Using a Troy-Bilt "Big Red" Garden Tiller
When it comes to creating and maintaining a healthy, productive garden, proper soil preparation is crucial.
Every year at my farm, we spend a good amount of time preparing the soil for planting. This includes removing debris and old root systems, adding organic fertilizers to enrich the soil, and tilling the earth to break up large clods - all before even building raised, well-aerated beds. It’s a tedious process, but well worth the effort for a successful gardening season. Earlier this month, a new Troy Bilt Big Red Garden Tiller arrived at the farm to replace my more than the 30-year old model. This new tiller is fully equipped for the heaviest-duty jobs and perfect for soil preparation and groundbreaking.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- Here’s the crew with our new Troy-Bilt Big Red Garden Tiller and my older model Troy-Bilt, which is still in working condition. Troy-Bilt introduced the first residential rototiller in 1937 and now has several rugged and reliable models to fit every need.
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- The older tiller is from the 1960s. It’s provided years of great work here at the farm. And look, the new model has changed very little over the years – a sign of good design.
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- Here’s Phurba taking the tiller down to the vegetable garden to start working on the soil. It’s always so exciting when these chores are done – we’ll be planting very, very soon.
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- This is one of two large vegetable gardens located down by my chicken coops. Before this soil is tilled, any remnants of vegetables, other roots and vines, and any rocks are all removed. This makes it easier for the rototiller to do its job and prevents anything from getting caught in the tines.
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- Here is the main vegetable garden, which is opened to my chickens and geese during the winter season.
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- In fact, here are my two Pomeranian guard geese coming to see who is visiting and sounding their alarms that something is happening nearby.
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- Ryan sprinkles a generous amount of azomite to the soil. This is best done when there is little to no wind.
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- Azomite is a natural product mined from an ancient mineral deposit that contains more than 70 trace elements and minerals. These elements improve root systems, yields, and general plant vigor.
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- Rototilling is one method of turning up the soil before planting the garden. Regular tilling over time can improve soil structure.
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- The tires on this tiller are 16-inch agricultural tires. The tires have great tread to move through the upturned soil.
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- The unit is very compact with everything in front of the operator for good visibility and safety.
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- It has a standard electric start for the easiest starting, and everything is well-labeled with instructions and warnings.
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- This is the muffler – completely caged for safety.
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- Phurba checks the gas tank to make sure it is full.
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- He adds a little more – a full tank will be more than enough for this task.
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- This model also has four forward, one neutral and two reverse speeds.
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- On rear-tine tillers like this, wheels are standard operating equipment. This has a 20-inch tilling width and a 12-inch tine diameter.
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- There is a factory-installed full wrap-around front bumper included. Phurba takes it slow to start – the machine needs a lot of control to maneuver it through the soil.
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- Phurba tills on one side of the garden and goes counter-clockwise around and around the entire space.
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- Once the soil is upturned, determine its condition – too much sand in the soil may make the soil too dry, and too much clay may make it too wet. The soil should be a good combination of earth, sand, and clay. My soil is very well balanced.
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- As he moves, Phurba makes sure to overlap his passes slightly, so every bit of soil is covered. Tilling also helps to level the ground as it turns over the soil.
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- All Troy-Bilt tillers have full-sided tine shields for operator protection.
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- On the left is soil that hasn’t yet been tilled. On the right – beautiful nutrient-rich soil that has been overturned. If you are not sure what amendments your garden soil may need, test it. Kits are available at garden supply stores. Once you have the results, you’ll know how to amend it properly.
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- Here, one can see the forward-rotating tines. This model has an adjustable tilling depth up to seven inches.
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- The next day, Phurba goes over the entire garden a second time. This vegetable garden is quite large, so it takes time to rototill the entire space, but it’s well worth the effort. One complete pass over this garden takes a couple of hours.
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- Only rototill when the ground is moist, but not wet – the soil should still crumble when picked up.
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- He goes over the area very carefully. Here he is tilling the last stretch of soil.
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- All done – now the soil is completely turned and the next phase is ready to begin – building our garden beds.
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- Here is a look at the finished garden. On the right is the footpath between the two sides. Building up the soil is the most important part of preparing a garden for growing vegetables and flowers. A deep, organically rich soil will encourage and support the growth of healthy root systems.
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- And here is the other garden next door – all completely tilled. I can’t wait to start planting. During this most difficult time, it’s important to spend some time outdoors in the fresh air – I hope you can do that this weekend. Happy spring to all of you and please stay safe and healthy.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
