Cultivating Implements

   / Cultivating Implements #1  

Iplayfarmer

Super Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2005
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Location
Idaho
Tractor
Massey Ferguson 1215, Case 801B
I need advice on what is the best implement for breaking new ground.

I've got a tiller on a 18 hp Iseki that is great for working old gardens and ground that has already been broken. However, it has a bit of a hard time breaking new ground or beating up sod.

I'm going to be tilling up my old pasture (1/2 acre) and re-planting this coming spring, and I need some way to break the ground. In addition, I am probably going to be starting some new gardens for some of my siblings and neighboors.

Things that will be important to me are prioritized as follows...

1) Ease of use - I haven't done a lot with ground engaging implements. I'd love to learn the fine arts of everthing, but I'd love even more to have my pasture tilled, planted and ready to go as soon as possible.
2) Cost - I want to have enough money left after buying this to afford grass seed and some fertilizer.
3) Versatility - It would be nice if whatever I get can be used for other things too (i.e. ground work other than just breaking sod)

The two things that come to mind are a plow and a spring tine cultivator. Are there other implements I should consider? Which of those two fits best with the criteria as listed above?

Also, if I go with a spring tine cultivator I'd like opinions on the Agri-Fab models. There's a dealer just up the road from me.
 
   / Cultivating Implements #2  
I'm surprised that your tiller won't do good in new ground. Let's hope some tiller owners will chime in with some suggestions.

No matter what you choose, I'd advise renting what you can because after the ground is broken, unless you really let the weeds go, you shouldn't have to break it again, or your tiller should do the job. A single moldboard type plow or a single disk type plow could be used. A local dealer here (in Orange, Va) has them for sale and possible rental. These leave the ground quite rough. Farmers normally follow up with a multi-disc plus harrow to smooth the ground or let it sit for quite a spell and let nature even it out.

I've broken new ground using a digging fork in small plots, a Gravely rotary plow in larger plots and a double disk plow on an old Allis Chalmers on really large fields. You basically need to turn the vegetation upside down. The problem you're having with your tiller may be that it doesn't do this. Vegetation will tend to wrap up around the tines/shaft and then not allow it to "drop" down into the earth.

Once the ground is broken, the tine cultivator will work fine. I've an old "soil ripper" from off a JD M that I adapted to my 4010 (an 18 hp machine like your Iseki). However, I don't think your Iseki nor my 4010 will pull those tines through vegetation. It pulled the 7 tines without vegetation with turf tires fine. Ag tires MIGHT allow you to pull it through vegetation.

Ralph
 
   / Cultivating Implements #3  
Just off the top of my head, I'm not sure you can pull much with 18hp. Your tiller should do the job if you go slow and make a number of passes. For grass you're not going to get a better seedbed with anything else.
 
   / Cultivating Implements #4  
You should never break new ground with a tiller
Your tiller just flat won't last.
Either use the scarifiers from your box blade first and break up that top layer of hardpack, or get a real ripper. (big scarifiers)
But just tilling unworked ground will rapidly destroy your tiller.
 
   / Cultivating Implements
  • Thread Starter
#5  
LoneCowboy said:
But just tilling unworked ground will rapidly destroy your tiller.

That's been my fear when I've tried it with the tiller. The tiller just tosses the little tractor around if the ground is too firm. Even if the tractor will last through it, I don't know if I will.

I hadn't thought about the disc. What is going to be easier to use and what is going to be easier to pull between the moldboard plow and the disc? Will the disc even turn up old sod?

I've tried the rippers on the box blade, but they don't turn the sod over. I've made that do for the few plots I've broken in the past, but I keep thinking there's got to be a better way.
 
   / Cultivating Implements #6  
seems like it needs a bottom plow and then a rototill a few weeks later....
 
   / Cultivating Implements #7  
Iplayfarmer said:
I need advice on what is the best implement for breaking new ground.

Also, if I go with a spring tine cultivator I'd like opinions on the Agri-Fab models. There's a dealer just up the road from me.


What you need is a $120 middle buster plow (aka potato plow, King Kutter at Tractor Supply Co).

King Kutter Incorporated

Your Iseki will handle it OK this time of year on rain-softened ground.
Then make yourself a drag out of a couple of old auto tires and some chain to level the plowed ground. Then use your rototiller. Remember to take it easy with the rototiller and don't over-till because rototilling really clobbers the soil microstructure.

I have a 21-hp Kubota B7510HST and have no trouble getting that my KK middle buster 12" into the ground. Just take it easy, go slow.
 
   / Cultivating Implements #8  
For your B7510, did you but the XB series-combo or the TSC standard Middle-Buster?.
 
   / Cultivating Implements #9  
Iplayfarmer said:
I need advice on what is the best implement for breaking new ground.

I've got a tiller on a 18 hp Iseki that is great for working old gardens and ground that has already been broken. However, it has a bit of a hard time breaking new ground or beating up sod.

I'm going to be tilling up my old pasture (1/2 acre) and re-planting this coming spring, and I need some way to break the ground. In addition, I am probably going to be starting some new gardens for some of my siblings and neighboors.

Things that will be important to me are prioritized as follows...

1) Ease of use - I haven't done a lot with ground engaging implements. I'd love to learn the fine arts of everthing, but I'd love even more to have my pasture tilled, planted and ready to go as soon as possible.
2) Cost - I want to have enough money left after buying this to afford grass seed and some fertilizer.
3) Versatility - It would be nice if whatever I get can be used for other things too (i.e. ground work other than just breaking sod)

The two things that come to mind are a plow and a spring tine cultivator. Are there other implements I should consider? Which of those two fits best with the criteria as listed above?

Also, if I go with a spring tine cultivator I'd like opinions on the Agri-Fab models. There's a dealer just up the road from me.

There is a tool, called a "pasture renovator" that'll do a fine job of breaking up compacted soil, albiet not all that deep. HayKing is one popular newer brand. Even the smallest of them may take more HP than you have to work with though.

Has your pasture been used as pasture for a long time? If so, it's going to be hard as concrete. Animals will compact soil far more than any tractor can. If that's the case, expect a hard time with a spring tine cultivator. They don't like extremely compacted soil. (A field cultivator of any type is a SECONDARY tillage tool, intended for use in previously worked ground)

What does do a good job, and will correct the situation with compacted soil is a chisel plow of some description. With so small of a tractor, I'd bet you'll have a difficult time finding any real chisel plows that will work. With that, the best suggestion so far would be to rip it with the box blade teeth. THEN a disc or tiller.

I would consider hiring a local with a bigger tractor and a plow/chisel plow/heavy disc to do the hard part, then use your tractor to finish the seedbed and then plant.

When planting grass, soil doesn't need to be worked into powder. In fact, that's about the worst thing you can do for a seed bed for grass. I'd suggest ONE PASS with a tiller, or better yet, use a disc. Then run over it with some sort of packer (like a cultipacker) Grass's like a FIRM seedbed.

JMHO, and worth about what you paid for it.
 
   / Cultivating Implements #10  
Gamemaster said:
For your B7510, did you but the XB series-combo or the TSC standard Middle-Buster?.

I have the XB series combo. No problem getting it attached to the 3pt hitch. And the 3pt lower arms on the 7510 drop low enough to get the plow at least 12" into the ground, which is plenty deep for my needs.

I have 3 attachments for the combo: the middle buster, the 2"-wide subsoiler chisel plow (both came with the combo) and a 6" wide sweep that I bought for $5 from Agri-Supply (part #15400, see photo). The holes in the sweep mate with the holes in the combo frame with no problem.
 

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