Garden prep ?

[Poohbear]

We were planting onions & sugar snaps the other day and we decided we want to expand the size of the small garden. My problem is how to get the grass sod out easily IF that's possible ? For our small plot just took my boxblade with rippers as deep as possible going back/forth then tilling then the old hand rake. We want to do an area maybe 1/4 to 1/2 acre. Do I need mucho Denero in equipment or a good supply of Tylenol for the pain of more manual labor ?

 

[Tornado]

Based on your post Im not sure if youre trying to SAVE the sod (as in - excavate it from the ground to use it elsewhere) or if youre talking about just clearing the area for garden expansion. If youre just trying to clear the area, and dont mind destroying the grass, I would think a tiller would work just fine. Here in Florida we have sandy soil. Just running my disc harrow over my yard several passes would chop it to bits. I would just till it up - chopping the grass all into the soil good and turning it over really thoroughly. If you try to scrape it off I think you risk dragging off some of your top soil, which holds some of your best nutrients and beneficial bacteria.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

If possible PLOW the field ! Ideally turn over the sod, let sit 3-4 days,then rototill the grass bits into the soil. Grass is 99% Nitrogen...exactly what you WANT in good garden soil !!

If you can't plow, then use box blade 'rippers', going N-S, then E-W , to tear up and shread the sod into small bits. Again let sit several days to allow grass roots to die.

 

[NHSleddog]

If possible PLOW the field ! Ideally turn over the sod, let sit 3-4 days,then rototill the grass bits into the soil. Grass is 99% Nitrogen...exactly what you WANT in good garden soil !!

If you can't plow, then use box blade 'rippers', going N-S, then E-W , to tear up and shread the sod into small bits. Again let sit several days to allow grass roots to die.

x2

To the OP, A used disc harrow can usually be picked up on craigs or FB marketplace - it doesn't require a ton of HP to pull and cuts up the surface nicely. Follow that with a tiller in a couple days for a fantastic preparation.

 

[Tornado]

Yea like greensvillejay says - I wouldn't try to actually remove the grass, but rather just till it all into the top soil. Some say to till it after you disc it, but if you dont have all those tools you can do it all with a disc harrow, just keep running passes over it, and from different angles, and it will turn the ground to a fine pulp after a few passes. The grass will be all torn to shreds and mixed into the dirt, where it will die, decay, and help build the soil. If you have a tiller you can do it all with just a tiller as well. You just need to break the ground, and keep breaking it over and over until it pulverizes it into powder. Disc can do this, tiller can do it, You can honestly even do it with a box blade using the scarier teeth if you have nothing else. A tiller is probbaly the fastest way to do it, given it digs and churns and will rip the grass up in just one or two passes. Lots of ways to do what you want to do though. Share some pics

 

[Poohbear]

I really need a disc but haven't really needed one until now. I had a really good one 25 years ago then sold everything & moved into town. Now trying to move back out.
I'm just trying to get rid of the sod because our place is turning into Bahia grass From all the surrounding pastures. Thanks guys

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

If your ground is hard a moldboard plow, disk plow (serrated disks), chisel plow, or roto tiller is the best to break it up.

Another option is a spring tooth harrow if the ground is not too hard.

You can cheat and get a subsoiler or middle buster for cheap and use that too.

 

[Creature Meadow]

Just expanded my garden by 10' x 100' addition on both sides of both gardens.

I first used my sub soiler to break up the hard pan. Years of riding on it had it packed hard.

I then disked it, do not have a tiller.

Back to the sub soiler then disk again.

Applied lime, chicken compost, and leaves.

Couple passes with the disk and sowed oats on it couple more passes.

It looks like it has always been part of the garden now few month later.

A subsoiler is a very useful implement if budget allows you can get one from Tractor Supply pretty cheap.

I use mine twice a year in the garden to allow oxygen to get down in the soil after driving all over it during garden season. Helps wit hrun off as the rain can penetrate into the soil.

roots that are on the surface hook the chisel on them and pull them up. Then a strap around them and out the come.

Laying electrical linesand water lines.

Endless how useful they can be.

Good luck.

Jay

 

[procraftmike]

If you plan on working the sod into the soil, spraying it with vegetation killer (41% glyphosate) 3-4 weeks before you work it will make things a lot easier. That sod will work up a lot easier after the grass and roots have died.

 

[Tornado]

Wolfman makes a good suggestion that would also be the cheapest option if youre wanting to do it on the cheap - a Middle buster plow.You can get one that will do the job for about $200 at tractor supply or rural king, etc. I dont know what kind of soil youre working with but here where I live I could almost rig something just to break ground. Sandy soil is easy to penetrate and can quickly be turned into powder that sinks below your feet when you walk on it. If you have little use for a disc or tiller aside form this one off job or so, then I would definitely find a cheaper route to get it done. Subsoiler, middlebuster, or some other cheap simple implement you can penetrate and drag will do the job. If you need a good ground engaging implement and plan to use it over the next many years, then I would personally take a disc harrow over a tiller or other options. You can use a disc harrow in more places than you can a tiller. Ive been using a big disc lately over old woodlands with lots of roots and stumps and rough ground, stuff that would snag up a tiller a lot. I'm really partial to a disc harrow for ground breaking and soil prep- at least in my florida soil.

 

[pjoh784350]

If you've been doing a small plot with just peas and onions I'd recommend going to 1/4 to 1/2 acre slowly. Many considerations for going larger, especially much larger. The amount of food generated out of 1/4 acre plot can be overwhelming both in terms of work to maintain the growing but also in finding an outlet to use it all. Nothing better than fresh veggies, good luck!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

wife's garden is about 1/3 acre. 1/2 that is for 2 giant pumpkins, rest grows normal veggies. Enough to feed all summer, frezze al winter, feed 3-6 families and sell enough for 2- 1 week Winter vactions.
Not really a lot of work , IF you paln ahead, er PLAN ahead.

 

[RCW]

Only thing I can add is that I wish I could plant anything.
Maple syrup season is 2 months away; planting would be about 4 months away.
Dayum.....[emoji15]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SidecarFlip]

Interesting thread. Our 'patch' is just over an acre and it's never seen anything in but a rear tine rototiller (Cub Cadet rear tine and Troy Bilt rear tine). Even breaking sod, only the tillers.

What I do is early spring I spray the patch with roundup, kill off the emerging weeds and fit it up, adding 46 or lime depending on what my PH meter tells me, and plant it. Usually spuds sweet and others, sweet corn maters, cukes, beets, carrots and cabbage with green beans. I plant and harvest according to what stores best in the cellar.

Been gardening for 20 years now. All good.

 

[Poohbear]

If you've been doing a small plot with just peas and onions I'd recommend going to 1/4 to 1/2 acre slowly. Many considerations for going larger, especially much larger. The amount of food generated out of 1/4 acre plot can be overwhelming both in terms of work to maintain the growing but also in finding an outlet to use it all. Nothing better than fresh veggies, good luck!

We have been retired 4 yrs now as of Dec 10th and expanding garden just wasn't priority. At home we had (4) 4/8 raised bed planters and you would be surprised at how much food you can grow even with no pesticides which is our method as my wife is in stage 2 of Parkinson's. You just eliminate as many things as possible to maybe slow this down , but no real known technique.
We are finally settleling into a retirement routine. We had a lot of building at the farm to do, rv shed, renovate older barn, patio, new shop, knee replacement , & cataract surgery. Our country place did have a large garden area but hadn't been planted since 1995 when my wife's Dad passed. When her Mom died 4 yrs ago Wife bought out her siblings as now 4 generations owning this land tho most had been sold in small tracts. It quit raining yesterday so might get the mustard & turnip greens and Brockley out today.

 

[Tornado]

on the subject of garden patches - im working hard to get one cleared at my place. My property is about 13 acres, but it was heavily wooded, so my problem is finding a big enough spot that has consistent daily sun! Im having to cut down so many trees, and push the woods back to try and find a spot. Im not sure yet if I will have a spot that will be suitable by planting time or not. Still so many trees.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Get rid of ALL Black Walnut Trees anywhere near wher ethe garden will be !!! BWT have a poison(jugofin sp?) in them, kill toms and peps and most all GOOD veggies....

 

[bucktail]

Interesting thread. Our 'patch' is just over an acre and it's never seen anything in but a rear tine rototiller (Cub Cadet rear tine and Troy Bilt rear tine). Even breaking sod, only the tillers.

What I do is early spring I spray the patch with roundup, kill off the emerging weeds and fit it up, adding 46 or lime depending on what my PH meter tells me, and plant it. Usually spuds sweet and others, sweet corn maters, cukes, beets, carrots and cabbage with green beans. I plant and harvest according to what stores best in the cellar.

Been gardening for 20 years now. All good.

I do about the same, but I don't use the roundup. It probably helps with annuals weeds, but I've found I don't need it on sod. If you have quackgrass or something that similar that spreads aggressively through the roots, it would probably be useful though.