Garden Equipment To Rent When You Need To Turn Lush Grass Into A Garden
Posted on: 7 July 2022
Putting in a garden for the first time can be a lot of work since you typically have to remove the grass and prepare the soil. The exact steps you take depend on how the soil is being used now. If the area has lush grass on it, the grass will need to be removed. If the area is covered with dead grass, it may be possible to skip the removal step and just till the dead grass into the soil. Tilling live grass under isn't recommended since that would be like planting grass and weed seeds, and you may have trouble with grass and weeds popping up in your garden all summer. Here's a look at how to remove grass and till the soil.
Lush Grass Can Be Removed With A Sod Cutter
The easiest way to remove healthy grass is to rent a sod cutter at a home improvement store or rental store. A sod cutter is a machine you walk behind that slices grass off so it can be rolled up like a carpet and removed. A sod cutter is a fast and convenient way to get rid of grass, especially if your garden space will be very large. The alternative is to dig grass up with a shovel and that could take a long time.
After the grass is removed, you could set the grass aside and let it die. Once it's dead, you can till it under the soil. Or you can keep it in the compost pile and let it break apart for use as mulch in your garden later.
You might also consider covering the grass with cardboard or a plastic tarp for several days to kill it, and then just till it under. However, you want to be sure the grass and weeds are dead so the weeds won't spring to life and become a problem.
Breaking Up The Soil Requires A Tiller
Once the grass is out of the way, you can till the soil to break it up so it's easier to dig and manage. Tilling also blends in amendments that add nutrients to the soil. You may need to have your soil tested first so you know what type of amendments to use.
Since you'll only need the tiller during the initial stages of your garden, you may want to rent it rather than spending a lot of money buying a tiller. When you go to the store that has garden equipment for rent, be sure to ask them how to use a tiller if you've never used one before. It's always important, for safety reasons, to understand how rented equipment works.
You operate a tiller by walking behind it. You can even rent a self-propelled tiller that's easy to push. As the tiller goes across the soil, the tines go deep into the earth to churn the dirt. It's best to remove stones and other nonorganic debris that you find so it won't get in the way of your plants later.
To learn more, visit a local hardware store with garden equipment for rent.
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