New Garden?

Chickencoop96

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Joined
Jul 27, 2021
Messages
550
Location
Englewood, TN
So we just bought our home on a 1/2 acre and have moved in, we want to plant a garden and start getting some things planted, but we aren't sure if we need to have the soil turned by a big tiller on a tractor or if we should give it a try with a regular garden tiller. the yard is flat all the way around and is just grass. any suggestions?
 

JCDEERMAN

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Joined
Jul 19, 2008
Messages
17,482
Location
NASHVILLE, TN
Check to see if you have moles. I had to move to a 90 sq ft above-ground garden due to all the moles. Couldn't kill them all. Also make sure you get plenty of sun wherever you put it. When I used to plant in the ground, I used a tiller.
 

Omega

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Joined
Dec 16, 2018
Messages
7,486
Location
Clarksville, TN
When I started a small garden, I used a small tiller to break the clay up a bit to mix it in with the topsoil I added. I tilled rows, just where I planned on planting, then every year I would move over a bit until the entire area was covered. But if you have access to a tractor, that would be the way to go, especially when you hit those rocks and hidden excess building supplies, I ended up with a pile of broken bricks.
 

DaveB

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Joined
Sep 3, 2008
Messages
16,808
Location
Shelby County
Locate the garden where it will get the most sun. Draw your garden and where you will plant what. I found this to be of help.

Think about how you plan to water. Picture a ballcock valve from your source to a timer then buried PVC to the garden. I would water just the roots as it tends to reduce fungus and bug problems. Up to you.

A rear tine tiller, some cash (figure 40 bucks?), and your 16-year-old neighbor (the 40), and a couple of days on the garden. Rope the dimensions off with the pink Walmart twine. Set the tiller about 2 inch deep for first pass and remember north to south then west to east then N to S etc. Lay down say 40 pounds of 13-13-13, at least 20 pounds of lime, and increase depth to 4 inches. Repeat the ccrosshatch process. lay down another 20 pounds of lime, increase the depth to 6 or 8 and crosshatch.

Rake surface dirt into rows. Test your watering system for several days, watering hard in the AM and determining how far from the top of the hill does the soil dry out by dusk. More than 1/2 inch (this varies), cut your early watering back to 1/2 the time and add in roughly 1/4 for the late afternoon.

If you are picky like me, plant something fast growing and look for proper germination and growth if the heat does not cause them to bolt.

Once I have seeds in the ground I will use a miracle-grow-like fertilizer once a week until I have two sets of leaves.

Have fun.
 

WTM

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Joined
Oct 16, 2008
Messages
16,213
Location
benton co.
ive done it. a front tine tiller will dig better than a rear tine on new dirt. different soil type variances across tennessee. on the cumberland plateau valley where my son used to live, it was excellent soft loamy dirt. where i live its clay.

no bigger than you have, might consider a partial above ground bed.
 

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