Tillage 101, For beginners.

[cityfarma]

I need to till my paddock to get rid of weeds and maintain firebreaks. As I can only afford one, I would like to know what implement to use. I was considering a 7 point spring tyne harrow. My tractor is a Kubota L4400.

A disc plough would turn over the dirt but I would then need to break it up. The weeds have bulbs and would need to be tilled a few times to kill them off.

Comments from the experienced please.

Cityfarma

 

[Egon]

If you have a disk plough use it. It will break up the soil with more than one pass.

 

[cityfarma]

Thanks, but I don't have anything and wish to buy something. Preferably not too expensive.

Cityfarma

 

[Egon]

Maybe just a plain old disc. Or plow or both?

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Not many "single pass" options. A tiller is one option.

A chisel plow.

Field cultivator.

Moldboard plow, then disc.

HEAVY disc.


Chemically treat weeds, then no-till seed.

 

[Z-Michigan]

It will be hard to find a single implement that does all you need for this. Do you currently own any other implements?

If your soil is NOT compacted, a disc harrow would be my choice. If the soil is badly compacted the disc won't do much, and a chisel plow would be more likely to work - but will leave a fairly rough finish and won't bury vegetation all that much.

 

[john_bud]

I just got done reading a book (shocking, no?) called Successful small scale organic farming. Well, that's most of the title....


Anyway, it is a very practical book on small scale low budget farming operations. Reads pretty easy and should be at your library.


On your issue, a 2 bottom plow at auction for 1-200 and a spring tooth harrow to break up clods. Total outlay should be under 400. Depends on your area and the condition of the equipment.

 

[flINTLOCK]

A 3-pt chain drag harrow works well for surface scratching, weed removal and surface smoothing. I've turned several acres of old clearcut completely filled with dense woody stemmed ferns into plantable surface after several passes behind a NH TC40DA. It won't dig more than one or two inches into soil, but that was sufficient for my purposes, and possibly yours.

 

[SCDolphin]

Cityfarma

I am in the same boat you are. I started with a 6.5 foot disc........see my post on "cover disc". I just finished discing up 20 acres that had not be touched in about 3 year. I was supprised how long it takes to do that to 20 acres..........2 passes in some areas. I then borrowed a seed spreader and a 12 foot drag harrow. I put out a sun flowers, millet, peas. They are coming up now. I think unless you are doing a small area where you could use a pto tiller, a set of disc would be your best bet based on my limited experiance as a green horn.

Good luck

 

[Champy]

I've had good success just using a 6' gang disc with opposing rows. A couple of passes and the whole field was cleaned up. Next time though, I will be adding some kind of drag bar or chain-link fence (harrow) behind the discs to float and level the disc tracks. Should leave a much smoother and cleaner field for planting.

I agree with others that its tough to get a single attachment to do it all...........