# How To Till A New Vegetable Garden



## Nick_Petersen

You did a great job of explaining how to go from grass to garden. Once the garden is created I prefer to plant in rows because it can be maintained much easier. We just use this simplewheel hoe to loosen the soil in spring and weed all summer. Very easy on our backs!


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## Erin

Great article! I'm wondering what type of tiller you used. I've heard that only "front" churning tillers can break up sod.


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## Tee

Hi Erin - I use a small Honda front tine tiller. I rent it each year from a local equipment rental place. The rear tine tiller can work just as good. The ones that are self-propelled are really nice because you saves you from some of the grunt work and is much easier to use.


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## Erin

Thanks so much! I can't wait to get outside and get started. It's been a long winter!


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## Tee

You're welcome, Erin. I know what you mean. I'm itching to get started as well


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## Ginger1

Loved your information and pictures! Even tho I've gardened a bit for over 30 years, I'm still a rookie, always welcoming new information. I battle vine type weeds that nothing- and I mean nothing- kills or even damages them. Nobody seems to know what they are and I live out in the country surrounded by crop farmers! They don't seem to have any roots, just a long white tail comes out of the ground when pulled. Tilling only seems to spread them further. My veggie garden is about 25' x 150' so pulling by hand is back-breaking! Any ideas?


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## Tee

Hi Ginger - I'm not sure what type of weed that is. I'll need to see a picture of it, but still not certain I'll be able to ID it. You can email me an image of it and I'll see what I can find out.

What I would try is this - try to remove as much of the weed from your garden area as possible, then put down a weed fabric/blocker material down. I would then put down about 4 to 6 inches of straw, or some type of mulch. I would also use a shovel and dig a small trench (around 3 inches deep) around the perimeter of the garden. You will need to maintain the little trench throughout the season, but it will help keep the weeds from spreading into the garden.

It's a little grunt work in the beginning but really can help keeping weeds at bay during the overall season.

I hope this helps!


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## mike_t.

I have real sandy soil and this will be a first time garden spot. would you please tell me what type of fertilizer to use. p.s. great web site and thank you! GOD BLESS


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## Tee

Hi Mike, Thanks for the kind words and thank you for your question.

If you have sandy soil then you really don't need fertilizers, you need compost, my friend.

Lots and lots of compost. I don't know how big of a garden you plan, but I would try to add as much compost as possible, then add more compost. Try to add at least 1 cubic foot of compost for each square foot of garden space. 

Compost will improve the drainage and nutrients that sandy soils lack.


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## Laura2

I just moved into a new home and this will be my first garden. I've just completed tilling my garden area (3 passes with the tiller.) I'm in Virginia so I have a lot of red clay. Thanks for this article and the photos.


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## Nancy_Leavitt

I live in Riverside County, California. It can get up to 113 degrees in the summer, but mostly its 100-110. In the winter months it can get as cold as 55 degrees in the day, but the usual day temps are 75-85.

I live in an apt complex that has a large area for gardening. I have a 12 x 20 plot. I want to get a larger plot on the other side, but it is full of weeds & I'll have to rent a rototiller for it. 

My question is: 
1) After rototilling will I have to sit on the ground & pick out the weeds like I've done with my current garden plot (my husband turned the soil with a shovel & I picked out the weds)?

2) Is it too late to start a summer crop of Corn?

3) When do I plant root vegetables like beets, turnups, potatoes & sweet potatoes?

Thank you so much for your website. Its the first I found that was so down to earth, helpful & easy to understand.
Nancy


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## Tee

Hi Nancy - 

1) Yes, you probably will. You can till up the weeds, but you still need to remove them from the area after the first pass with the tiller or they will probably just grow right back unless you cover the area with plastic or something similar.

2) You still have time to plant corn although it will come in a later than corn is normally harvested.

3) Beets like cooler temperatures, so you want to plant them in very early spring or late fall for your area. Turnips tend to grow better when planted in late fall and taste better after a light frost. They can also be overwintered and harvested in early spring. Potatoes should be planted in February or March in your area ( I typically plant around St. Patrick's Day). Sweet potatoes should be planted as soon as the soil is warm enough to plant in your area. Sweet potatoes take a long to to mature - about 120 - 140 days so they need a long growing season (which I believe you have).

Hopefully, this answers your questions. If you have more just let me know!


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## aimie

Hi this was really helpfull, tobad that i didnt read it before my husband till my new garden! he till true and now the grass is everywhere! how do i take all the grass out once its mix with the soil?


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## Melissa_Ladd

Thanks for the great info! It was exactly what I was looking for.


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## Charmagne

I've heard of people burning the grass off first to prepare a garden bed. Any thoughts on that?


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## Tee

Hi Charmange - Burning the grass first is an option you can use. Adding the ashes can also be a good amendment for your soil. I've never done it permanently, but it is a good alternative to deep tilling.


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## dana_edwards

i have finally picked out my spot for my first veggie garden and tilled it...do i need to add any top soil ? i have raked off the grass, rock and roots. what about fertilizer...i live in the south (georgia)


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## southern_patriot

great articles. Question,we have our ruff cut lumber for the raised beds. But we find that we need a lot of additional soil to full the beds up. Question? Should we till the ground and then place our raised bed into the till soil and then add our additional soil an then our plants. Weed block layed down or stapled to the bottom of the planter boxes. also,we are planning to use cement block and make a raised bed planter. Let's say 3 block high and perhaps 4-5 block long. So what say you? Are we on the right track ? Thanks. SP


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## Rebecca2

I had to break up the sod in my garden and used a rear tine tiller, because that does a better job getting the sod and such....


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## Gena1

Help! We bought a home that has a 25 x 28 garden spot that I thought I was excited about - I love fresh veges and the outdoors. However, our lives are busy, I have a small family (none of whom are interested in the garden) and the time commitment seems to be more than I can handle on my own. Is there any such thing as a low maintenance garden...or do I need to succumb to my husbands wishes and tear it out?!?! I've been resisting because I love the idea of healthy, organic, homegrown veges. I just need to find a way to simplify it, and my gardening knowledge and experience is limited.


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## Tina_Clapp

First time with gardening. Wished I would of seen this first! Still have clumps of grass in garden. Already planted. Can I take a rake tto take as much grass out?.


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