Is getting a tiller worth it?

[ctfjr]

I can't speak to the size of a tiller to get but here is my experience. About 5 years ago I wanted to replace about 3/4 acre lawn in our old house. The quotes I got were 'knock your socks off' high. I bought a Simca 5' reverse rotation tiller. The ground hadn't been touched in 20 years so before tilling I used a box blade with rippers deep to loosen up the ground first. That allowed me to remove the big New England potatoes before using the tiller.
The tiller was awesome. I did a cross-hatch pattern of tilling and the soil was fluffy soft when finished. I then tilled in 2000lbs of limestone and 250lbs of fertilizer.
The lawn came up better than I ever could have imagined. The tiller was indispensable. I sold it a few months later. I had no more use for it.
From my way of thinking if you need it, get it. Sometimes there are no practical substitutes.

 

[Grimor]

Can you rent a rototiller to see if it is what will work for you before buying one?
Around here the local hardware store has equipment and attachments for rent. I don't know what they charge, but it may be worth looking into.
Just a thought.

I've sent some emails to local places that rent equipment but haven't heard back yet. Prob have to give them a call. Unless there's anyone local to northern Indiana on the forum that wants to rent one for the weekend in early spring. Just ordered a quick hitch so when I do get one I'll be able to get the PTO shaft the right length.

 

[Grimor]

I used to have a walk behind tiller. If you want to check that every joint in your body moves, it’s for you. I gave it to my son when he bought us first house. They still use it. I bought a 4’ disc from EA a few years back to get my hops started then back issues happened and it went from the delivery truck to a corner in the barn. I may turn some beds this spring and start to put in some veggies. I do have a couple area where I want to put down native wildflower seeds so I’ll disk that too. Now that the snow is gone I may get the brush hog hooked up and get a jump on it.

Yeah, other than the 2 8x8 raised beds, I'm done tilling with little tillers. I have a ryobi expand-it tiller and little electric one for those, but ditched the bigger gas walk behind this last year. I'd almost rather ride the bull, at least that's over in 10 seconds lol

 

[Grimor]

On a completely unrelated note, does anyone in Northern IN/Southern Michigan have a 4ft tiller they would want to rent out late April? Striking out on finding one local to rent and not in a position to buy one this year.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Have you asked where you bought your tractor ? Many dealers do rent equipment......

 

[skeets]

Well I had one ,back when we use to put in a big garden, ( 50x150) I used it on my old yellow tractor. My wife said she was done , no more garden, because her and I were the only ones working it, and her kids profited from it and put no time in to it. SO I sold it, one of the worst sales of my life! I only have a small garden now, and the troy built works, but kick my arse more and more every year. So yes it is worth it for a big garden, or food plot. And in todays climate, it might not be the worst investment you make.

 

[Grimor]

Have you asked where you bought your tractor ? Many dealers do rent equipment......

Mine is second hand from "some guy" lol but I hadn't thought about asking the local dealers. I'll give that a shot.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

also, while there, ask the dealer ,which neighbour of yours has one

 

[Shadetree605]

On a completely unrelated note, does anyone in Northern IN/Southern Michigan have a 4ft tiller they would want to rent out late April? Striking out on finding one local to rent and not in a position to buy one this year.

if you were closer to me here in arkansas?, i'd let you use my titan 4ft gear drive tiller i've used with my b2100. i do not know the lifting range weight of your bx ?, but i know my b2100 has no problem lifting and running it. it is a forward rotation, i went this route because the pto hp on my b2100 is border line for the tiller, sooo..it makes it easier on the tractor to pull it, plus rear pto hp.

 

[Grimor]

So, a bit late in the season, but finally rented a tiller. Practiced on a neighbors garden first, but man, I am never hand tilling anything again if I can avoid it. I'd have been out there for days and not been able to move for a week in what took less than an hour turning grass and manure into nicely tilled plots. Appreciate the tip on contacting the dealer, www.stutzmanpower.com in Shipshewana, IN even delivered for free from 30 miles away. This will probably be the next tractor purchase I make.

As a side note, I tried to go cheap and get a Vevor quick hitch. I figured it pretty much looked the same as all the others. It has been nothing but garbage and headaches. Pretty sure they sent me a used return.

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

If you plan to buy a tiller, I’d recommend decide you are sticky my with the QH or not before trimming the PTO shaft.

 

[levandovski22]

Getting a tiller can really make gardening and preparing the soil much easier, especially for larger areas. It's a great investment if you're serious about planting and maintaining a garden. On a side note, I’ve been exploring 1xBet, which is a platform that offers various interactive experiences. It’s not related to gardening, but much like deciding whether to invest in a tool https://brightsideofnews.com/gambling/what-to-check-for-when-choosing-gaming-bonuses-promotions/ allows you to choose where to place your bets and how to engage with the games, offering a different kind of decision-making experience.

 

[mikester]

You don't need to buy a tiller, rent a couple of dozen of these!

 

[Paul in Paragould]

I have a 02 BX2200 with a loader and mowing deck. Mostly use it to move picnic tables around and clean out burn pits. We are planning on adding to our garden this year with a 24'x70' area, and maybe a small 1/4 acre food plot for some deer the following year. The areas are all currently mowed grass with minimal roots.

Is it worth trying to mess with a 3 point rotary tiller to add to the tractor, or should we be looking at something more like a disc. the BX2200 is on the small side of tractors so not sure if it would run or pull something wider then 4ft. Thoughts? Suggestions?
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Nothing works as good as a tiller does for help with foot plots and gardening. I do both. My new tiller changed my whole way of living this year and sure do wish I had gotten one earlier.

 

[Paul in Paragould]

You don't need to buy a tiller, rent a couple of dozen of these!
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Just to let you know. All the Mexican farm help is gone from our area and now we have hundreds of white South Africans. I lost a lot of good friends thru this and hope to meet the new people but it sure did ruin a lot of peoples lives just because people follow the fear that others believe. Half of our field are bare this year along with all the closed businesses.