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Jon Endres, PE
 
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Default Using a rental TILLER to till lawn

"Ignoramus20984" wrote in message
...
I would like to make a garden where previously there was lawn. Using a
shovel is just too hard and I know will ruin my shoes. So I would like
to rent a tiller and use it, but I am not sure if it can do the job on
the land than never was tilled and has thick lawn grass.

Any ideas, can I expect to rent something useable?

Three ways - first the best, in order:

1. Mow the lawn as short as possible, I mean scalp it, and then lay down
several layers of newspaper, soak it, and mulch heavily with straw or some
other non-seed-bearing mulch. Wait until spring, and then till it up. Only
works if you're not in a hurry.

2. Rent a sod cutter and remove the top couple inches, pile the sod upside
down somewhere and it will turn into compost, or use it to patch other areas
of your lawn. Then till. Tough work but it's for the "I want it now"
people.

3. Just till it. Backbreaking, takes a while, depending on your soil. I
*wrecked* a 6hp Sears tiller, brand new, three years ago tilling up a 3'
wide by 40' long strip in my yard for a garden, and the roots and seeds that
were tilled under all resprouted. I have since moved on to option #1 with
planning aforethought.

Jon E