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Old 24-06-2007, 11:47 AM posted to rec.gardens
JoeSpareBedroom JoeSpareBedroom is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2006
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Default rototilling rocky soil

"Kay Lancaster" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 23 Jun 2007 11:46:10 -0700, Eigenvector
wrote:
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


The rototiller may jump out of the ground and eat your leg. Literally.
A tractor tiller may do you some good, but you're going to have to
pick out the rocks brought up.

I have similar soil... trees are planted by backhoe, and we sometimes
have to change the planting plans because the rocks are just too big
to deal with without dynamite. We have approximately half a mile of
rock wall 2-4 ft tall surrounding a two acre property, legacy of the
previous owners when they prepared the slab (not basement, slab on grade)
for a three car garage. I pulled half a ton of rocks (estimated by
weighing buckets I was filling and carrying) from the top 4" of our
alleged lawn, about 1/5 acre -- and I left all rocks under 1.5" diameter.

The five trees planted this spring (bareroot, small stock about 3/4"
caliper) went in with auger-dug holes. I have a 1/2" x 6" steel bolt,
one of two that secured the auger to the PTO -- it's bent and partially
stripped from hitting a rock. I pulled anything baking potato size or
larger out of the holes, and had to add about 50% brought in soil to fill
the planting holes.

I've been making my own soil by composting wood chips gotten from the
tree crews and growing most produce in large planters. Anything planted
in native soil otherwise goes in by seed or with a tree bar for small
seedlings.

I vote for raised beds, which will happen here after new house
construction.


"alleged lawn" - that's funny.

Sounds like you're in the Adirondack Mountains. Or someplace.