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Old 24-06-2007, 06:50 AM posted to rec.gardens
Dave Dave is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: May 2007
Posts: 346
Default rototilling rocky soil

"Eigenvector" wrote in message
...
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?


Those size of rocks will tear up the tines, and possibly, lock up the
tiller.

Rocky area here. Range from fine gravel, enlongated broken stuff to rocks
the size of a small car. As another replier stated, a raised bed is
probably appropriate. I dig holes in it using a rock bar, leather-gloved
hands, and alot of sweat. This, when I put in fence posts. Garden plot is
not feasible.

Empathy, no sympathy.
Dave