Will this work for removing rocks from soil prior to tilling?

[JohnnyMX]

The rake will only go so deep. I found my tiller went deeper and found more rock until I used the cultivator to bring them up to the top. It isn't a 100% process for sure and will take a while to get the majority.

 

[sixdogs]

I've tilled lots of ground and the easy answer is to forget about most of the rocks. Break the ground with a set of cultivators that have shanks that will spring when they hit an obstacle. Then cultivate and go through and pick up the big rocks that are maybe a small softball size and bigger.

All the rest of the rocks I leave in place and bury with the tiller. Let the back door of the tiller all the way to the ground and till at 540 while driving in the lowest gear you have. All the rocks will be buried. Then, before it rains you must pack the ground to press the rocks further down. I use a "cultimulcher" so search my name and that word for more.

The above method works great and I've done many hundreds of acres of high end estate lawns as well as hayfields this way with never a rock complaint. I've buried some serious rock areas. It's the only way. Just bury them. You'll never pick them all up.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Trouble with rocks in a garden is everyone of them looks like a potatoe.

I have an eight foot Harley Rock Rake, which is nice for making a lawn, but I wouldn't find it of any use in making a garden.

 

[the old grind]

My place was a rocky sand pit from '68 to '92. Just about any area has remnants of sorted piles of rock or gravel. Mostly what remains where I'm clearing now is potato-sized rocks. I use a chisel plow with tip up shanks, then follow with the landscape rake. (two machines to hop)

That said, I work areas ~ 1000 sq ft or so at a time per day to prep for tilling. (third machine) Olive and honey suckle roots come up with the rocks. There is no machine-sorting of them & some elbow grease is required before tilling/seeding/compacting. (fourth machine for rolling)

 

[JohnnyMX]

I've tilled lots of ground and the easy answer is to forget about most of the rocks. Break the ground with a set of cultivators that have shanks that will spring when they hit an obstacle. Then cultivate and go through and pick up the big rocks that are maybe a small softball size and bigger.

All the rest of the rocks I leave in place and bury with the tiller. Let the back door of the tiller all the way to the ground and till at 540 while driving in the lowest gear you have. All the rocks will be buried. Then, before it rains you must pack the ground to press the rocks further down. I use a "cultimulcher" so search my name and that word for more.

The above method works great and I've done many hundreds of acres of high end estate lawns as well as hayfields this way with never a rock complaint. I've buried some serious rock areas. It's the only way. Just bury them. You'll never pick them all up.

I am assuming you are using a forward rotating tiller. The reverse rotation windrows the rocks directly in front of the tiller until you have a pile so big it is just rock. At some point I am not a betting man that all rocks will pass through and not jam up the tiller. I am for any method that uses less steps though unless you need the rock for other projects. I'll look up cultimulcher as I'm not familiar.

 

[sixdogs]

Yes, forward tilling and I don't till very deep. I use a Maschio 6FT tiller and have the skid shoes about half way for depth. You're just trying to skim the ground and cover the rocks.

 

[Cranblue]

Hey all. I've been reading this thread from 2015 and I can see I need to get something to help pull out the rocks from my soil before I pass my new tiller over it.

Is this the right tool for the job?

FIVE TINE TRACTOR RIPPER - Hayes Products - Tractor Attachments and Implements

Working width of 1200mm 4 adjustable ripping depths (210mm to 350mm) Main frame is made from 105mm x 105mm RHS Comes with a stand for easy storage Specifications Horsepower 15-50hp Working Width 1200mm 4 x Digging Depth 210mm to 350mm Distance between tines 300mm Weight 105kg Item is...

hayesproducts.com.au

I rented a Power rake from Sun Belt rentals it will bring rocks up you can wind row them you can also level ground with it very impressive the way it handles rock.