Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Pond Boss Garden Tiller's...

... Anyone have opinions?

I am looking at this one:

Cub Cadet RT 65H (Honda Engine)



I would like to get one for my tractor in Orange flavor, but those things ain't cheap! I have a 6' disc for my tractor and it works the ground pretty well, but just don't do the job that a tiller will.

My garden will eventually be mostly raised beds, except for where some row stuff will go, so this would probably make light work of that.

My Dad has a front tine tiller, can't remember the brand, but that thing will give you quite a workout and you have to hang onto it directly behind. Freshly tilled soil with a goofy pattern of footsteps thru it.

The reviews were fairly decent except for a few who seemed to be mechanically challenged.

Plus, it will match my LT1050.

Any suggestions, opinions, other colors to look at?

How big is your garden?

This year it will probably max out at about 7-8000 sq ft or so. I am only doing a small section for now. This particular area for garden development is about 24,000 sq ft. Still have some trees that need to go, and do soil amendments as I go. Very acidic, as this was a forest.

My first garden turned out quite well. It was only 40'x40', and everyone was shocked that I actually got something to grow here. I did put quite a bit of effort into it, but hey, I was practicing retirement then

I have done a number of tests with raised beds and containers, and most turned out pretty decent.

I think that raised beds are a good way to go, but don't want to put in any structure until a few more trees are gone, especially a 6' White Oak. Tree Doc said it was on it's way out anyway.

Does your small tractor have a rear PTO?

7-8000 sq. ft?? that's one heck of a garden JKB!

As far as tillers go, I don't see a lot of difference between the brands anymore. Lots of names, but very few players under the different colors of paint. Case in point, Cub Cadet is owned by MTD...nothing wrong with that, simply illustrating my point.

Honda engine: in my opinion, you can't go wrong there.
Does it have forward rotating tines, counter-rotating tines, or both? Counter-rotating is good for previously unbroken ground, but forward rotating is better for looser, disturbed soil.

It looks like that particular model doesn't utilize swivel handlebars, which means you'll be leaving footprints behind this one also....I never considered that to be a deal breaker, as it's usually not as easy to walk beside the tiller as the old Troy-Bilt commercials made it out to be...I suppose as long as you keep the OPC bar held up with one hand you can try walking beside this one also...as long as your ground is soft and broken!

Troybilt, also owned by MTD, still makes the venerable "Horse" model tiller....the standard by which many were judged for years. Although If I had an endless supply of cash, I would forego Troybilt altogether and purchase a BCS model....awesome machines, built like tanks, many attachments available, but quite pricey.

The only problems I see with the style tiller you're looking at involves belts, and the shift fork inside the trans case...they've reinforced it the past few years, so perhaps that problem has been resolved.

I still have my original 1977 Troybilt Horse with Techumseh engine. The original Troybilts (before being bought out by MTD) still sell for more than I originally paid for it. If you can find one, even if the engine is bad, they are worth it. A friend has put new engines on a number of them in recent years. Many common brand horizontal-shaft engines will fit perfectly. Except for the belt, tires, tines and rear pulley/clutch, virtually nothing else ever breaks or wears out. Parts, including decals, are still readily available.

Whatever you consider, definitely go with a rear time unit. As you've found, a front tine will beat the life out of you.

Bar tread tires are far preferable to all others.

IMO, unless you are doing about a half acre or more, a 3-point/PTO tiller is real overkill, and quite impractical with raised beds. If your garden is fenced, it also takes a lot of turning room, which limits what can be done.

The specs on that Cub Cadet look pretty good. I've just been burned by some Cadet Cadet products about 8-10 years ago, and I have become very wary of their support and quality.

My Orange tractor is an L3540. My LT1050 is a mower with a beverage holder.

My tiller of choice for smaller areas is the hydraulic tiller that goes behind my JD 345. 42" wide

catmandoo,I tried to talk my dad into a new tiller when his old troybilt horse needed a motor.Since I had a good Techumseh engine at the time I figured I would end up with a tiller Man was I wrong,while I was in Bulgaria he decided he'd borrow the engine (like I've done to him in the past with things) and put it on the tiller.When I asked him about it he said don't worry I left it to you in my will


Sorry to derail the thread more but where did you find the stickers at? He's got a fresh coat of red paint on her and it'd help make it look just about right with them.

I put out a 2500 sqft garden last year consisting of 20 deep raised beds and it was everything to keep caught up on it.. I also have it drip tape irrigated.. I stated with solid blue clay added 16 truckloads of horse manure and 10 loads of leaf compost and I still need to amend it more this year the compost and manure has decomposed and its pretty clay filled still.. I don't use a tiller because it actually compacts the the clay at the bottom of the bed basically making a pond basin under each bed.. Future plans are to rent a post hole driller and drill 10-15 holes as deep as possible in each bed and fill with compost for better drainage.. 4' of solid clay SUCKS..

Send trucks up here with clay and I'll fill them with sand for the return trip!

Thanks!!!

I am going to go kick some tires this week.

The thought behind the PTO tiller is when I get everything cleared, it would be easier to prep the soil for grass and such. A local rental shop has these quite reasonable.

I asked my sister and she has a Troy Built. They got it in 1989 and never had an issue with it. A bit out of my price range tho.

7-8000 sq ft is about what will get amended this year. It may not all get planted, that will be up to whoever want's to test out their green thumb. My dad wants lot's of pickles and cabbage.

A couple years ago, someone posted a picture of their garden. They built raised beds in the shape of a capital "E". I thought that was pretty cool and drew one up. I bought the lumber to build a couple last year, so I'll be trying that out this year. There is a spot where I can put a couple without risk of trees busting them up when they come down. I'll dig the CAD file up and post it later.

Robert -- I think your dilemma with the Troybilt is probably rather common. Jealousy/envy quickly sets in as soon as the replacement engine is started for the first time.

BGK -- I've been using a posthole digger in the garden for about 40 years. I plant all of my tomatoes, melons, and pumpkins by drilling about a 3-foot deep hole, and filling it with compost. I do the same with bushes, trees, rhubarb, etc., except I also dig out the top 10-12 inches to a 2-3 foot width.

It is still too cold and wet here to even use the greenhouse or hoop houses. Six to 12 inches of snow are forecast for tonight and tomorrow.

You guys that are swapping new engines into your older Troy-Bilts...The Horse models use an engine with a 1" shaft....not hard to find, but different from a lot of the more common 3/4 and 7/8" shaft engines.

Just wanted to point that out for anyone contemplating a swap.

We have a relatively small garden and we use a 42" or 48" tiller that is PTO powered to till it up nicely. You don't have the footprints and it does a nice job.

BGK, we added 12 inches of hay/manure/grass that had been pushed into a pile and composted for 2 years. We had red dirt that is clay like and now we have black soil.

JKB, I have one just like it. I have had it for about 4 years. It works great and I couldn't do without it. My garden is 5000 sq ft with an 8 ft dear repellant fence. If the soil is somewhat hard, I would never get a tiller without the reverse tine fucntion. If the ground is hard and you put it in forward tine function, you had better have on you track shoes. I got mine at Tractor Supply .

I think after I amend again this year my soil will be prime next year, it's 10 times better than it was but still not black good topsoil.. I thought I had some pics of the garden but I must of lost them when I got hacked..

This is the bed I came up with.


They would be arranged like this. 6' in between to get my LT1050 in with cart's and stuff. Maybe I should make it 8' in between so I could get my truck or kubota in there?



I would get a smaller tiller to work these tho.

I did some measuring and would probably be safe with putting 4 of these in this year without any trees coming down and busting them up.. I have to rip out 5 test beds and fill in my test hole for the pond. This is where I originally wanted the (GW) pond, but I have no drainage issues here anymore.

I was really happy when I hit water the first time with the test hole. It held for quite some time at about 18" below the surface. Luna use to swim in it. It all went away tho. This hole only went 6' deep, and not a drop in subsequent years. I went to a lower elevation on the property and went 8', and it was bone dry. I have my theories as to what happened with the GW, and it all coincides with an excavator terracing off a lower elevation hill and they broke thru an underground dam that was retaining our GW. My Dad has 3 sump pumps in his basement to keep it dry, and not one has kicked in since this happened.

JKB, how are you going to tie the corners together, and how high are you planning on making the beds?

When I work with dimensional wood, I try to make my dimensions multiples of 24" to minimize cutting and wood waste. i.e. 243" dimension would be 240", etc.

I am pretty sure I am going with it. Cash is secure in my wallet right now.

One thing that is a real PITA working an area that has been a forest all it's life is the underground roots and pieces of trees that have been buried over the years. That initial 40x40 garden took some work! I have ripped out a lot of other stuff since then, just that the soil has not been amended yet.

The city of Fremont, MI sells leaf compost that is 3-4 year aged for 6 bucks per yard. It would be nice to get a couple dump truck loads, but not sure how many would want to try squeak around the curve to get back to the garden area. One guy did when he hauled in some gravel for me, but he was pretty wasted at the time and had no plates on the 20yd dump truck. I was just waiting for one of his tires to blow going over those stumps, but he made it. Sad thing tho, is his son found him at his house after he was dead for three days due to alcohol poisoning.

I'll be putting in a new driveway that goes straight back. Ever try snow plow a drive that has curves and corners in it, especially if you get dumped on. It takes some time!

2x12's.

(3) 4" Spax with the big head and Torx drive at every joint. Those things hold really well.

Let's just say that I like 243" better than 240"

When you buzzing up this way again?

I didn't get a chance last week to get my 330 cu-ft Argon and C25 tanks. Had to go figure out why Chinese control systems cant communicate with German control systems and visa-versa. USA to the rescue with a product made in York, PA!!!

Anyway, I have to sign contract's for the tanks and then I get locked into 56 bucks for a refill with no other requirements. Off the street it's 105 bucks, normal client is 90 bucks, they like me!

Double Anyway, I can just weld the end caps on the aluminum hatchery troughs I was going to give you.

I may be making a run to Gobles, MI in a month or so.

Gobles is not any where near here. Maybe the next time you hit John up for some more Trout would be better.

Wow guys, those are some serious garden plots - you could sustain your family easily with 5,000 sq feet? Between the chores at the land, managing the five ponds, and family and work commitments my 500 sq ft plot keeps me about as busy as I can allow. Living on my farm would surely free up a lot of time, and maybe I could consider a mega garden. Can't imagine all the time needed for harvest and canning though - sounds like a full time job.

I find my current inability to weld aluminum a serious impediment....

Once I procure the necessary equipment they'll be no stopping me.....the prospects of what I might accomplish keep me lying awake nights!