My husband and I plan on putting in a huge vegetable garden this spring. We both love to garden, and we are looking forward to the benefits of having inexpensive, organic produce right here at home. In order to put in a garden here, we will need a rotatiller to break up the soil. In our area, the soil requires it. I have been regularly checking Craigslist, as well as clearance aisles at large home improvement stores, such as Lowe's, Home Depot, and Sears. I have not seen anything in our price range worth paying the asking price for. Does anyone have any suggestions on where to find rotatillers for a good price? Or, do you know of any alternative method or piece of equipment that could be used for starting a large garden?
Having been in the same position many, many years ago now - apart from doing it the hard, very time consuming way of using a spade and pick-axe when the soil is slightly damp - the only other alternative to a tiller that currently springs to mind - is if the space is large enough - to try hiring a small tractor driven plow - which would break up the surface and make it more workable. Speaking of which - as purchasing a tiller is a large investment and the wrong decision or choice does often result in being a very costly mistake - hiring a tiller rather than buying one outright initially - is certainly worth considering in this instance and especially - if you are not sure which type of tiller you require or haven't used one before - as it would give you the opportunity to try out the different types before you buy. Particularly as - not only are there various types of tiller - but also many other factors to consider when deciding which type would be right for you - not only in terms of whether it would be man enough for the job intended - but also in terms of comfort, weight, maneuverability, type of fuel, maintenance etc In fact if you have rock solid ground and are going to be using a tiller more regularly than just a couple of times a year - you generally can't go too far wrong - if wanting to buy outright - investing in one of the slightly more expensive heavy duty rear-tine models - preferably with a four stroke engine - as not only do they almost always start first time in all weather, are easy to maintain, more maneuverable and easier to control - but more importantly - unlike mini cultivators and front-tine tillers - they are a good all round workhorse - as they cope with almost all ground types and especially hard compacted ground - which they break up with ease.
It might be worth checking in your areas to see if there are any local garden clubs. If so, perhaps the club itself, or one of the members, would be willing to loan one to you, or maybe you could work out some sort of trade. I see all sorts of things offered for sale in the Facebook local For Sale groups, and there are also local groups such as Cheapcycle (low cost items) and Freecycle and Trash Nothing that you could check. Also, sometimes people on the Freecycle groups are willing to loan something temporarily, so you could talk to the group moderators about whether they would allow you to post that type of request.
