3-Point Hitch Disc and plow OR Tiller

   / Disc and plow OR Tiller #1  

navynuke

New member
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
Messages
7
Location
Central NY
Tractor
Kubota L3400HST
Looking for a recommendation from some seasoned gardeners or people who have planted food plots with their tractors. I have been comparing prices on a Woods tiller (either the TCR60 or TCR68) or getting a plow and discs (A&B eagleline 5.5' disc and a 2 bottom 16" plow). The total on the tiller versus the total on the plow and disc is almost equal, which would work better or be more useful in the long term?
 
   / Disc and plow OR Tiller #2  
If it is "virgin soil" it needs to be prepped with a moldboard plow, to turn the sod under. If there is no danger of erosion, that can be done in the Fall. If you are planning on a new garden, then it is a one time job to hire out- if available.

If it is currently in cultivation- corn or beans last year- then a tiller will get the job done- and again and again, for many years to come.

A tiller CAN be used on that "virgin" piece of ground, but is a go slow, several passes task. And a tiller only gets down a few inches, vs 12"-16" with a plow.
 
   / Disc and plow OR Tiller
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Last fall I borrowed a neighbors tiller and tilled my garden area (100' square) and the area I wanted to use as a food plot (about an acre), which were fallow for quite a while. Looking back, maybe I should have plowed it first, but... Now I am at the stage where I want to them turned over again, but don't know which implement(s) are the better way to go.
 
   / Disc and plow OR Tiller #4  
Looking for a recommendation from some seasoned gardeners or people who have planted food plots with their tractors. I have been comparing prices on a Woods tiller (either the TCR60 or TCR68) or getting a plow and discs (A&B eagleline 5.5' disc and a 2 bottom 16" plow). The total on the tiller versus the total on the plow and disc is almost equal, which would work better or be more useful in the long term?
I've had a tiller for a few years. Had a plow for a year or so and just used it and will rarely use it again but will use the tiller every year. If it's a choice, get the tiller.
With time a tiller will do the job but I'm not as sold that plowing and discing evry year will do as well. I'm not a master gardener but do some plots. The best, in my opinion, is to buy the tiller and have someone plow when needed or rent or borrow their plow. I'd rent or maybe loan my plow but not my tiller. I don't think a garden plot would need plowed every year, may be wrong but I believe it needs tilled evry year. Disking will not get it as fine as a tiller.
 
   / Disc and plow OR Tiller #5  
I have plowed, disc then hand tilled for a decade. That all stopped when we got a tiller to go behind the JD322 tractor. It did not like sod so I had to plow disc and then till new ground only, after the first time the JD handled it.
And now I only use my BX23 with a reverse rotation tiller that out digs the JD hands down even in sod.
No more bouncing around over the plowed area with the disc or tiller.
Each fall I mow it down and just before it gets to wet I do a light 4 to 6 inch till that hold it until spring and then once more before I plant.
 
   / Disc and plow OR Tiller #6  
Looking for a recommendation from some seasoned gardeners or people who have planted food plots with their tractors. I have been comparing prices on a Woods tiller (either the TCR60 or TCR68) or getting a plow and discs (A&B eagleline 5.5' disc and a 2 bottom 16" plow). The total on the tiller versus the total on the plow and disc is almost equal, which would work better or be more useful in the long term?

You should seriously consider a BCS 2 wheel tractor with a rotary plow from www.earthtoolsbcs.com

The rotary plow will till to a depth of fourteen inches on the first pass depending on the tiller wheel spacing (wider tire spacing = deeper tilling depth.

you can see the videos of the rotary plow at work on the earth tools home page links
 
   / Disc and plow OR Tiller #7  
depends on size and what you are planting, in my opinion.

if ya doing more manual labor in planting things. such as a walk behind seeder, for corn, beans, carrots, raddishes, and like. having a fluffer / looser dirt. can make your manual job easier. and a tiller would more likely be your friend.

now if ya had something that hooked onto a tractor. and you just drove across the area to put seeds into the ground. then a plow / disc. would more likely be your friend. due to less time it would take to get things done.

i have a plow, disc, and drag harrow. ((see my signature)) it does a pretty good job and much faster than a tiller. i honestly do not plant a garden. to much other stuff. but for yard work and re-landscaping and smoothing out things for replanting grass seed. i would say it did an excellent job. and was much easier to use than a tiller would ever been. actually i just tossed grass seed out. then re hit everything a couple times with the disc again. to work the grass seed into the dirt a little bit. and initially coming up, grass was a little spotty, but by years end. it had nice full growth, and no spotting. exception were i though had things right and ended up with a couple low spots were water collected some.

but again, i did not have to use any sort of planter/seeder to put the seeds into the ground. and that alone can make a large difference more so if it was all down manually and no use of a tractor.
 
   / Disc and plow OR Tiller #8  
If your just doing your own and if I read right about an acre I would go with the Tiller.So you have a little extra seat time once in a while no big deal very relaxing for me.1 peice of equipment once or twice over and your done.
 
   / Disc and plow OR Tiller #9  
Looking for a recommendation from some seasoned gardeners or people who have planted food plots with their tractors. I have been comparing prices on a Woods tiller (either the TCR60 or TCR68) or getting a plow and discs (A&B eagleline 5.5' disc and a 2 bottom 16" plow). The total on the tiller versus the total on the plow and disc is almost equal, which would work better or be more useful in the long term?

A new plow and a new disc by any of these companies today is a waste of money. The older plows and discs are much better in design and durability and performance. Get a tiller or a Ford 101 Plow or a Massey 43 series plow and a 25 series MF lift disc or a Tufline lift disc. Ken Sweet
 
   / Disc and plow OR Tiller
  • Thread Starter
#10  
Thanks for those replies so far. I have been looking at used equipment, but haven't been able to find much locally (i.e. within 250miles). I am still debating what will be best in the long term. Even though I am doing a 100' square garden and about an acre of food plot this year, I am going to expand the food plot area next year to probably 3 acres. So in terms of seat time, I think that the tiller will definitely take longer next year. My concern with the tiller in general is that it will only cultivate the soil down to about 7", is that even something I should be concerned about?
 
 
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