Calling 2320 gardeners

[BGT]

Hey guys,

As I continue to wait for my 2320 to arrive, I am thinking about additional implements, and of course have a few questions.

Gardening is what the 2320 will get used for the most right now. What do you guys use for cultivating with the 2320?

Also, I have a one bottom plow for the Cub which works well, and have seen one bottom plows for the 2320, but I also see something called a middlebuster and a sub soiler. What are the differences between a plow, middlebuster and subsoiler, and which would you advise me to use? The ground is not new ground - I've been plowing/tilling it for years, however, with the 2320, it is not out of the question that I may break some new ground, just to get more 2320 seat time!

Thanks for any advice!

 

[ChuckinNH]

A land plow is designed to cut a clean furrow, and roll the soil over so grass, etc. ends up in the soil, and not on it. A middlebuster was originally designed for things like digging potatoes, and shallow ditches. It enters the soil, but rolls the soil in both directions from the centerline of the implement. A subsoiler is a narrow chisel like tool that is designed to get under hard pan, and break it up allowing better transfer of air, and nutrients to the soil. Folks also use this implement to bury cable, and flexible water pipe, etc. For your garden, I would stick with your one bottom plow, or get a tiller. I've used a middle buster on mine, but I still end up tilling afterwards.

 

[Henri88]

I use a tiller, a middle buster to make furrows, a single row cultivator to help remove weeds between rows. You may want to look at this site on youtube. He gives some good advise.
YouTube - EverythingAttachment's Channel

 

[RalphVa]

I used a soil ripper to tear up the raised rows I'd made with my Gravely rotary plow. Then I put big discs behind the wheels to make raised rows. Haven't touched the rows with the tractor since (2004). Benn hauling mulch to put onto the rows lately.

Below are pictures of my rigs. You can get the equivalent of the soil ripper and disc hiller with Agri Supply's Keulavator rig.

Ralph

 

[saskman49]

I recently bought a middlebuster mostly to dig potatoes but I gave it a run throught the garden yesterday just to see what it would do and wasn't real impressed. I think for our intended purposes of potatoe digging and possibly making hills if I don't finish my hiller project it is money well spent. I will stick with KK 5 1/2' double disks and my 647 tiller for real garden cultivating and I am also adding a KK C tine cultivator this year as I need it for my hiller project as well. I think to break up new ground your single bottom plow and a tiller would be your best bet. I have used disk to break new ground but they were a set of 12' breaking disks on a 90 hp Massey, I don't think the 5 1/2' KK disks would do a real good job unless you went over it a few times but I haven't tried so I am kinda talkin out my you know what on that.

 

[BGT]

Thanks for all the advice!!

Currently, every year is the same. I attach the one bottom to the ol' Cub, then disc harrow it, then try to level it off with a homemade drag, then I run my rows with the two sweeps I have.

Most of my soil is ok, but the deeper I go, and in certain locations, the old NC clay surfaces. I like my dirt to be almost as fine as sand before I plant.

I'm sure the 2320 and the 647 tiller will do most of the work, but just not sure yet if plowing each year won't be a necessity even with the tiller. I want to save one of the three jobs for the Cub because I don't want it just sitting there rotting.

I don't plant potatoes, so thanks to the definitions, guess I don't need a middlebuster or subsoiler. Those hillers look like they would do the trick for rows, and I like the idea of raised rows - that would look good - but what do you do about creating a furrow down the middle in which to sow your seed?

Henri, I bet I spent an hour on that website - thanks!! I'll take one of each!!

Great forum - thanks so much for sharing your expertise!

 

[RalphVa]

I sow seed by hand. If the soil is a tad damp, I just push corn and bean seeds into the ground with my thumb.

I plant seed in sections to spread out my harvest of corn and beans: corn starting about mid April (10th this year), a 1/2 row every 10 days until I get 5 to 6 1/2 rows, then do the other 1/2 rows; do bush beans a 1/3 to 1/2 row every 10 to 14 days.

Pole beans and other stuff go in early May around here, as the last almost-for-sure last frost is Mother's Day.

I put in peas, onions, carrots, lettuce, spinach, mustard and chard up here near the house in March. In early May, I'll put in my cucumber and cantaloupe seeds up here, too. It's been about 3 years; so, it's their turn to grow up the fence around the little garden behind the house.

Didn't till anything this year. I'm spreading mulch over the raised rows of the big garden now. Almost done. Got maybe a couple more loads to take down there. I just draw the mulch away from where I plant my seeds.

Ralph