Difficulty

• Rototilling dead sod might seem like an arduous task, but it is only slightly more difficult than rototilling through plain soil. The grass and roots have withered and provide little resistance to the rototiller blades. Of course, how easy this task is depends largely on the power of your tiller. Mini-tillers are made for shallow cultivation between rows and have a tendency to skip over dirt clods or clumps of grass. A medium-sized tiller with a 5- to 6-horsepower motor can tackle dead sod with ease.
  
  

Dead Sod

• Although rototilling dead sod may be a simple task, you are then left with clumps of dried grass in your soil. These clumps create an uneven appearance or may inhibit seeds from germinating if they were treated with an herbicide. Your best options are to remove the clumps or to allow them to decompose before planting. Clumps of dead sod take between four and six weeks to decompose. Keep the soil slightly moist to accelerate decomposition.
  
  

Cautions

• Wet soils are easily damaged by overzealous tilling. Wait until the soil is slightly moist -- neither bone-dry nor soggy -- to rototill. Rototilling dry soil is hard, dusty work. Rototilling wet soil can cause soil particles to clump together, forming hard dirt clods. Rototilling soil too often destroys soil structure and also brings up weed seeds.
  
  

Alternatives

• When clearing a small area of sod, cut the pieces with a square-edged shovel and lift them out. For larger areas, rent a sod stripper. Although this process may seem like a lot of work, it will leave you with a clean work area so you can immediately begin planting. Replace missing soil with compost or top soil.