Tiller suggestions

[woolybear]

 I need to find a tiller for the garden. What I have now still runs, but are old and start with a pull string, and if they act up I don't know how to fix them. The brother in laws might be able to work on them, but I don't want to have to depend on someone to come and get me out of a jam if I can help it.

  Is there a tiller made that would start with a key or push button? Plus not beat my knees up too bad, I had knee replacements back in November.

[feather]

woolybear, I'm right with you on this. You live in Maryland and I live in Wisconsin but I hear you talking about the fixing issues with rototillers (or anything mechanical). We cannot fix mechanical things very well or very often unless we have those skills. We don't have those skills, so we'd have to have a repair man/woman show up and hope for the best and they don't deplete our dollars and we have enough sense to think about it. (I can fix a kirby vacuum cleaner, a computer, a computer virus, or a white cake, but not a more complex mechanical issue.)

We had a small rototiller that pulled and pushed so hard, that mr feather was struggling for days afterwards with muscle issues. It had two wheels. We decided to buy a better rototiller.

He bought a new one with 4 wheels at farm & fleet (which I don't think is some place you have available in Maryland--but it might be available somewhere else), it is an MTD brand, with a Brigg's and stratton 800 engine. It tills so much easier.

It always breaks in the same way, the cotter pin. That is what is best about it. What works for us is that we can buy 5 cotter pins for a few dollars, and we can change the cotter pin. Often the rocks in the garden stop the tiller and break the cotter pin. We fix it and it continues to work.

I don't want an engine or tiller that breaks in very expensive way each time, I want something that breaks in a way I or DH can fix it.

[wally]

I garden with raised beds 3x12 foot. When I need to till I have a electric tiller that I will not trade for a gas motor.

[Maura]

I don't till, haven't for years. I use layering or lasagne gardening. I also don't put in a large garden, but only dig and layer where the rows are, leaving rows of grass to mow.

[woolybear]

DH always did the gardening, I did the canning. The garden is approx. 1/4 acre in size. Potatoes were ten 50-60 foot rows. Tomatoes were 50 +/- plants. Whole row of squash (I could never talk him into less squash - zucchini, patty pan, yellow). Green beans were 4-5 rows.
This year I'm hoping to manage 2 rows of potatoes, 1 row of onions, 2 rows green beans, and 24 tomato plants, a small row of lettuce and a few other odds and ends. I have DD's boyfriend to help (he wants to build some raised beds). And one of DH's brothers will come up and do the initial tilling. I just can't not have a garden, even if it's only the tomatoes.
I'm hoping that next year I can get the layering garden going, plus the raised beds.
feather, I'll research your suggestion for a tiller and see what I can find. Thanks for the lead.

[feather]

woolybear, wally,Maura, we have 2 raised and 3 tilled gardens, but as we get older, it makes sense to do 'no till' and layer it. So much easier, stress free.

My aunt was a farmer. Wheat. She did the no till method and called tilling, 'recreational farming'. This makes sense.

[farmerjack]

Not sure how big your garden area might be. Troybuilt made on that had electric start, but think they were only the bigger ones. Have seen electric powered ones advertised, but know nothing about them. Cannot,Imagine they would be the ticket for larger gardens. Guess no matter the size, a person could do a little at a time. Good luck with your gardening.

[MeandTK]

Check out BCS America. They are pricey, but durable.