skip to main content

Motorcycles/Scooters

Tilling a new bed.

20 years ago

So my tiller gave out on me. It'll take wintertime to pull it part and repair the pieces. I was wondering if anyone uses their dirtbike to till up new garden beds. Yesterday, I tore the lawn up pretty good with the bike, but it slips too much. I was wondering if anyone has good results with putting studded tires on their dirtbike for better traction in tearing up the ground. Any advice would be appreciated.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

hoe_hoe_hoe
20 years ago
That's a really excellent idea. I figured out that I can easily use my dirt bike to refresh the patterns in my Zen gravel garden, but I never thought about being able to till with it too! Thanks!!!
Cady
20 years ago
Can we talk about Segways in this forum? I had the idea of getting a Segway to till the garden, but I heard that there is a defect in it that makes it throw the rider off backward.
Related Discussions
Suggestion for killing grass
Q
Comments (13)
One word: glyphosphate. I rehabilitated an old garden last summer in the house we purchased. Grass had invaded, fescue I believe, and needed eviction. First, I raked and tilled and raked. Grass still came up, but I covered it with layers of newspaper and hay/leaves/grass clipping (well after any herbicide treatments). It worked OK. As was mentioned before, some grass varieties will come up through anything. This year, I sprayed the whole thing with glyphosphate (active ingredient in Roundup). Read the label, some products have several herbicides like root killers, you want just glyphosphate. The product I purchased had suggested waiting time on the label for planting new plant. Most veggies from seed were 24 hours, but tomatoes were 30 days. You will also need a plan to keep the grass from spreading back into the garden. This is not organic gardening, but it will get ride of the grass. There are a variety of views on chemical herbicides, but in my garden, limited use of glyphosphate is OK.
...See More
Soil Prep New Raised Beds -- Till vs. Lasagna
Q
Comments (7)
There's no need to use vermiculite. Idaho gardener mentioned sulfur and coffee grounds to combat the high pH that is fairly common in the intermountain west. since you're planting in a lasagna garden, the pH of the soil won't be a factor. Although coffee is acidic, the acid is water soluble, so the acidity ends up in the cup and the grounds are pretty close to neutral. You should also test the soil before doing anything about pH. Although most of the intermountain west has high pH soil, My understanding is that there are some places in and around Denver that have acidic soil (I think I read that it has to do with something in the granite).
...See More
Best way to move mature creeping phlox plants
Q
Comments (2)
pippi21 - what is the compass orientation of the affected bed & its sun exposure/shade cover? A number of perennials can survive the seasons in a container but there are others (i.e, lavender) that suffer from too much winter moisture such as snow and/or rain. I was a bit surprised but happy when WS Heuchera/coral bells, delphinium, Astilbe, Agastache, Alchemilla mollis/Lady's Mantle, Platycodon/balloon flower, Siberian iris & Spirea all came through the winter in gallon pots/larger containers on my breezeway. Phlox sublata/Creeping phlox is a spring-blooming perennial and as long as it gets moved in the fall when it isn't blooming or too stressed due to dry conditions, should transplant in good shape. That's only my own general understanding of perennials speaking--not the voice of experience since I don't particularly like creeping phlox. My spring preference is P. divaricata/woodland phlox which is just as lovely but blooms for a much longer period than P. sublata. Again, it's only my own observation & what I read in my perennial guide but Papaver orientale/oriental poppies grow from seeds, not bulbs, and spread via rhizomes/traveling roots in much the same way as Missouri evening primrose (whose botanical name escapes me at the moment). It's my understanding they're best moved when very young plants as they don't like to be disturbed. You may or may not already know this but laying down a layer (or two) of corrugated cardboard under your mulch will be a huge help in discouraging weeds. I've found the cardboard is free & readily available at my local grocery store, package store or else the recycle bin at the town landfill. A judicious application of ordinary vinegar at the edges early in the season tends to discourage most weeds.
...See More
Is it too late to direct sow annuals?
Q
Comments (8)
I would think so Joanne. I'm busy preparing for a plant sale which I'm holding this weekend and haven't really had time for the annuals. There are some waiting for me on the deck which I winter sowed, but as I start cleaning some of the garden areas after this weekend, I'll be direct sowing as I go. I still have lots of seeds left and I'd rather not keep them and start fresh next year. Our season goes late - well into October - and I expect lots of blooms!
...See More
lkz5ia
Original Author
20 years ago
segways won't work. They are worthless. Not only would they be horrible to ride on pavement, they couldn't spin a blade of grass off the garden you want to create.
hoe_hoe_hoe
20 years ago
I've been waiting for the spare parts to start coming available though so I can try out my idea for a DirtSeg. Maybe I'll attach tiller tines to the side like a sidecar.
hoe_hoe_hoe
20 years ago
I probably shouldn't brag about all of my most creative ideas on the web, but this post has really inspired me. I thought about connecting a light weight treadmill onto a scooter or segway. Then I would calibrate it so that the treadmill would go exactly the same speed as the bike at all times. It would be an excellent way to get your exercise in as you are being transported across town.

Do you think I could get a patent? I've never seen anything like it before, have you?
lkz5ia
Original Author
20 years ago
I'm not sure. I thought the whole point of a treadmill was so you can walk while you watch your favorite tv show.

But anyways, to my original post. I have ordered the studded tires. They should be coming in by next week, but it might be too wet or raining by then. I keep this forum updated how it works. I'm thinking that people won't even have to buy tillers anymore. Also, if one has a DOT approved dirtbike like me, they could also go do errands and go to their job on it. Its quite fun thinking of all the magical possibilities I can have with my bike. My family thinks I'm crazy trying all these ideas, but they back off once they find out most of my plans and ideas actually Work!
hoe_hoe_hoe
20 years ago
Wow! Your family sounds exactly like mine. Except I havent had a chance to try out most of my ideas yet. The only way I found out about the Zen gardening thing is when I tried to make homemade breaks for my dirtbike and I wound up in the Zen garden by accident. But I didn't mind all of the scrapes and bruises when I realized what interesting patterns it could make. Raking a Zen garden is SOOOO tedious!

Please let us know how the new tires work out for tilling!
hoe_hoe_hoe
20 years ago
lkz5ia, did you get your new tires?
Hows the new garden bed coming?
lkz5ia
Original Author
19 years ago
Hello hoe, sorry I didn't get back sooner. I have since done two plots with the bike. 20x20 and a 15x 25 plot. The problem was the soil moisture. If the ground is too moist or too dry, it doesn't work so well. Medium moisture grips the ground without sliding. The studs have helped gripped the ground, while throwing the dirt. Feel free to ask more questions.

Related Stories

BEDROOMS Perk Up Your Bedding’s Personality

By Becky Dietrich, Interior Designer

Nix that whole ‘bed in a bag’ thing in favor of artfully arranged separates that speak to the imagination

BEDROOMS The Family Home: Big Beds In Kids' Spaces

By Danyelle Mathews

Double up on space and style with a bed that's sized for grownups

FEEL-GOOD HOME The Pros and Cons of Making Your Bed Every Day

By Leonora Sartori

Houzz readers around the world share their preferences, while sleep and housekeeping experts weigh in with advice

SMALL HOMES Tiny Houzz: A Retractable Bed and Double-Duty Furniture Make It Work

By Tamara Armstrong

Architecture graduates work with a builder to create a stylish tiny house with an efficient layout and a roomy feel

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Ditch the Ordinary Ditch: Create a Realistic Dry Creek Bed

Here’s how to turn your water runoff system into an eye-catching accent for your landscape

RUSTIC STYLE 12 Must-Haves for an Instantly Rustic Home

By Nina Montenegro

No need to wait around for just the right hand-me-downs and woodsy finds — with these pieces, you can fake it till you make it

EARTH DAY 5 Ideas for a More Earth-Friendly Garden

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Consider increasing the size of garden beds, filtering rainwater and using plants to reduce energy use

FEEL-GOOD HOME Simple Pleasures: The Joy of Fresh Sheets

By Laura Gaskill

Make your bed a place of comfort and relaxation with good-quality linens, ample pillows and other pleasing accoutrements

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Your Mini Guide to Great Garden Edges

By J. Peterson Garden Design

Get the scoop on trenches to the skinny on bender board, to help keep your garden beds as tidy as you like

DECORATING GUIDES How to Turn Almost Any Space Into a Guest Room

By Laura Gaskill

The Hardworking Home: Murphy beds, bunk compartments and more can provide sleeping quarters for visitors in rooms you use every day

Sponsored