A common springtime rental question we hear at One Stop Rental is: “When should I till my garden?” Like most things in life, there is no one answer.
The best response is: “When it needs it,” but while it’s the best answer, it sounds a bit rude. So let’s start at the beginning.
Tilling soil before planting is probably as old as farming itself. It’s a practice that continues to this day.
Tilling helps break up hard-packed soil and mixes organic matter evenly in the soil. If you have ever seen one of our gas powered tillers in action, you know tilling also helps to chop up any weeds and aerates the soil.
But remember, too much of a good thing can hurt. It’s the same for tilling. Over tilling can cause issues including erosion of your soil.
The standard guidelines call for tilling your soil once a year, usually in the spring. There are a few things to keep in mind before you till. Make sure the soil is dry enough. Take a clump of dirt in your hand and compact it into a ball. Poke the ball with your finger. If the soil crumbles, then it is dry enough to till. If it doesn’t fall apart easily, wait until it dries out a little more.
Wait until the soil is at least 60 degrees before tilling. Tilling cold, wet soil will actually compact the soil more instead of breaking it apart.
When your soil is ready to till, remember to go slow and only make one pass with your tiller. If you over till, you risk compacting the soil again, defeating the purposes of tilling.
No matter what your springtime rental question, One Stop Rental has your answer. We are a full-service rental store carrying a wide selection of tools and equipment. For information about our products and services, feel free to contact us today.