How to Rototill a Lawn
Operating a rototiller is an efficient way to remove weeds or create a new growing bed. The rotating tines not only make fast work of breaking up the soil or removing existing sod, but they also can mix in additives or amendments such as fertilizer or compost. By following a basic process, you can rototill your lawn for reseeding or a new landscape project. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Walk the area you are going to till. Remove any loose branches or exposed rocks. Cleaning the lawn of these debris will minimize any damage to the cutting tines.
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Begin tilling the area in one corner. Move across the lawn or bed in a straight path. Overlap each pass of the machine by approximately two to three inches. This will ensure you are cutting into the soil below the root level of the weeds or sod.
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Continue tilling the area until you have reached a depth of 4 to 6 inches of the cutting tines. Depending on soil type and moisture conditions, this may take several passes over the area with the tiller.
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Move weed or sod debris into small piles with the garden rake. Move the future compost to the wheelbarrow with the shovel. Dump the material into your compost pile or start a new one in the corner of the yard.
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Spread the soil amendments onto the freshly tilled ground. Follow the manufacturer's recommendation for your soil type and application.
Make another pass with the rototiller to mix the soil and amendments, moving the tiller in the opposite direction than during the first pass. This will help mix the soil to a greater depth.
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Tips & Warnings
Some tillers may have a stake attachment to help hold the tiller in one spot. This is especially helpful in ground that is choked with a thick ground cover. Wash the tines after use. This will keep weeds from spreading to other freshly tilled areas.
Do not attempt to till a muddy or wet area. This will simply produce mud that will develop a hard crust when dry.
