Single furrow ridger

[texanjim]

Does anyone have any experience using a single furrow ridger behind their 2 wheel tractor? If so, can you give me some guidance on how you space your rows when creating furrows to plant (in my case potatoes), and then create ridges over them?

My Grillo has a wheel track of around 16", and my ridger, (it's the same as this one Adjustable Ridger Plow for two wheel tractors tractor 2 | eBay) has a width of around 16" when the wings are set at full width.

I've been doing some practice runs before I actually plant, and I'm finding that I will need to set my furrows at a distance that effectively creates a ridge between them, then to put the wheels in the furrows and pull the furrower through that ridge to cover the potatoes.

This of means though, I'm driving over the potatoes! I'm thinking at the moment that I'll need to pull the soil back over the potatoes to cover them by hand, then make a last pass with my wheels over them, protected by the soil, to make ridges.

Does anyone have a different technique?

Many thanks

 

[farmerboybill]

I have one of those ridgers, but don't use it. I use a hand-push wheel hoe with a 5" furrower to open a furrow, then cover the potatoes using a long handled hoe. I only plant about 3 100 foot rows of potatoes, so it isn't a big deal. I plant my rows about 36 inches or roughly 1 meter apart so I have enough soil with which to hill. I use my rotary plow to hill them.

 

[texanjim]

Thanks Farmerboybill. I've been using a similar method to yours for the past couple of years, but using the hoe to open furrows too. In fact I've already put about 300ft of earlies in that way this year.

I'm scaling up a bit this year though, and have about 4000 ft2 to plant, which sounds a lot but should give me about 12 or so 110ft rows. So trying to use the tractor for as much as possible.

A Rotary plough is probably the answer, and may be a purchase for next year. We have the McCormick and 4 furrow plough though, so easy enough to start off large plots with that if the access is there. So the rotary plough perhaps wouldn't get as much use, although they do look to do a pretty decent job.

I'm hoping the ridger will help me get the potatoes out as well as put them in!

 

[cmyoung2]

I use a furrower, about 5-6", adapted to fit my 850, to open the rows, like Farmerboybill, about 3' apart, put the potatoes in and then cover with the hand-push wheel plow. Like you, i plan to get a rotary plow, money just went elsewhere this year. I use a potato/root crop plow to dig them, does a great job. Very little damage when I do my part, brings the potatoes right up on top.

 

[texanjim]

Thanks cmyoung2,

I have planted all my potatoes now. Still have a tray and a half left if I can find the time to start a new bed for them.

The ridger worked well in the end, and I did follow my original plan roughly. I made 3 furrows, one to plant in, the other two to walk in. Covered the potatoes with a log handle hoe, then put my wheels roughly over the covered potatoes and drove between to hill them up. Moving along a row at a time to keep track of where the lines of potatoes were. Covering potatoes on the way up, creating a new trench on the way back.

I have no idea how accurate I've been yet, and did have to re-cover a few by hand as some rows weren't as straight as they could be due to the rider hitting a fold of turf or similar. I should be able to correct with the hoe if they start growing out the side of the ridges!

After adding 65kg of wheel weights, the job wasn't too taxing. Worst bit was placing the potatoes by hand!

Here's a couple of pictures during and finished if anyone's interested.

 

[cmyoung2]

Looks good, And I use the same kind of electric fence posts for markers too.

 

[DJ54]

I'm wondering since that plow has somewhat of a sleeve type hitch, if between now, and next year find a disk like I have for my David Bradley. By turning the gangs inward, as you can see, it makes a pretty decent hill. You'll have to adjust your rows so the disk will fit between, but sure will save a lot of work. You'll also want it to swing on the hitch so as to be able to steer.

I see they have new one's on ebay to give you an idea. Brinly DD 55BH Sleeve Hitch Adjustable Tow Behind Disc Harrow 39 by 4 Inch | eBay I'm assuming those gangs are also reversible.

Just some food for thought. I know this little fellow sure saves me a lot of manual labor.

 

[oldmech]

Hi! Some years ago! I make and use this implement. Tills and makes small hills in same time. Now I use rotary plow for make beds 3 FT large for two rows on the top. Good Luck! Oldmech