too many roots help

hello,well last week i started digging out grass to make a big garden along the fence to the shed.anyways there are to many top roots,it's hard to rip the grass out,i had blisters on the tips of my fingers :(i am almost done riping the grass out but what about all the roots.i feel like i should remove them i was told to just leave them and start planting.what do you think?i have been looking at rototillers,would these cut through the roots?i was looking at the earthquake,smaller one for about $200.00.please help,i need to get these plants in the ground :)

What type of roots are they? Trees, shrubs, or grass?

If they're tree roots, or lg. shrub roots, be careful using a roto-tiller around them. You could get thrown by the tiller getting tangled up in the roots of they're thick enough.

I'd recommend killing the grass first, then ripping it out as it will be easier to pull. If it turns out you still need a rototiller, then rent one rather than buy. Most local hardware or geenhouses have weekend rental options (call around to find a bargain). If you can be flexible in your timing, rototilling the grass roots after a rain when the ground is softer is much easier on your back.

What are you planning on planting in September in Minnesota?

If I am following you right, you said you were digging out the grass to make a bed, this makes me think you are lifting a strip of lawn??? If this is the case, you would be better off cutting the root area into say foot square inch then getting the spade under each square and dumping this to the side somewhere, then dig the soil left and add lots of well rotted manure/compost to the newly dug soil bed and re-dig this into the soil, then go about planting.
The squares of root grass you have removed can be places upside down in a pile brick fashion then cover with black plastic sheet and by next year it should have rotted down to make a good compost ready to re-aply to your flower/shrub beds.
If your talking weed grass, then you need to dig all the roots out, rotation will just break up all the tough roots and will regrow, then after planting your beds it will then be even harder to remove without digging up your plants,
No mater what plants you have ready to add to your new bed along the fence, there is still plenty of time to plant things out as it is best done in the cooler weather/season unless you get really early frosts and frozen soil, your plants will have a better recovery rate at this time too as they wont be drying out so fast and have time to put on roots ready for next spring. No mater which way you choose, for best results, there is never an easy way for instant gardening and the better the soil is prepared with nutrients etc, the better the plants will grow, Grass takes a lot of the goodness out of soil and this needs replenished. good luck. WeeNel.

WeeNel, just to give you an idea about Minnesota weather, my last frost free date (middle of the State) is said to be May 31st and we can and do have frost in September. Northern Minnesota has already had severe frost. Take it from a transplanted Brit it is COLD here for at least half the year. I arrived in the State in the month of February with snow piled what seemed to me to be a mile high, thought I had arrived at the end of the earth. Even after 4 decades I am still not used to it.

Yes, our winters are really cold and there is lots of snow (last winter broke a 100 year snow record down here), but as as a prairie state we grow really great grass. Lots of types, sizes, colors, and variations. I read somewhere that there is an unwritten war between Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota on who has the most golf courses because there are so many "home made" courses since sod comes easy here.

So what are you planning on planting in this new flower bed?

I've been experimenting with Canadian Parkland roses, and they handle our long winters and short summers quite well. The only draw back is they seem to be Japanese beetle candy.

well i got out the rest of the grass out.my garden is triangular shaped one side being 67ft then 37ft and 28ft at the widest.i plan on planting large shrubs and maybe a couple fringe trees.i have a couple nice dogwoods,virburnum,smokebush....i think i will try to cut out most of those top roots from past trees,put down my black tarp(weed stop) stuff then add mulch.those roots are so hard to rip out.they are thin,an inch at there biggest.there are elms and silver maples in the yard :(the silvers are going this weekend!

Love how silvers look in someone else's yard when the wind makes all the leaves shiver. They have too many winged babies sprinkling on the patio, filling the gutters, and trying to sprout everywhere. And the branches break easily even in a moderate storm, and are messy all the time with twig droppings.

My bridal wreath finally took off this summer. It still isn't the amazing mass my great-grams used to have, but I'm going to get there soon.