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