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Garden Gate:  can we talk tillers?  |
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
 Posted - May 31 2011 : 12:06:05 PM
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I have a mantis tiller, the smaller one they sell.
It works very well and I have needed repairs on it a few times due to the heavy clay soil I have, but the warranty has made it sooooo cheap and great!
I would recommend this because they have the best warranty, much longer and more coverage than any of the others.
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2011 : 2:54:18 PM
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Mantis is the best for small areas, just love mine, and its 20 yrs old and runs like new...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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embchicken
True Blue Farmgirl
1487 Posts
Elaine
Ocean
NJ
USA
1487 Posts |
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
Posted - May 31 2011 : 5:39:25 PM
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I have a small mantis too. It works well for previously tilled soil or an established garden. Not so well in an area with lots of roots, small or large. The little roots get tangled around the tines and jam it. That said, I love it for my existing garden.
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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Tammyb
True Blue Farmgirl
511 Posts
Tammy
Bluffton
Ohio
USA
511 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 05:04:50 AM
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I guess I must cheat .... in between the rows in my garden I place newspaper then lay straw on top of that to keep the weeds down. This is how my grannie did it and it does work. We have a larger tiller for working up the garden but other than that it is me and my paper/straw! After growing season it gets tilled under along with some horse pooie :0
Tammyb
Live to leave a legacy
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 05:38:15 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Tammyb
I guess I must cheat .... in between the rows in my garden I place newspaper then lay straw on top of that to keep the weeds down. This is how my grannie did it and it does work. We have a larger tiller for working up the garden but other than that it is me and my paper/straw! After growing season it gets tilled under along with some horse pooie :0
Tammyb
Live to leave a legacy
We had planned to do the newspapers this year, but my husband back out on it. He said we didn't have enough newspaper to do it. 
Farmgirl #800
http://pioneerwomanatheart.blogspot.com/
http://scrapreusedandrecycledartprojects.blogspot.com/
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countrymommy85
True Blue Farmgirl
898 Posts
Krystle
MT
USA
898 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 12:46:28 PM
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Tammy, I was thinking about doing that in my garden this year too except we found a free tiller and we will just be using that, it is a smaller old one from Massey-Ferguson. I never knew they made tillers back in the day :)
Mothers are those wonderful people who can get up in the morning before the smell of coffee. ~Author Unknown
http://countryrenaissance.blogspot.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/SunflowersAndHoney |
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Tammyb
True Blue Farmgirl
511 Posts
Tammy
Bluffton
Ohio
USA
511 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 8:31:13 PM
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Just start saving paper a couple of months before planting season starts. But not the colored print only the news print.
Tammyb
sisterchick 541
Live to leave a legacy
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CMac
True Blue Farmgirl
1074 Posts
Connie
Ashland City
TN
USA
1074 Posts |
Posted - Jun 01 2011 : 8:47:44 PM
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I am trying the newspaper and mulch process in half my garden this year. When we move back in I'm going to use the boxes to finish the rest. Should have enough cardboard for several years! I'm using newspaper and grass clippings to mulch my beans and tomatoes. So far so good!
Connie
"I have three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for company."
Author: Henry David Thoreau |
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 5:39:39 PM
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I have done straw mulch and will likely do that again this year. I just have the big tiller..and a grubhoe that I use otherwize..ugh.
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
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SheilaC
True Blue Farmgirl
1948 Posts
Sheila
Vermont
USA
1948 Posts |
Posted - Jun 02 2011 : 6:51:15 PM
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we're with Krystle--got a free nonworking little old "Green Thumb" tiller that my husband got working--we'll try that this year :) free is good!
http://troutwife.blogspot.com/
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chickenmom
True Blue Farmgirl
76 Posts
Toni
Tucumcari
NM
USA
76 Posts |
Posted - Jun 05 2011 : 5:38:42 PM
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We have a small Honda tiller. Similar to the Mantis. It's a tank, but easy to use and light enough for me to pick up and carry around. We had a 15 x 30 garden at our last house and used it to dig the entire thing. Here we have Johnson grass which is a little harder to dig, roots tend to get tangled, and have to stop and pull them off now and then, but still works. My sister got one so she could use it for flower beds etc. they ended up getting rid of there full size tiller and just using this one. Once dug I usually use mulch, grass clippings too. Google Ruth Stout for some great info on the use of deep mulching. If we ever go back to a big garden, that's probably what I'll do, right now I just have raised beds, so not enough garden for her idea. Good luck!
Toni |
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SarAvery
Farmgirl in Training
39 Posts
Sara
West Stockbridge
MA
USA
39 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2011 : 09:47:49 AM
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I use straw in between rows too! It really does work and just gets tilled in at the end of the season. Kristina- have you checked out freecycle or craigslist for a used tiller?
Farmgirl #3137 |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jun 06 2011 : 09:56:31 AM
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I am planting really close this year. Carrots between the tomatoes and peppers. I am hoping to have minimal weeds but will mulch with cut grass around the plants as we get it. Underneath the cateloupe and watermelon is going to be straw to help keep away ground rot.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
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Garden Gate: can we talk tillers? |
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can we talk tillers?
