Plant Gardens 101

Fall is the best time to till your garden but when you wish to till is still a matter of preference. I prefer tilling twice a year, fall before the first frost and again in the spring after the thaw. Each time you till your garden you should add organic matters such as shredded leaves or peat moss. When composts are added and decompose they also add needed nutrients to the soil.

These added nutrients help to build strong healthy plant roots. As your soil is turned it allows for better air circulation and helps with the decomposition of any added organic matters.

Fall temperatures and the soil moisture are more favorable to tilling because they too help with the decomposition of added composts. Fall tilling also helps to prevent the growth of new weeds in the spring and prevent garden pests and insects and their nests from over wintering in the soil. (more…)

Well it’s that time of year again to start busting up your garden soil and start your planting. How you do that is up to you. If you need the exercise or have a very small garden you could always do it by hand.

To save your back and knees you could go with a stand up manual garden till like the famous garden weasel. It is cheap and easy to use.

For medium or large gardens you are going to need a garden tiller with a little more power than your arms. So what type of tiller do you buy?

If you have a smaller or confined garden you will want to go with something maneuverable like an electric mini tiller or cultivator. Or maybe a small 2hp gas model. Most of them are lightweight and very easy to handle. Cost on them is reasonable too for the amount of work they will save you. (more…)

Well it is that time of year again and you are getting ready to plant your garden. As you dig your garden tiller out of the corner of the garage you notice it is full of cobwebs. Looks like you will have to perform some garden tiller maintenance.

So what sort of maintenance do you have to do before starting up your garden tiller for the first time? A lot has to do with the way you prepared your garden tiller for the winter storage. If you drained the fuel or added Sta-Bil to the gasoline you are in better shape than most people.

First it is always recommended that you follow the manufactures guidance. This procedure should be used as a general guideline.

The first thin I always do is give my garden tiller a good washing to get the dust off of it. Next for safety I pull the spark plug wire off. If you did not drain your fuel you will have to now. The best way is to remove the fuel line from the tank and let it drain outside away from anything electrical. Including your cell phone. (more…)