-_- Need some advice here. Gardening. Rusty tiller. Stupid people. Experimenting.

B

bored2deth

Joined
Feb 27, 2011
Messages
1,020
Hey folks,

Ok, so here's the deal. I loaned my tiller out, and it was returned RUSTY! Very, very, rusty. I'm afraid to start the sucker up!! So, I'm all ready to rip up and plant my garden, and my tiller is out of action. So, I get to looking around..and to kill time I go and hoe/clear around my beautifully budding blueberries. So,I come up with an even better idea than before. I'll turn my old garden field into a blueberry/raspberry/blackberry/grape orchard..already have plenty of eachout there anyway. Blah. I also decided to use planters this year instead of using the field. Considering that replacing my old tiller would be fairly expensive, I'll try out a tried-and-true method of my training. Use what you have. I'm going to test and compare results between the upside-down ones you can buy in the store, as well as planter pots/boxes, and finally soda and milk bottles. Hopefully others can learn from this. I know some of you live in apartments, while others (such as myself) are lucky enough to live rurally. :-) Also, what with weather, heat, etc....I think this might just be a safer way to go, and will likely keep the ol' water-bill down..lol.

Oh, as for the advice...chuck the tiller or try to start it? The rust is BAD! I'm talking all up in it. Also, any suggestions for planters/containers, etc? Anything you'd like to see experimented with?
 
Last edited:
Zone borders 4b & 5a here. Looking forward to info and wonder growing zone there.

As to using what you have ... this struck me as a good idea last spring when needing a retaining border for one garden.

Old logs ...

IMG_6370OLDLOGRETAININGBORDER750MED_zpsdf2d2d5d.jpg


IMG_7688OLDLOGRETAININGBORDER_zps2028c3ed.jpg
 
Last edited:
Why be afraid of starting it? Give it a shot and see what happens. Make sure you have fresh gas in the tank. Take off the air filter and make sure it's fairly clean. Sometimes on older ones the lid can rust and leech into the filter. While you have the air filter off, look into the carb to make sure it's clean.

You may want to pull the spark plug and see if it's getting fire before you put gas in it. Take it out and use some rubber coated pliers to hold the plug to the housing and slowly pull the starter cord and watch for a spark between the gap. If it's bad rusted, you may need to clean the head of the spark plug. If you hold the plug wire in your hand while grounding it out, you won't need to watch for the spark while pulling the starter rope ;)

If you don't feel comfortable doing this, then any small engine repair shop should be able to check it out for you for less than $40. I'd charge that cost to the person you loaned it out to!
 
My advice would be to never loan anything to that person again.

And do what Mudbug said.
 
The interior of the gas tank, the blades, everything is coated in rust. The ding-a-ling left in the rain/elements for several months. Ugh. I'm afraid to start it, myself...seeing as my father was awful accident prone and I'd like to keep my face on lol. But I will give it a shot, and if nothing else I'll see if I can take it in for repairs. Also, a BIG thank you to all of you for the replies, I'm sorry it took me so long to return a reply, but I've been so busy lately. I'm trying to balance work, family, helping family, training..ugh. I even squeezed my physical training into super-sets...and I don't recommend that for anyone, it's awful (Worked though...went from having trouble lateral raising 30-35s to be able
to handle it easily, even hold them in place). A good ol' fellow I know agreed to help me out and bring his large tiller in to get my cornfield up and running. I can't wait...our growing season in coming in. I've already got flowers sprouting up for my wife.

I've decided to do beans, corn, tomatoes, potatoes, and a few other simple odds and ends. I'm going to use both planters from the local hardware store and in comparison I'm going to use plastic bottles as well (to see which works best). I'm pretty sure the tomatoes can fare well in soda bottle! :-)

Let's all grow and learn together!

B2D!!

Thanks again to all of you!!
 
My wife and I used an old organizer tub for some squash and beans. The plastic kind with a lid. Basically giant tupperware. The beans did well but no so much on the squash. Could be we just don't know what we're doing but I blame the container. ;)

If you have some local businesses you could try and ask around to see if anyone is getting rid of an old crate. We get some in from time to time at work and it's much easier to have someone haul them off rather then break them down so we give them away. They make good planters.
 
The rectangular plastic recycling containers and five gallon buckets work well for container gardening.Clear containers dont work well because roots dont like light. Any kind of wooden box lined with plastic will also work. Roll the top 1/2 to 3/4 way down on a 6 mil contractor bag which doubles the side walls. Put a layer of gravel in the perforated bottom,fill with a good potting soil,plant away. Kiddie wading pools with holes in the bottom,gravel and soil.Good for shallow rooting stuff.Lettuce,radishes,spinach,greens etc. --KV
 
If I were going to get into container gardening in a big way, I'd build boxes with 1x12" boards and size them 24" tall by 24" wide and however long you want to make them. Pretty expensive to get started. If there is a lumber mill around, you might be able to get rough cut lumber to build the boxes. Fill with potting soil and it will take a lot of potting soil. Definitely place some pea gravel (river gravel) at the bottom of each.
 
22-rimfire said:
If I were going to get into container gardening in a big way, I'd build boxes with 1x12" boards and size them 24" tall by 24" wide and however long you want to make them. Pretty expensive to get started. If there is a lumber mill around, you might be able to get rough cut lumber to build the boxes. Fill with potting soil and it will take a lot of potting soil. Definitely place some pea gravel (river gravel) at the bottom of each.
Click to expand...

Containers like this can easily be covered and used like a cold frame to start plants early in the season, then as grow boxes for the remainder.
 
22-rimfire said:
The termites will love you also.
Click to expand...

Oh, ok ... the little beggers like straw? haven't experienced termite problems with straw thankfully, not even on farm here in youth ... but climate isn't as welcoming. I don't know where fishooter hails from. No plans to bring in bales here, but I am working on some container ideas.
 
-_- Ugh...went to go take the tiller in, and it was gone. This garden season is really starting to get on my nerves. Plus, the old fellow who was supposed to come and till ground
for me keeps forgetting. It's a pin in the a@@. Lol. Ah well. Oh, I've actually found that just about anything that can hold water, can be used as a growing container.
 
Oh, I've actually found that just about anything that can hold water, can be used as a growing container.
Click to expand...

This may be true. Be sure to cut holes into the "containers" so they drain. The one mistake many people make is they think too small when it comes to containters and what is needed for growning vegetables. Been through that....
 
Don't cut holes in the bottom of the container, drill a hole in the side, about 4 inches up from the bottom. You won't need to water very often. Fill with dirt to about 6 inches higher than the hole, but this level will best be varied for different type/sizes of plants.
 
I'm in Florida. Never seen termites in hay or straw. I was interested in the question and I couldn't find anything about hay attracting termites. In fact the opposite, several pest control websites recommend using it over wood mulch. I've got mine started and they've taken off. I'll take some pics tomorrow.
 
I have never heard of termites being attacted to straw regardless of what folks here have interpreted from my post. But they do like cardboard and they do like wood. They like dark places with moisture.

Cutting/drilling holes 4" above the bottom of a container is an interesting approach especially with a large container or one containing things that don't have a deep root system.
 
Here's my hay bales. Three of em with two plants per bale. Seem
To be doing as well or better than the ones in the ground that are the same age.
8C8A6C37-3DBB-4FC8-A6ED-92E751B8043E-4858-00000590224AE8CC_zpsc1044397.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top