# What Rototiller?



## Gary Sutherland (Nov 19, 2007)

I'm getting the yard ready for a lawn. Right now its fairly soft soil with lots of grassy weeds.

I'm using Roundup on the weeds and then I plan to till it. The area is not huge; a strip about 6' x 100', and an irregularly shaped area of about 1500 sq ft. with a few obstacles like trees to work around. I don't know anything about tillers... should I attempt this with a mini tiller like the Honda FG110, or would that be ridiculous? I can also get a Honda FR800 rear tine tiller. Would that be massive overkill and hard to manuever, or a good choice?

I don't want to pound this nail with a sledge hammer, but I don't want to use my fist, either.

Thanks for any advice.

Gary


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

I would go with the heavier rear tine tiller. Weight is actually your friend to a point with these things from my experience. The lighter ones tend to want to bounce around on top of the soil and are actually harder to control, especially for a first deep till, than the heavier rear tine ones. The little minis can be handy for maintenance tills in planted gardens when you cannot get a bigger one between rows of veges, flowers, etc.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

sdsester has the answer to this one---When I tilled for my lawn ,I rented a large tiller--I already owned a 5 hp rear tiller --but the lawn was large and the soil in my area is hard. 

Renting may be the best option,as the tiller needed for the lawn work may be bigger than what you will want for your gardening.--Mike--


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## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Ayuh,... I Agree, a Rear Tine machine, the Bigger the Better....

Those little front tine machines are Great for tilling, Tilled soils...
Bustin' up Untilled soil, Bigger is less work, 'cause the machine does the work, instead of You...


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## william duffer (Feb 10, 2010)

I use a 5hp tiler in my yard, it is clay. It works but at the cost of my sore body afterward. It doesn't get the depth I want or need so I will be upgrading when I can afford it.


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

I use both commercially. Well, a regular tiller mostly. IMO, the little ones are good for scratching out weeds maybe. I have used them on occasion for prepping a small flower bed when I was going to direct sow the flower seeds- after digging with a regular tiller. The little tiller will work the top couple of inches into almost a powder, which is fine for sowing seeds. If you don't already know this, you use the mini tillers by pulling them backwards into the new soil- opposite to with a regular tiller. Hold on in case you hit a rock. They will bounce waist high. That in itself is more work to me. I mentioned using them for small weeds, but I have used a good garden hoe for 50 years and will continue to do so.


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## Gary Sutherland (Nov 19, 2007)

Thanks for the advice; looks like everyone agreed.

I got a great deal on a very slightly used Honda FR800. So far it seems to do a good job and the power drive seems to make it fairly easy to handle.

I'm not exactly an experienced gardener, so this will be interesting, I'm sure.



Gary


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Good choice on the Honda---My experiences with their engines has always been good ones!


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

If you got a good deal, I'm proud for you. I have one at work and it's a nice machine. I couldn't have paid the $1200 for it that my employer did though!


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