Should You Remove the Sod Before Tilling a Garden?

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  • Опубліковано 25 сер 2024
  • tilling gardens with a compact tractor.
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 48

  • @RockhillfarmYT
    @RockhillfarmYT  Рік тому

    Check out more of our tractor videos here:
    ua-cam.com/play/PLmYnhJtNUq7c2n8UTJASTf9qJQXQ_ngFP.html
    Rockhill Farm is a daily equipment and rural living vlog. We mainly focus on tractors and working outdoors.
    I really appreciate you taking time to watch this video. If you enjoy this type of content Check out some of the following links to support our channel.
    If you are interested in a rock Hill Farms T-shirt check out our merch store
    rockhill-farm.creator-spring.com/listing/rockhill-farm-logo
    Please subscribe to our channel here: ua-cam.com/users/Rockhillfarmandhomes
    Follow on Facebook at
    facebook.com/Rock-Hill-Farm-102050688356056/
    You can now support the channel by buying us a coffee at the following link:
    www.buymeacoffee.com/rockhillfarm

  • @stanpustylnik
    @stanpustylnik Рік тому +6

    Excellent idea removing grass with roots. Reminds me childhood time helping dad in garden, turning dirt over with shovel, brining cow manure under fruit trees, raspberry and black current bushes. Brock, you are awesome, positive energy person. Enjoying each video.

  • @charlesboston1
    @charlesboston1 Рік тому +11

    so i have been doing tilling on a professional level for the last 15 years or so , it is all i do once the ground is thawed and dry until early july , then again in the fall for about a month .....
    the best plan of attack for new ground is do not peel off the top layer , this contains all your top soil and it loaded with all your beneficial organisms .
    first i make sure the grass / weeds are no taller than 2 - 3 inches
    then i take the tiller and set it so it just skims the surface , and i run the tiller at high speed ( around 300 rpm ish ) this separates the green part from the roots .... the next cut goes down about another 1/2 inch , and again the 3rd cut goes down about a 1/2 " deeper .... once the top layer has been pulverized properly , i set the tiller to do 10 - 12 inch deep cuts and i'll go as deep as 18 inches ..... ideally this is done in the fall where the ground can "digest " over the winter .
    if this is done in the spring i'll get the owner to cover with a tarp , and 3 or 4 weeks later i'll do a "fluff" before they plant

    • @Kevin-yc4pl
      @Kevin-yc4pl Рік тому +4

      Couldn't agree with you more. Never strip off the top layer.

    • @lordchaa1598
      @lordchaa1598 Рік тому +1

      I wish I had read this comment before I posted. You obviously know your stuff, so it’s refreshing, knowing I was at least on the right track with my thinking.

    • @anthonyg6924
      @anthonyg6924 Рік тому +1

      Charles, your ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!
      🤦🏻‍♂️ I've never seen anyone strip the top layer off. I personally break ground on many acres each year, I also was raised in farm country...... nobody does this and for a variety of reasons.

    • @lylemorrison9811
      @lylemorrison9811 8 місяців тому

      I’ve done it and had no issues whatsoever.

  • @johngersna3263
    @johngersna3263 Рік тому +4

    Good morning Brock. Where we put our garden a couple of years ago there was a lot of clay. There was a thin layer of top soil but a lot of weeds and briars. I didn't have my own tractor at that time so I had it tilled up, We put down about 5 inches of top soil, a good coating of mushroom manure and tilled it up again. We let it sit for about a month and then tilled it again for planting. Then we put down a layer of Geo-tech (road fabric). In order to plant my wife took a propane torch and burned holes in the fabric and put her plants and seeds in. The Geo-tech will let water through but won't let the weeds come up. The most you would need to weed would be right around the plants. The second year she said, "let's not bother with the Geo-tech" and it was a nightmare. Needless to say that the Geo-tech will be back in the garden this year. You can take it up in the fall and fold it up and re-use it. Then we tilled in some composted manure and tilled that in. We'll be ready to till it up again soon and be ready for this year. I know that I get long winded sometimes. God bless and I believe that your garden will be just fine. 👍👍👍😊

  • @Cowboy_Steve
    @Cowboy_Steve Рік тому +3

    Howdy Brock! I like it! I'll give you my secret ingredient for the garden... amend the soil with Azomite! It provides additional minerals to your vegetables and makes everything more flavorful. Composted manure and mushroom compost is good stuff.
    An option for next year's garden is cover the ground with a dark landscaping fabric in the fall... it will kill off any plant material and compost it over the winter. It also preserves the beneficial organisms and bacteria that are in the top 3-4" of soil (nod to Charles Boston). Then in the spring all you should need to do is add a little compost (and Azomite!) and a very mild tilling and you are good to go. Just my 2 cents... for what that is worth lol. Thanks for sharing 🤠

  • @marvindiamonjr.9631
    @marvindiamonjr.9631 Рік тому

    Still dealing with snowstorms here in Minnesota. This video does give me hope, though!

  • @shadog1962
    @shadog1962 Рік тому +2

    I have been tilling gardens for 30 years. What I do with new plots is have the grass cut short so the soil dries up some, then I do a quick till to free up the grass. After a day or 2 in the sun the soil dries around the roots of the grass, I then till everything in, a pass one way and then the other way if possible.

  • @lordchaa1598
    @lordchaa1598 Рік тому +8

    By removing the sod, you’re removing all the nutrients and destroying the microbial balance in the soil. Best thing to do is to cut the grass low and take multiple passes with the tiller, slowly going deeper and deeper until you get 12-18 inches of pulverized top soil.

    • @RockhillfarmYT
      @RockhillfarmYT  Рік тому +2

      Thanks for sharing
      That is why I brought in all that compost and manure to fill it back in.
      I think the best thing to do is use a plow to turn the soil over.

    • @boomer1049
      @boomer1049 Рік тому +1

      Yes plowing is the best method. I do about 40 to 50 gardens for the Amish every year. You don't want to pulverize the soil and kill all your fish worms. I really don't like going over a garden more than once with the tiller.

  • @aaronburford5701
    @aaronburford5701 2 місяці тому

    Love the attàchment and the soil looks good after. Liked, Viewed, Shared, Subscribed!

  • @vincemeyer7968
    @vincemeyer7968 Рік тому +1

    It will be interesting to see your results. I did a similar thing to my garden this year as well for the same reason. I used my tractor and tiller and just took the loose dirt out after tilling and refilled with well seasoned compost. Time will tell if that was a good decision.

  • @OldIronAcres
    @OldIronAcres Рік тому

    Looks great!

  • @nlynch55
    @nlynch55 Рік тому +1

    It takes some pre planning but you can use a tarp to kill the grass on a small area like that and then till.

  • @greggmiller5688
    @greggmiller5688 Рік тому +3

    Nice video. Just curious why you till a row, and then back up to till next row as opposed to tilling a row, taking a wide turn and till going the opposite direction of the previous row. Is it more efficient, quicker to do this or some other reason? Thanks for all the great videos!

    • @Jtwizzle
      @Jtwizzle Рік тому

      On such a small area it probably is about the same any way you do it.

  • @HardwayRanch
    @HardwayRanch Рік тому

    Tilling in the surface growth is called, "Green Composting" in my area. This is common practice for most applications.

  • @JCWren
    @JCWren Рік тому +1

    I haven't tried this, but one thing that's done is to put thick black plastic sheeting over the area (plus a little margin) and let it cook for a couple months. This kills all the weeds and grasses, but leaves it in place. I think this might be better for late summer planting since you get all the heat from the sun. There are companies selling used billboard signs as tarps that are extremely rugged. You don't want to use a tarp from Horror Fright as they breakdown under UV pretty quickly.

  • @kevingebert4316
    @kevingebert4316 Рік тому +4

    I've had good luck turning the sod into soil. Just need to do it on a sunny day and make 2 passes, let it sit and come back and turn it some more later on after dries out. Lots of good nutrients in that turf to break down for nitrogen, etc... going slow enough to keep chopping and turning is key. I've done that for my own garden areas and long 400ft by 40ft wide food plots.

  • @j3dimindtrix168
    @j3dimindtrix168 Рік тому

    Love your vids bro! Keep ‘em comin…

  • @ibwaldo
    @ibwaldo Рік тому

    It looks like you have some decent dirt for it being virgin ground.

  • @jodia7435
    @jodia7435 3 місяці тому

    People in rural of suburban areas live better.
    Atte, a fed-up New Yorker.

  • @jefffrancis6824
    @jefffrancis6824 Рік тому

    👍👍

  • @wildbill23c
    @wildbill23c Рік тому

    I see you have the Add-A Grapple setup on your bucket, was looking at that last night debating between it and a regular grapple. Does that Add A Grapple work good for you or would you rather have a standard grapple? The price seems good on it VS a regular grapple of at least 3x the cost.

  • @toddcaskey9984
    @toddcaskey9984 Рік тому

    Black makes me look thinner also 🤪

  • @bigsway4414
    @bigsway4414 Рік тому +1

    You call it a tiller I call it a Harley rake with tines. If I can ever afford a tiller I’m gonna level my yard and get rid of rocks and sticks and trash with it.

    • @RockhillfarmYT
      @RockhillfarmYT  Рік тому

      I would like to Level all of the areas that I mow but it stays too wet this time of year
      The spot I stirred up is still holding water

  • @groundcontrol2795
    @groundcontrol2795 Рік тому

    Spray it with gly, till it, and call it done.

  • @dustdevl1043
    @dustdevl1043 Рік тому +1

    That method should reduce your weeding time. My father would hand me a hoe and remind me that supper was served at 5.

  • @AaronTurnwald
    @AaronTurnwald Рік тому

    How wide is that tiller? Good size for your tractor?

    • @RockhillfarmYT
      @RockhillfarmYT  Рік тому +1

      66 inch. Seems like a good size. The tractor does not have trouble handling it at all and it’s wider than the tires.

  • @rockwallproductions6568
    @rockwallproductions6568 Рік тому

    What small utility tractors does anybody recommend?

    • @RockhillfarmYT
      @RockhillfarmYT  Рік тому

      I think all of the major brands make a good machine. I have reviewed most of them
      This is the best of mine
      Why Don't You Get a Real Tractor???
      ua-cam.com/video/ZMiETfZH168/v-deo.html

  • @Aussie_gamer.
    @Aussie_gamer. Рік тому +1

    First

  • @usmarshall336
    @usmarshall336 Рік тому +1

    Roundup

    • @theElderberryFarmer
      @theElderberryFarmer Рік тому +1

      To each his own, I always say.
      Personally, I don't much care for glyphosate around plants I'm gonna eat from. Or for the GMO plants that have been engineered to tolerate it. Silage tarping works effectively, but does require advance planning and execution. Alternatively, I've mowed short, tilled or disc'ed, then waited a couple weeks and then tilled or disc-ed again. Then, some raking to remove rocks and the bigger chunks/clumps of weed material and you are off and running.
      I use woven polypropylene ground cover to keep weed competition down, burning holes with a propane torch for planting.
      I sometimes use glyphosate for weeds around ornamentals if the weeds are stubborn, but I first use a mix of vinegar and water to try to knock out the weeds using acidity. This usually works, but not for near as long as glyphosate. The vinegar is way less toxic to humans, and it costs a fraction of what gly goes for.
      Take care and God Bless.

    • @usmarshall336
      @usmarshall336 Рік тому

      @@theElderberryFarmer atrazine it's something else that you can use

    • @boomer1049
      @boomer1049 Рік тому +1

      Do not use chemicals on your garden plots ever! Just plow it in the fall and till it in the spring! Been doing this for 35 years!