So the Mrs wants a big garden. What do I use?

[fishheadbob]

^^^^^ This.

I am going to semi agree with this this. Don't mow it short before you spray as glyphosate/Roundup will work better on longer stuff than something just mowed. Wait a few days after spraying for it to get into the roots, then I would mow it to chop the grass into shorter, easier to plow down and decompose length. It won't look dead for 10 or 14 days, but t will be a goner after 2 or 3 days.
I hear good things about Troy-bilt and BCS, and have used both. Last few years I've been happy using a rear tine Husqvarna.

 

[redman135]

Fishheadbob is right. Spray the grass long ,wait 3-4 days for the roundup to move down to the roots THEN mow the grass. Winter grass,roundup, silage the grass and cutivate for corn.
This is standard farm practice here(waikato new zealand)

 

[flashpuppy]

lol. Well, the Mrs is a strong willed woman. She ordered a walk behind, dual rotation tiller on Black Friday. May it do everything she hopes and desires.

Roundup... Yeah, so the Mrs is a bit finicky about chemicals. Currently, our land is certified for organic. I don’t know the details of how that works exactly but I can guarantee that Roundup won’t be coming here. We have yards upon yards of mulch she’s planning to spread to keep grass down.

Been a busy dang three weeks... Hard to believe we closed on this place less than a month ago.

 

[aczlan]

In that case, mow the grass short (scalp it) before you try to till. If you can, blow the clippings away from the area to be tilled or mulch them (so they are in small pieces that won't wrap around the tiller).

Aaron Z

 

[mjw]

Sounds like a great learning experience.
I did some market gardening years ago and learned a few things.
Keep the size reasonable.
It is easy to get a large garden started, then the work begins.
A smaller well maintained garden is much more productive than a large plot of weeds.
Ask me about the year I started several thousand seedlings. My first year on the property, the neighbor had a tractor mount tiller and I had big dreams.

Use all the available tools to make maintenance easier- drip irrigation, roll mulch, walking planters, any thing that makes maintenance quicker and easier.

As soon as you finish prepping your area, start prepping areas for next year.
Much better to till a few times over the season giving seeds time to germinate. But you don’t have the time for that for next seasons plots.

Cover crops- I didn’t use any, but if I ever do it again cover crops will be included in the rotation.

For the first year in new ground I would stay smaller and intensively garden it, less area to control weeds.

Use the smaller ground and plant in rotation, ideas such as plantings rows of early spinach and leaf lettuces. Then as the season progresses plant your taller crops like tomatoes in the row.

I have actually had good luck extending the growing season of cool weather crops by creating shaded microclimates with taller companion crops.

Vines such as cucumbers also make great shade for cool weather crops.

I had leaf lettuce into July one year, no one could believe it.

And less area that needs maintenance.

Large scale gardening is a lot different than a set of raised beds.

Most of all have fun, it is a lot of work and I miss it.

 

[prof fate]

i've done 'square foot' type gardening - very small scale raised beds. Sometimes a bit larger for corn, but similar concept- dense planting to have the plants shade out the weeds. ANd if your garden is 300 sf it's doable.

This past year went bigger...and paid the price. I'll blame momma nature - we're on pace to have the wettest year EVER...still this week 6 of the next 7 days are forecasting precipitation.

Next year I plan to go as big, but bigger spacing for mechanical cultivation I'm thinking. Still early for planning. Wanted to till for fall..but we've had rain every day but 6 since mid september...I was picking tomatoes this year while standing in 3" deep water in the garden. tried to till it mid october, till under the dead stuff and put in a cover crop..too muddy, can't do it.

Did get garlic in at least.

Gonna concentrate on fewer items but more of them next year, did canning this year for the first time, pickles, tomoato sauce, salsa, apple sauce, relish. Got nothing for onions or carrots..potatoes did OK, radishes were great, peppers good and tomatos also kept producing for a long time.

Wanted to do row house/row covers and extend the season but life got too busy.

 

[Jstpssng]

If you can do it safely and legally, try burning the garden plot before doing anything. A hot fire will kill any existing weed seeds.

 

[mjw]

That is one thing I forgot to mention was row covers and methods to extend both ends of the growing season.
Nice for personal use, required in my opinion for commercial use.
There is good money in early local vegetables and it helps establish a customer base.
One of the well established farmers markets we did had loads of regular customers who parked, walked straight to their preferred vendors, spent their money and left.
Also watched the early spinach grower sell out every week in just an hour or two and head home.