Rock Problem in Garden

[HEC]

I have one garden plot 30 ft by 60ft. that is full of rocks, usually fist size and smaller.I live in an area where we have a deep frost so they just keep coming up every year.I keep picking them up by hand but this sure is a slow way of doing things.I use a 2 wheel rototiller on this plot for cultivating and it sure doesn't do the tines anygood.My question is has anyone found a way to handle this situation using something on your tractor that doesn't cost a fortune?I thought of buying a york rake but I know the dirt would not pass through the tines do to a small amount of clay content in the soil.
Thanks,
Herb

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I have one garden plot 30 ft by 60ft. that is full of rocks, usually fist size and smaller.I live in an area where we have a deep frost so they just keep coming up every year.I keep picking them up by hand but this sure is a slow way of doing things.I use a 2 wheel rototiller on this plot for cultivating and it sure doesn't do the tines anygood.My question is has anyone found a way to handle this situation using something on your tractor that doesn't cost a fortune?I thought of buying a york rake but I know the dirt would not pass through the tines do to a small amount of clay content in the soil.
Thanks,
Herb

Where we used to live, my garden was more rocks than dirt. I'd give the kids/grandkids $5 a 5-gallon bucket to pick rocks. I got the garden cleaned out, the kids had money so they didn't have to bum AS MUCH from me for doing nothing, and a rock path to and from the garden.

Every so often, I'd turn the ground over with a plow. That finally exposed most of the rock. It still worked up from below, but not nearly as fast as the kids picked them up.

It ain't rocket science, but it worked for me.

 

[McDenny's]

Hi HEC,
I am from Maine also and I have the same problem. I had a friend rototill my wife's garden a few years ago before we moved into our new house. When we moved in she planted but it was some tough soil. The next year I borrowed his rototiller to put on my tractor and I split the PTO shaft in half. I should of known better, he has a 30hp Kubota and I have a 45hp MF. I think the shaft may have been a little to short. I have a Land Pride landscape rake with a blade. I have used that to level the garden and then to "mix" the soil up and gather rocks. The rake swivels so I can make rows. But it seams no matter what I do, there are more rocks. A good friend of mine once told me rocks in Maine grow, I think I believe him. I am going to add some sand and some manure hopefully before ground freezes. If I have to in spring I will buy some screened compost or loam and try again. Let me know if you come up with anything.

Dennis

 

[bill177]

Rocks in Maine have eyes just like potatoes. When a rock with eyes gets split - it reproduces.

 

[Thomas]

Moring HEC.
The best way I found,have FEL dig out the area than replace the dug out area w/good growing soil...they don't call us the granite state for nothing.

 

[Egon]

The rocks are not really a problem, it's finding a good paying market for them that is really hard!

 

[Timber]

Welcome to earth man, Raking rocks and pulling weeds, when you find a cure you will be a very wealthy man

 

[Timber]

The rocks are not really a problem, it's finding a good paying market for them that is really hard!

My dad had me move the same pile of rocks over and over when ever I stepped out of line. What I do with them now is look for where water stands and make dry wells and when I need rocks for what ever reason I know were they are.

Also the reason there are stone walls all over is because that is what the old farmers use to do with there stones every year LOL. There is no easy way to deal with stones. They work there way to the surface every year, Even if you remove the soil and replace it with screened loom you will still have rocks in a few years.

My dad had a small 1 acre garden that was on top of fill, Asphalt, Cement & god know what else. We finally put in a Japanese garden.
The Idea is to never step in you planting bed. Your beds are boxed with 2 x 8s and you fill the boxes on top of your existing soil. We used a mix of screened loom and compost. The beds are 3 feet wide by any length you like. You can set it up in ay kind of grid pattern you like. The rows between the beds have to be large enough for wheelbarrow, garden cart, and tiller. The isles between the beds you put down landscape cloth and we used sand but use what ever pleases you. We also used about 7, 55 gallon drums to make compost tea. We had about 50 beds of various lengths depending on what we planted. It worked very well

 

[McDenny's]

Yea we all know there are rocks everywhere. I have seen several tools like rock pickers, rock forks, and the list goes on and on. My land was a field years ago. When we bought it and decided to cut down all the small pine, we ended up finding all the small rock piles on the edge of the old field where someone had picked them out years ago. There are two piles, one on each end. I do really like the idea of the "raised beds". I have several hundred yards of loam I need to screen and wanted to use for my wifes garden and other projects. I have looked into renting a screener, but its easier and faster with two pieces of equipment, one to feed, one to take away. I used a excavator and a small loader last time and it went fast. But then I would have to pay to have the hoe moved and the best deal on a screen was $400 for a weekend. At this point in time I guess it going to be old fashioned hard work and pick some rocks. Even finding loam screened past 1/2" is tough, I personally have never used "screened compost" but I have heard good things about it. My wife really wants a nice garden, and thats all she has asked me for on our new property, that is why I am trying to find out any other option that may work.

Dennis

 

[jimmy1]

I have an area of poor gravel soil that I built raised boxes on with path ways inbetween. Filled the boxes with screened top soil and it works well and looks good when every thing is in lush stages. Only problem is lumber gets costly too.

Jim