Take a look at my new best friend. Yes I got a tiller and is it electric. Before you make take back my peak oil credentials I want to explain why I bought this wonderful device. Last year I dug out my backyard by hand, but that was just before I had a heart attack. It's not easy digging up clay soil. And even though I am healthier, pushing my body too hard is something that I shouldn't be doing. Also if you had to choose between gas powered or electric, the electric is less environmentally damaging than gas powered, not much but slightly.
Anyway I was
able to tear up the ground much easier than before. Boy does that thing have a mind of it's own. It has a safety bar, when you release it stops, but when it starts you need to hold on tightly. It's good on the clay soil, fine with small roots, but bigger ones will get jammed in the blades. The area I cleared you see on the left will be my pumpkin patch. I saved some seeds from a pumpkin I got at the farmer's market last year and planted them. After making a mock greenhouse setup (more on that later) they started to grow. I know that pumpkins need enough space to stretch out so putting them in the corner of the garden should work. May not get enough sun but they should grow. Tilling I did find some thicker roots but they are at least 8 inches down. I've heard that pumpkins don't set their roots too deep so it should work. If all goes well and I can get at least five or six pumpkins, I can make pumpkin bread from home grown pumpkins this year.
It worked much better in the new perennial garden. The wife and I decided to use the area near the headless Mary statue (another story for another day) to put perennials, herbs, fruits, flowers, just anything that will keep coming back each year. The gardening strips, the east side of the backyard, will be for annual gardening with crop rotation. As I get more starts into the ground I'll update some more.
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