Rotavator for heavy clay?
 

Hi,

I have an old boggy lawn that sits on top of solid clay. The lawn is about
140 square meters. I'd like to dig up the lot and grow
vegetables.

Can anyone tell me what the smallest size rotavator is that would
manage such a job?


Thanks, Steve

Rotavator for heavy clay?
 

"Steve Jones" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have an old boggy lawn that sits on top of solid clay. The lawn is about
140 square meters. I'd like to dig up the lot and grow
vegetables.

Can anyone tell me what the smallest size rotavator is that would
manage such a job?

Our previous allotment was heavy clay and our old Honda F21 (now Honda F220)
had no trouble cultivating it. What you will find is that it is very
important to rotovate at the correct time, when the soil is just right wet
wise. Too wet and the tines clog up with clay and it will ball the soil into
small lumps, too dry and it sets like concrete. No rotovator like large
stones/bricks, they buck and jump, so I have a bucket handy into which any
such are put for disposal elsewhere.
Also check the pH of your soil, it may be acid and a good heavy dusting of
lime would help break it up anyway. Gypsum breaks up clay too.

--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK

Rotavator for heavy clay?
 

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

"Steve Jones" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have an old boggy lawn that sits on top of solid clay. The lawn is
about
140 square meters. I'd like to dig up the lot and grow
vegetables.

Can anyone tell me what the smallest size rotavator is that would
manage such a job?

Our previous allotment was heavy clay and our old Honda F21 (now Honda
F220)
had no trouble cultivating it. What you will find is that it is very
important to rotovate at the correct time, when the soil is just right
wet
wise. Too wet and the tines clog up with clay and it will ball the
soil into
small lumps, too dry and it sets like concrete. No rotovator like
large
stones/bricks, they buck and jump, so I have a bucket handy into which
any
such are put for disposal elsewhere.
Also check the pH of your soil, it may be acid and a good heavy
dusting of
lime would help break it up anyway. Gypsum breaks up clay too.

I wouldn't rotavate an old lawn before stripping the turf, or it would
just encourage the weeds, and wouldn't kill the grass, either. It isn't
too big an area for a fit person to dig by hand, burying the turf a spit
deep. Alternatively, you can strip the turf and stack it to rot down and
dig in next year. Or -- which you may already be planning to do, of
course -- use a herbicide to kill the turf and weeds before rotavating:
the unrotted stuff remaining on the surface will rake out well enough.

--
Mike.



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Rotavator for heavy clay?
 

On 22 Mar, 20:47, "Mike Lyle"
wrote:
"Bob Hobden" wrote in message

...





"Steve Jones" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have an old boggy lawn that sits on top of solid clay. The lawn is
about
140 square meters. I'd like to dig up the lot and grow
vegetables.

Can anyone tell me what the smallest size rotavator is that would
manage such a job?

Our previous allotment was heavy clay and our old Honda F21 (now Honda
F220)
had no trouble cultivating it. What you will find is that it is very
important to rotovate at the correct time, when the soil is just right
wet
wise. Too wet and the tines clog up with clay and it will ball the
soil into
small lumps, too dry and it sets like concrete. No rotovator like
large
stones/bricks, they buck and jump, so I have a bucket handy into which
any
such are put for disposal elsewhere.
Also check the pH of your soil, it may be acid and a good heavy
dusting of
lime would help break it up anyway. Gypsum breaks up clay too.

I wouldn't rotavate an old lawn before stripping the turf, or it would
just encourage the weeds, and wouldn't kill the grass, either. It isn't
too big an area for a fit person to dig by hand, burying the turf a spit
deep. Alternatively, you can strip the turf and stack it to rot down and
dig in next year. Or -- which you may already be planning to do, of
course -- use a herbicide to kill the turf and weeds before rotavating:
the unrotted stuff remaining on the surface will rake out well enough.

--
Mike.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account fromhttp://www.teranews.com

I just worry that if it wont grow grass well then you will have the
devils own job to grow good veg.
If you rotavate you will be creating a pan about 6 to 8 inches down
that will stop any water going through.
Your only hope is to hand dig, throwing the soil up so as to leave a
trench around the outside to help with drainage. The deeper you can
dig the better, though it will be hard work.
If you can work in organic matter so much the better..
Once you have dug then you can use a rotavator to get a working tilth.

David Hill
Abacus Nurseries

Rotavator for heavy clay?
 

"Dave Hill" wrote in message
ups.com...
[...]
I just worry that if it wont grow grass well then you will have the
devils own job to grow good veg.
If you rotavate you will be creating a pan about 6 to 8 inches down
that will stop any water going through.
Your only hope is to hand dig, throwing the soil up so as to leave a
trench around the outside to help with drainage. The deeper you can
dig the better, though it will be hard work.
If you can work in organic matter so much the better..
Once you have dug then you can use a rotavator to get a working tilth.

Sound professional advice.

--
Mike.



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Rotavator for heavy clay?
 

"Dave Hill" wrote

I just worry that if it wont grow grass well then you will have the
devils own job to grow good veg.
If you rotavate you will be creating a pan about 6 to 8 inches down
that will stop any water going through.
Your only hope is to hand dig, throwing the soil up so as to leave a
trench around the outside to help with drainage. The deeper you can
dig the better, though it will be hard work.
If you can work in organic matter so much the better..
Once you have dug then you can use a rotavator to get a working tilth.

Others on here have said in the past about rotavating causing a pan but it's
never happened on our allotments because in digging up the spuds, parsnips,
carrots etc and putting in stakes and poles and digging holes for compost
for pumpkin planting etc any potential pan will be destroyed.

--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK

Rotavator for heavy clay?
 

On Mar 22, 8:47 pm, "Mike Lyle"
wrote:
"Bob Hobden" wrote in message

...







"Steve Jones" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I have an old boggy lawn that sits on top of solid clay. The lawn is
about
140 square meters. I'd like to dig up the lot and grow
vegetables.

Can anyone tell me what the smallest size rotavator is that would
manage such a job?

Our previous allotment was heavy clay and our old Honda F21 (now Honda
F220)
had no trouble cultivating it. What you will find is that it is very
important to rotovate at the correct time, when the soil is just right
wet
wise. Too wet and the tines clog up with clay and it will ball the
soil into
small lumps, too dry and it sets like concrete. No rotovator like
large
stones/bricks, they buck and jump, so I have a bucket handy into which
any
such are put for disposal elsewhere.
Also check the pH of your soil, it may be acid and a good heavy
dusting of
lime would help break it up anyway. Gypsum breaks up clay too.

I wouldn't rotavate an old lawn before stripping the turf, or it would
just encourage the weeds, and wouldn't kill the grass, either. It isn't
too big an area for a fit person to dig by hand, burying the turf a spit
deep.

I wouldn't/didn't want to do my 10 sqm lawn area by hand. It was an
inch or two of topsoil on top of solid clay. When it was the right
consistency the clay would slice out fairly easily but when it wasn't
it was like concrete and even the mini-digger had trouble.

My yard was dug and left for a while and in the patches of old topsoil
weeds and grass eventually grew by themselves but on the clay stuff
not a thing except moss.

Probably what the OP needs is a plough and possibly to also add some
decent topsoil or organic matter into it.