"William Wagner" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Eigenvector" wrote:

"Sheldon" wrote in message
ups.com...
"Eigenvector" wrote:
The soil my yard sits on it extremely rocky. It's very nice soil, all
glacial till and stream bed composition, but more rocks than I care to
count. Digging a hole is an exercise in futility as I will encounter
round
rocks about the size of a baseball or grapefruit more often than not.

I would like to take a rototiller to a patch of land but fear what
will
happen with all those damn rocks. What kind of things should I look
out
for
when rototilling really rocky soil? Do I need a special tiller,
should I
simply not do it, would renting one be a bad idea (I'm thinking of
damage
to
the unit), would a rototiller not do a good job?

Are there other options besides a tractor?

In a word, no. No tiller will remove rocks, and the size rocks you
describe will definitely impede tiller operation, probably cause it
and/or yourself damage. Tillers are not designed to work virgin land
anyway, even without rocks, needs busting up first with a plow, spade,
fork...

For a relatively small plot (500 sq ft or less) you can choose to bust
your butt spading and picking out rocks by hand but with larger plots
you really need a tractor (or a team of oxen) fitted with a plow to
bust up the sod and a box rake for picking out rocks. For ground you
plan to till each year (ie. crops) you really need to remove the
rocks, but for planting trees and woody shrubs you can get by with
just clearing a planting hole.

Without knowing how large an area you need cleared of rocks and what
you plan to plant (if anything, you don't say) then all anyone can
offer you is wild speculation.

There's one other option... a crew of illegal aliens with picks,
shovels, and rakes. LOL



Well damn damn damn. Lots a lots of backbreaking work it is then. Might
as
well do it now while my body is still reasonably resilient. Actually it
sounds like a tractor is the best route to go. I have plenty of
experience
working with the large ones, doing farm labor to put me through college,
but
wasn't ready to crack out the 8 wheeled articulated to work a 20x30 plot
of
land. I've never used the small homeowner ones though - John Deere 146
is
the smallest I've driven.

BTW: I know you all are wondering what the hell I'm asking this for.
Its
not that I'm being deliberately vague just to **** you off, its just that
I
wanted to have the basic question answered without wading through all the
alternative solutions that will inevitably come out.

In the 70"s some older folks in the NE USA were sort of famous for
taking on large tasks a little at a time. I can't remember their names
but making a large pond by a few wheelbarrows a day sort of gives you a
glimpse of how they worked and it may have sold books.

When I have many tasks I decided to do I work on one then slide over
to another when it becomes drudgery. Some times nothing prevails.

Bill forget instant gratification aside from .........

I'm doing something similar (but different): Following the shade around the
yard as I work. It means that each of four areas will look unfinished until
Monday or Tuesday. But, it beats sweating all day.

len garden wrote:

my suggestion would be to give the tilling a miss and go for raised
beds, then the rocks are no problem.

Building 300 sq ft of raised bed is the same labor but more dollars
than spading and picking out rocks. I have a 2,500 sq ft vegetable
garden (50' X 50') that I spaded and picked rocks by hand, took me a
good forty hours of hard labor over a week. I probably didn't have as
many large rocks as the OP but I had enough and it was back breaking
work. My plot is sort of a modified raised bed as I enclosed the
space with railroad ties, (real RR ties), and then added like 30 cu
yds of topsoil I had delivered. Then I spent an entire day tilling
the new soil into the old with a 7 HP Simplicty tiller (don't you
believe those ads of some ninety year old lady guiding a tiller with
one finger, no way). But now that my garden is in nice condition I
can strongly recommend the Mantis tiller for regular tilling
maintenance, what a great little machine, definitely not a toy... my
Simplicity 'killer' tiller is in retirement.

"Sheldon" wrote in message
ups.com...
len garden wrote:

my suggestion would be to give the tilling a miss and go for raised
beds, then the rocks are no problem.

Building 300 sq ft of raised bed is the same labor but more dollars
than spading and picking out rocks. I have a 2,500 sq ft vegetable
garden (50' X 50') that I spaded and picked rocks by hand, took me a
good forty hours of hard labor over a week. I probably didn't have as
many large rocks as the OP but I had enough and it was back breaking
work. My plot is sort of a modified raised bed as I enclosed the
space with railroad ties, (real RR ties), and then added like 30 cu
yds of topsoil I had delivered. Then I spent an entire day tilling
the new soil into the old with a 7 HP Simplicty tiller (don't you
believe those ads of some ninety year old lady guiding a tiller with
one finger, no way). But now that my garden is in nice condition I
can strongly recommend the Mantis tiller for regular tilling
maintenance, what a great little machine, definitely not a toy... my
Simplicity 'killer' tiller is in retirement.


Reading your post made me realize something obvious. I intend to increase
my raised garden substantially in size. Right now, its cram packed in an 8'
X 8' space. Was considering hunting down some railroad ties as well. Light
went on, there's some old utility poles on my property left behind from
years ago before I bought the place. They're 16 footers. Intend to make 2
plots adjacent to each other. One for the chickens, one for the garden.
Move the chicken coop every couple of years in the winter to the former
garden side, and the garden to the chicken side.
Dave

On Jun 26, 1:05?am, "Dave" wrote:
"Sheldon" wrote in message

ups.com...





len garden wrote:

my suggestion would be to give the tilling a miss and go for raised
beds, then the rocks are no problem.

Building 300 sq ft of raised bed is the same labor but more dollars
than spading and picking out rocks. I have a 2,500 sq ft vegetable
garden (50' X 50') that I spaded and picked rocks by hand, took me a
good forty hours of hard labor over a week. I probably didn't have as
many large rocks as the OP but I had enough and it was back breaking
work. My plot is sort of a modified raised bed as I enclosed the
space with railroad ties, (real RR ties), and then added like 30 cu
yds of topsoil I had delivered. Then I spent an entire day tilling
the new soil into the old with a 7 HP Simplicty tiller (don't you
believe those ads of some ninety year old lady guiding a tiller with
one finger, no way). But now that my garden is in nice condition I
can strongly recommend the Mantis tiller for regular tilling
maintenance, what a great little machine, definitely not a toy... my
Simplicity 'killer' tiller is in retirement.

Reading your post made me realize something obvious. I intend to increase
my raised garden substantially in size. Right now, its cram packed in an 8'
X 8' space. Was considering hunting down some railroad ties as well. Light
went on, there's some old utility poles on my property left behind from
years ago before I bought the place. They're 16 footers. Intend to make 2
plots adjacent to each other. One for the chickens, one for the garden.
Move the chicken coop every couple of years in the winter to the former
garden side, and the garden to the chicken side.

A utility pole border will definitely work, and better since yours are
free. But you'll need to do something to keep them from rolling.
Even with my RR ties I drilled holes through every four feet and
hammered lenths of rebar through eighteen inches into the ground. I
also joined the ends and corners with fish plates. I don't know the
climate where you live but here in Upstate NY the wood would
definitely move from all the heaving from freezing and thawing.

Freshly tilled:
http://i19.tinypic.com/4thteeh.jpg
http://i12.tinypic.com/6g1rxhk.jpg
http://i8.tinypic.com/5ybq32d.jpg

Eigenvector wrote:
The soil my yard sits on it extremely rocky. It's very nice soil, all
glacial till and stream bed composition, but more rocks than I care to
count. Digging a hole is an exercise in futility as I will encounter round
rocks about the size of a baseball or grapefruit more often than not.

I would like to take a rototiller to a patch of land but fear what will
happen with all those damn rocks. What kind of things should I look out for
when rototilling really rocky soil? Do I need a special tiller, should I
simply not do it, would renting one be a bad idea (I'm thinking of damage to
the unit), would a rototiller not do a good job? Are there other options
besides a tractor?



Depending on the type of tiller and the size and density of the rocks
your experiences will vary. I've tilled relatively rocky soil using a
huge rental tiller that had a sophisticated hydraulic drive system and
it did a fair job but still left me to manually pick up and dispose of
the rocks.

Far easier and quicker is to find a local company with a Bobcat-type
machine that has a rock-picker attachment. They can readily pick out
everything over about 3/4" leaving decently clean soil for you to amend
and work with. It is amazing how much an experienced person can do with
a Bobcat in a couple of hours and the cost is probably less than you
imagine. It certainly can't hurt to ask. BTW: there are also huge tiller
attachments to go with the Bobcat and the machine with a bucket on it
can rip up really bad tree roots and such with almost no fuss.


--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com

On 6/27/07 10:28 PM, in article ,
"Ann" wrote:

Charlie expounded:

Will winter frost work new rocks up?

We call l'em New England potatoes around here!

My grandfather called them "spring potatoes"!

C

On Jun 23, 2:46 pm, "Eigenvector" wrote:
The soil my yard sits on it extremely rocky. It's very nice soil, all
glacial till and stream bed composition, but more rocks than I care to
count. Digging a hole is an exercise in futility as I will encounter round
rocks about the size of a baseball or grapefruit more often than not.

I would like to take a rototiller to a patch of land but fear what will
happen with all those damn rocks. What kind of things should I look out for
when rototilling really rocky soil? Do I need a special tiller, should I
simply not do it, would renting one be a bad idea (I'm thinking of damage to
the unit), would a rototiller not do a good job? Are there other options
besides a tractor?

There are stumps in my yard everywhere. They are very nice stumps,
all
about 3-4 inches high, but more stumps than I care to count. Keeping
the grass
trimmed is an exercise in futility as I will encounter stumps more
often than not.

I would like to take a lawn mower to the stumps but fear what will
happen with all
those damn stumps. What kind of things should I look for when mowing a
really stumpy
lawn? Do I need a special mower, should I simply not do it, would
renting one be
a bad idea?(I'm thinking of damage to the unit), would a mower not do
a good job?
Are there other options besides a hand saw?

Welcome to the northeast. We have tools called picks & shovels and pry
bars here.
I suggest you make an investment.

On Jun 28, 1:02 pm, Ivanna Pee wrote:
On Jun 23, 2:46 pm, "Eigenvector" wrote:

The soil my yard sits on it extremely rocky. It's very nice soil, all
glacial till and stream bed composition, but more rocks than I care to
count. Digging a hole is an exercise in futility as I will encounter round
rocks about the size of a baseball or grapefruit more often than not.

I would like to take a rototiller to a patch of land but fear what will
happen with all those damn rocks. What kind of things should I look out for
when rototilling really rocky soil? Do I need a special tiller, should I
simply not do it, would renting one be a bad idea (I'm thinking of damage to
the unit), would a rototiller not do a good job? Are there other options
besides a tractor?

There are stumps in my yard everywhere. They are very nice stumps,
all
about 3-4 inches high, but more stumps than I care to count. Keeping
the grass
trimmed is an exercise in futility as I will encounter stumps more
often than not.

I would like to take a lawn mower to the stumps but fear what will
happen with all
those damn stumps. What kind of things should I look for when mowing a
really stumpy
lawn? Do I need a special mower, should I simply not do it, would
renting one be
a bad idea?(I'm thinking of damage to the unit), would a mower not do
a good job?
Are there other options besides a hand saw?

Welcome to the northeast. We have tools called picks & shovels and pry
bars here.
I suggest you make an investment.

Hi Ivanna,

The mower that I think will solve your problem is commonly called a
weed-wacker or trimmer. I have one of these:

http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/M...ame=hht35sltat

Echo and a number of other manufacturers also make them check out Home
Depot or Lowes.

The way they work is they cut the lawn with a nylon cord. So stumps
etc will not damage the machine.

Best, Mike.

On Jun 29, 7:06?am, hobbes wrote:

Hi Ivanna,

The mower that I think will solve your problem is commonly called a
weed-wacker or trimmer. I have one of these:

http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/M...ame=hht35sltat

Echo and a number of other manufacturers also make them check out Home
Depot or Lowes.

The way they work is they cut the lawn with a nylon cord. So stumps
etc will not damage the machine.

That's a string trimmer... they're good for trimming and edging...
you'd have to be built like the Incredible Hulk to cut much lawn with
one of those. They also make a machine that uses the same string
principle (but a little more heavy duty) that's mounted on wheels just
like a push mower but still it's for whacking down overgrown lawn/
weeds and very light brush in relatively small areas (really a less
expensive version of a sickle bar), not for mowing lawn... I wouldn't
want to have to push one of those on a slope.

For a large slope where one isn't too fussy about precision lawn
finishing the best choice is a small tractor fitted with a flail
mower... flail mowers handle overgrown grass so you don't need to mow
but every 3-4 weeks. And when I say small tractor I mean a real
tractor, with PTOs and 3 point hitch, not one of those toys r us
riding mowers
sold at Lowes and the Depot... those things hardly have enough power
to carry a grown man over level ground, let alone up a slope.

"Sheldon" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Jun 29, 7:06?am, hobbes wrote:

Hi Ivanna,

The mower that I think will solve your problem is commonly called a
weed-wacker or trimmer. I have one of these:

http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/M...ame=hht35sltat

Echo and a number of other manufacturers also make them check out Home
Depot or Lowes.

The way they work is they cut the lawn with a nylon cord. So stumps
etc will not damage the machine.

That's a string trimmer... they're good for trimming and edging...
you'd have to be built like the Incredible Hulk to cut much lawn with
one of those. They also make a machine that uses the same string
principle (but a little more heavy duty) that's mounted on wheels just
like a push mower but still it's for whacking down overgrown lawn/
weeds and very light brush in relatively small areas (really a less
expensive version of a sickle bar), not for mowing lawn... I wouldn't
want to have to push one of those on a slope.

For a large slope where one isn't too fussy about precision lawn
finishing the best choice is a small tractor fitted with a flail
mower... flail mowers handle overgrown grass so you don't need to mow
but every 3-4 weeks. And when I say small tractor I mean a real
tractor, with PTOs and 3 point hitch, not one of those toys r us
riding mowers
sold at Lowes and the Depot... those things hardly have enough power
to carry a grown man over level ground, let alone up a slope.


Those machines are for girly men. This is the trimmer you really want:
http://www.ziddio.com/oneVideo.zd?di...rtifactId=7829

In article ,
"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:

"Sheldon" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Jun 29, 7:06?am, hobbes wrote:

Hi Ivanna,

The mower that I think will solve your problem is commonly called a
weed-wacker or trimmer. I have one of these:

http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/M...ame=hht35sltat

Echo and a number of other manufacturers also make them check out Home
Depot or Lowes.

The way they work is they cut the lawn with a nylon cord. So stumps
etc will not damage the machine.

That's a string trimmer... they're good for trimming and edging...
you'd have to be built like the Incredible Hulk to cut much lawn with
one of those. They also make a machine that uses the same string
principle (but a little more heavy duty) that's mounted on wheels just
like a push mower but still it's for whacking down overgrown lawn/
weeds and very light brush in relatively small areas (really a less
expensive version of a sickle bar), not for mowing lawn... I wouldn't
want to have to push one of those on a slope.

For a large slope where one isn't too fussy about precision lawn
finishing the best choice is a small tractor fitted with a flail
mower... flail mowers handle overgrown grass so you don't need to mow
but every 3-4 weeks. And when I say small tractor I mean a real
tractor, with PTOs and 3 point hitch, not one of those toys r us
riding mowers
sold at Lowes and the Depot... those things hardly have enough power
to carry a grown man over level ground, let alone up a slope.


Those machines are for girly men. This is the trimmer you really want:
http://www.ziddio.com/oneVideo.zd?di...rtifactId=7829

I rented a Bush Wacker 30 years ago when I first moved in. Looked
like a lawn mower with one big difference. It was belt driven so a
stump would not destroy the metal shaft or engine .

Bill

--

S Jersey USA Zone 5 Shade
http://www.ocutech.com/ High tech Vison aid
This article is posted under fair use rules in accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, and is strictly for the educational
and informative purposes. This material is distributed without profit.

On Jun 29, 11:39?am, William Wagner
wrote:
In article ,





"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:
"Sheldon" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Jun 29, 7:06?am, hobbes wrote:

Hi Ivanna,

The mower that I think will solve your problem is commonly called a
weed-wacker or trimmer. I have one of these:

http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/M...ame=hht35sltat

Echo and a number of other manufacturers also make them check out Home
Depot or Lowes.

The way they work is they cut the lawn with a nylon cord. So stumps
etc will not damage the machine.

That's a string trimmer... they're good for trimming and edging...
you'd have to be built like the Incredible Hulk to cut much lawn with
one of those. They also make a machine that uses the same string
principle (but a little more heavy duty) that's mounted on wheels just
like a push mower but still it's for whacking down overgrown lawn/
weeds and very light brush in relatively small areas (really a less
expensive version of a sickle bar), not for mowing lawn... I wouldn't
want to have to push one of those on a slope.

For a large slope where one isn't too fussy about precision lawn
finishing the best choice is a small tractor fitted with a flail
mower... flail mowers handle overgrown grass so you don't need to mow
but every 3-4 weeks. And when I say small tractor I mean a real
tractor, with PTOs and 3 point hitch, not one of those toys r us
riding mowers
sold at Lowes and the Depot... those things hardly have enough power
to carry a grown man over level ground, let alone up a slope.

Those machines are for girly men. This is the trimmer you really want:
http://www.ziddio.com/oneVideo.zd?di...rtifactId=7829

I rented a Bush Wacker 30 years ago when I first moved in. Looked
like a lawn mower with one big difference. It was belt driven so a
stump would not destroy the metal shaft or engine .


Actually it's a lot simpler to remove all those small stumps... only
need to remove them once, gotta mow around them nearly forever.

In article . com,
Sheldon wrote:

On Jun 29, 11:39?am, William Wagner
wrote:
In article ,





"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:
"Sheldon" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Jun 29, 7:06?am, hobbes wrote:

Hi Ivanna,

The mower that I think will solve your problem is commonly called a
weed-wacker or trimmer. I have one of these:

http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/M...ame=hht35sltat

Echo and a number of other manufacturers also make them check out Home
Depot or Lowes.

The way they work is they cut the lawn with a nylon cord. So stumps
etc will not damage the machine.

That's a string trimmer... they're good for trimming and edging...
you'd have to be built like the Incredible Hulk to cut much lawn with
one of those. They also make a machine that uses the same string
principle (but a little more heavy duty) that's mounted on wheels just
like a push mower but still it's for whacking down overgrown lawn/
weeds and very light brush in relatively small areas (really a less
expensive version of a sickle bar), not for mowing lawn... I wouldn't
want to have to push one of those on a slope.

For a large slope where one isn't too fussy about precision lawn
finishing the best choice is a small tractor fitted with a flail
mower... flail mowers handle overgrown grass so you don't need to mow
but every 3-4 weeks. And when I say small tractor I mean a real
tractor, with PTOs and 3 point hitch, not one of those toys r us
riding mowers
sold at Lowes and the Depot... those things hardly have enough power
to carry a grown man over level ground, let alone up a slope.

Those machines are for girly men. This is the trimmer you really want:
http://www.ziddio.com/oneVideo.zd?di...rtifactId=7829

I rented a Bush Wacker 30 years ago when I first moved in. Looked
like a lawn mower with one big difference. It was belt driven so a
stump would not destroy the metal shaft or engine .


Actually it's a lot simpler to remove all those small stumps... only
need to remove them once, gotta mow around them nearly forever.

I used it on Wild Blueberries with and occasional small stump hidden
about. Just along our driveway and various foot paths. That area in my
yard is not mowed but a home for hosta, day lilies, woodruff and a
couple strange grass's a friend gave me.

Bill who still thinks of your stream and being a beaver in inclination
would have a stocked pond with bamboo.

Bill

--

S Jersey USA Zone 5 Shade
http://www.ocutech.com/ High tech Vison aid
This article is posted under fair use rules in accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, and is strictly for the educational
and informative purposes. This material is distributed without profit.

replying to Eigenvector, John wrote:
Living in Maryland I was able to rototill rocky soil until one day I got one
large one snagged between the blades and the frame. This broke the drive
chain. My answer would be that you could handle soil and rock up to the
"getting stuck" size. For me that was about 4"

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/garden...oil-65146-.htm

On Fri, 29 Jun 2018 18:44:04 GMT, Granny
m wrote:

replying to Charlie, Granny wrote:
Thank you! I had the same question and your answer was well written and very
helpful!

No rototiller can handle soil with many large rocks. You'll need to
dig them out by hand with a shovel or simply mark off the area you
want to plant and build a frame of rail road ties at least a foot high
and have good top soil brought in to fill it, that's what I did for my
vegetable garden. Often it's better not to disturb the base soil
regardless of rocks as it makes for good drainage. I used real RR
ties, used ones were $8 each. To keep them from shifting I
drilled three holes in each and used 3' sections of rebar to stake
them in place. I also made up some aluminum fish plates to splice the
RR tie ends and corners. Every two years I till in a couple of yards
of composted mushroom growing mix, for that I use a Mantis tiller, so
easy to control even an eight year old child can use it. Don't let
the small size of a Mantis tiller fool you, it works like a beast
without straining your body. Originally I bought an 8 horsepower
Simplicity tiller, wore me out, after an hour I needed a rest. I sold
it and bought the Mantis, everyone who gardens needs one. Here I
added an addition. By reversing the tines on the Mantis it will puree
grass including the roots.
https://postimg.cc/image/xcna8cwv5/