Tiller TILLER FOR ROCKY GROUND

   / TILLER FOR ROCKY GROUND #1  

flINTLOCK

Platinum Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Messages
649
Location
PA
Tractor
NH TC40DA 2002
I'm working with several hunting buddies on food plots. Unfortunately our property is very rocky. We would have difficulty plowing because of rocks. Probably could simply disc several times to loosen up top couple inches. How about a tiller run shallow. That way it wouldn't hit as many rocks and if it hits one, it should kick the stone out rather than break the tiller. What happens if you hit an imbedded rock too big for the tiller to break loose?
 
   / TILLER FOR ROCKY GROUND #2  
To me, a tiller in rocky ground is not much fun...............

My experience is smaller rocks that pop loose, ride up, get caught between the tines and the tiller frame. That stops the unit immediately and will either slip the slip clutch, shear the bolt (depending on which configuration you have), or stall the motor. I've stalled mine at times when running at lower RPM--not enough UMP to slip the clutch, so the engine dies............

A disk harrow or spring tooth is gonna make some noise going over the rocks also, but I think the damage would be less.

My two cents.
ron
 
   / TILLER FOR ROCKY GROUND #3  
I agree with Ron, but my experience is with larger rocks...from the size of my bucket to the size of my tractor. The tiller rides up and over, but bucks and clangs like the end of the world is nigh.

Eventually I gave up tilling new ground and attacked it first with the backhoe. After the hoe has found and removed all rocks, the plot was safe for tilling. I gave up on the first plot, though, when the "rock" turned out to be larger than my house. Figured there was no winning that battle, so the garden was moved to Plot B.

Pete
 
   / TILLER FOR ROCKY GROUND #4  
I agree with Ron.. generally the rock, if picked up, is either slung away behind the tiller (keep people out of that area!) or it jams and if you don't get to the PTO lever quickly enough it stalls. It that situation, normally (always, so far) I've been able to dislodge the rock by raising the tiller and then just hitting the PTO quickly once or twice.. usually the rock falls right out.

Bigger rocks cause a lot of noise and make the tiller bounce up and down and cause me to wince and grind my teeth (which doesn't help any, but doesn't seem to hurt.)

Of course all of my tines will need replacing at some point.. they do tend to bend a bit when hitting something like a rock.

As for getting the rocks out first, my experience has been that each Spring there are *new* rocks which apparently the ice has somehow pushed up to the surface. So every Spring, tilling is the same experience.. I hit rocks! I don't know if it will ever stop. All evidence so far indicates that there is an inexhaustable supply of nuisance rocks just waiting for the next chance to rise up and torment me. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Bob
 
   / TILLER FOR ROCKY GROUND
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Thanks guys. I guess the tiller idea is dead in the water. I'll have to use disc harrow or spring rake as suggested. Since we're going to plant a mix which is mainly clover, really don't have to go deep. Although I've never done any plot planting, the guides say seed should not be over 1/4 inch deep. Might be able to get by with broadcastinbg seeds on unworked ground debris-free and then dragging chain harrow behind ATV.
 
   / TILLER FOR ROCKY GROUND #6  
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Thanks guys. I guess the tiller idea is dead in the water. I'll have to use disc harrow or spring rake as suggested. Since we're going to plant a mix which is mainly clover, really don't have to go deep. Although I've never done any plot planting, the guides say seed should not be over 1/4 inch deep. Might be able to get by with broadcastinbg seeds on unworked ground debris-free and then dragging chain harrow behind ATV. )</font>

Maybe you might want to consider renting implements until you determine what works best in your situation? Or maybe even just rent one each year, and avoid the problems of maintenance, etc. Just a thought.

Bob
 
   / TILLER FOR ROCKY GROUND #7  
Have you considered roundup, waiting the required time, broadcasting seed and harrowing?

Rocks are hard on rototillers.

Egon
 
   / TILLER FOR ROCKY GROUND
  • Thread Starter
#8  
We've already hit the plot with round-up twice last fall which knocked down any green weeds left after cutting with DR brush mower. Field is actually ready for frost seeding this spring. Will put in clover mix. Anyone know how far in advance pre-inoculated clover seeds can be broadcast before germination. If I broadcast in late Feb or Mar, won't be warm enough to germinate till late May. Is that too long for the inoculation bacteria to survive. I've checked many sites of companies like Biologic, etc., but I can't find the answer.
 
   / TILLER FOR ROCKY GROUND #9  
A 3 point disc plow like pictured below will work in rocky soil, however, you would need a 30+ hp tractor to handle it and you would need to use a conventional disc harrow to finish preparing the seedbed before sowing seed.--Ken Sweet
sweet@scrtc.com

dearborn2discplow695.jpg
 
   / TILLER FOR ROCKY GROUND
  • Thread Starter
#10  
I've never seen a disc plow on the implements web pages on the net. Are they available new or used. We are looking at 30hp tractors like the NH TC30. I guess that machine would be barely enough to pull it.
 
 
 
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