A good morning.

[Colin]

Hi,

I got out of bed and hit the ground running this morning.I visited the usual three supermarkets and was home by 8:30; after a brew it was time to take my frustration out on the rear garden. For over 18 months our gardens haven't dried out due to persistent rain.

A couple of days ago I dragged my new rotavator up the mountain and rotavated the section which had been cleared of a big hedge including stumps and roots and other greenery so the soil was already soft; once again though where I had turned the grass over as sods the rotavator badly bogged down so I had to quit.

https://hyundaipowerequipment.co.uk/hyundai-hyt140-2-5kw-petrol-garden-tiller-cultivator/

Bron kindly bought me the rotavator for Christmas it being brand new but each time I've tried to use it the soil has been too sodden. We've just had a miracle here; three days without Blackie putting rain down; today I was going to rotavate come what may. I dragged the rotavator up the mountain and then spent five minutes panting and regaining my composure; the soil was still wet but this time it had dried out a bit; I attacked these sods with a vengeance; the rotavator bounced and jumped around; it leapt forward and at times wanted to head to the valley bottom; it's tines turned into one big drum of wet soil and entwined roots which I kept clearing but I'd had enough of the climate pulling my strings; this job was going to get done today; an hour and an half later out of breath with aching arms I had pulverised the sods in places digging big holes as the rotavator sank deeper and deeper.

I thought it was mild this morning but Gale said otherwise as she hit me with a cold breeze; being here on the valley side we have a prevailing breeze but I was surprised by how cold it felt on my back as I cleaned the rotavator tines for the last time before putting the rotavator away. The pictures show what being stubborn can achieve; at a young 70 years of age I've no intention of a rocking chair yet and I don't need a gym in order to keep fit.

Not a roaring success but this soil is now rotavated and I reckon if I leave it barren for a year whilst keep going over with the rotavator I'll end up with decent soil; this year I'll just plant the top half with shrubs and flowers but I'm now happy feeling I'm achieving something and making positive progress.

These rotavators I think will be brilliant on a level garden or allotment and where the ground just needs tilling without lots of grass sods; on a steep slope like ours though the rotavator is hard to control and I think perhaps I expected too much of it after all it's difficult just standing upright. Over the last two days I've grafted using a spade to break the grass sods into smaller lumps and this has helped. The rotavator is quiet enough to run without ear defenders and on the level it might even be fun to use; its an ungainly machine wanting to fall over all the time so it needs leaning against something or propping up in order to let go of it.

Regaining this part of the garden has been difficult in clearing the big hedge and all the bushes etc but I've removed huge amounts of English ivy; stumps; roots; stones; bricks; concrete and even corrugated tin; some of the stones can be seen below.

I've not only had a good morning this morning but the sun has been shining for three days although it's now heading back to a black hole and I think Blackie is hovering? The pictures tell the story better especially the close up. What fun I have in retirement.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[MaryMary]

YAY!!! You got to work in the garden!!!

You got a lot done, Colin! Good job!

 

[Silentrunning]

Colin, from the picture it would appear that you tilled parallel to the slope. If that is the case you made a lot of work for yourself. I too have a garden on a hill and found that if I till straight up and straight down the hill, the tiller behaves much better. I have to laugh at the advertisements that show a 90 pound woman smiling as she effortlessly tills through her garden. I am over 6 feet tall and 200 pounds and my tiller beats the stuffings out of me every time I use it.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Thanks MaryMary; I think work was just invented for me at times considering I'm never short of it.

Many thanks Silentrunning for your welcome and helpful suggestion regarding which way to till. I did try running the rotavator uphill this morning but it just dug in and refused to go forward but next time I'll try harder because I did think as you say put the slope to my favour; I have trouble moving the rotavator around because on the tines it doesn't seem to want to "freewheel" and it sure is an unwieldy machine at the best of times; the clutch handle is located on top of the handlebar which to me is the wrong way round; I'd have thought I would have more clutch control with the clutch lever below the handlebar? I'm 6' tall and a very light 140 lbs; this rotavating sure is hard graft but will become easier each time I do it.

I've just come down from the garden; I've now been over with the rake and tidied it up quite a bit as seen below. I've also got another problem; an invasive weed which I believe is "Cleavers" it's spreading out of control; I've just been on my hands and knees for half an hour pulling it from the ground; it comes away easily enough but it's a big area; would spraying with vinegar kill it? I find vinegar useful for lots of things and its safe to handle also safe to all our neighbours cats? Ideally I want to plant lots of ground cover to smother weeds out; I've already planted a few Ajuga and Pachysandra but I'm going to look at others kindly suggested in another thread; the garden though is coming along nicely.

I planted six assorted hostas at the top of the garden last year in freezing conditions; WOW they are all growing so I must be doing something right?

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[Silentrunning]

Congratulations Colin. That is the first picture I have seen you post that had shadows.

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Well spotted Silentrunning; I'm surprised taking the picture didn't make international news because it's so rare; black holes seldom have shadows. Back to normal soon with Blackie and Gale?

I've been grafting trying to make the most of this extended three day dry spell.

Kind regards, Colin.

 

[BigC]

Hi. Colin,
Yes rotovating can be very strenuous, I remember when we bought our house which was a new build and the garden if you could call it that was laden with builders rubbish rocks and stones and full of weeds. but the good news it does get easier the more and more you go back and forth..In the end I had mine like talcum powder hahaha with a mountain of stones raked up into a large bank at one end...it looked absolutely fab but shifting that amount of stones was no joke..Stick with the program it will all come together..I wish you well

 

[Colin]

Hi,

Many thanks for your encouragement BigC.

Yes it is getting easier to use the rotavator and of course I'm also becoming more familiar with rotavating; I'm a mechanical engineer rather than a gardener and enjoy playing with any tool or machine; now I've got this big patch of garden bare I'm toying with the idea of keeping it bare just so that I can use the rotavator.

I've spent a very happy and most enjoyable hour and an half in the garden pulling up and hoeing Cleavers; I think this must be the lightest job in the garden I've ever carried out; perhaps I'm at last getting on top of all the heavy work; I went around the entire garden attacking the cleavers before it grew and seeded; I'll now keep on top of this weed. Previously I was fighting "Mile a minute Vine and English Ivy" but I think these have given up and decided to stop bothering me.

When the sun is shining and Blackie has taken a hike there's no other place on the planet I would rather be; it's wonderful here when it's dry and warm but this is rare so I make the most of the few decent days we do get.

I'm now heading into the workshop to design and make a tool rest for my home made belt grinder; I feel giddy having not to wrap up like an Eskimo or receive another soaing from Blackie; if only it would remain like this?

I changed my mind; a trip into the workshop just didn't seem right whilst the sun was shining and a bit of weeding this morning didn't stretch me too much; instead I headed up the mountain and have done more sod busting with the spade; I'm now good and hot so feel as though I've done something useful; as you rightly say BigC if I stick at it I'll win in the end. Once the sods are broken up then perhaps I can use the rotavator but the garden really is steep; it looks like it will take another year until the sods are rotted enough to allow planting but it won't tire me out doing section by section; the main thing will be to get some ground cover planted on the ground I've claimed before the weeds take over

Kind regards, Colin.