around the house.
    He put me behind a front tine tiller on hard rocky unbroken ground.

    After about three hours of getting beat to death I was thinking what a bad decision I had made skipping school.
    It cured me from skipping school.


    Many years later when I bought my first place I bought a rear tine tiller to make a garden spot.
    I fought grass a lot that year. My dad said it helps to get it plowed first to turn the sod over.
    Only had the garden one year so don't know if it would have helped.
     
    Last edited:

    myhightechsec

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jul 15, 2016
    649
    18
    The Region
    So, for the first time in my life I had to rent and run a tiller. I have determined that gardening isn't for me. I know a rear tine is supposed to be easier to run but a front tine was all the rental place had available. That thing about beat me half to death. Started @11am and finally finished @ 4:30pm. I was so beat I took a shower, ate dinner and went to bed at 8:45. When I got up it was a chore just to get everything moving again. If she wants a garden again she can do it with potting soil and some wood boxes... That sucked

    A "no till" garden is better for you and the soil. Check out the thousands of references on how to do it on google. I tilled my garden in 28 years ago and have not touched it with a tiller since then. My worms and bio-infrastructure are very happy.
     

    hoosierdoc

    Freed prisoner
    Rating - 100%
    8   0   0
    Apr 27, 2011
    25,987
    149
    Galt's Gulch
    Craigslist someone with a tiller on the tractor. I did what you did one year and about died. Just like you, now I borrow a tractor with a tiller :):
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
    Emeritus
    Rating - 100%
    187   0   0
    Dec 7, 2011
    191,809
    152
    Speedway area
    I had that bar up, down and everywhere in between. Even with the engine speed turned down it pulled pretty hard but the worst was how badly it wanted to bounce. Tine speed was controlled by squeeze handle on the handle bar so once she took to bucking & you bear down it was full speed on the tines. Won't ever use a front tine again nope not gonna do it

    My tiller is a 1968 Front tine that Dad bought new. It has had the engine replaced with a Harbor freight 6.5 HP Honda knock off.
    If you stay in one place, let it dig in deep with the drag bar down it will eat anything in front of it.
    If you try and run the top you are in for a really rough time.
     
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