plow/disc vs. renting 5' tiller

[lhfarm]

plow/disc vs. renting 5\' tiller

I need to plant winter wheat around the edge of a 3-4 acre plot. This is to establish a 20' firebreak for burning native grass in the spring. Soil is heavy clay and has heavy grass cover. I've bush hogged the strip. I have a rusty 2-14 plow and an equally rusty 6' disc left over from the 8-N days. I just called and can rent a 5' teller for $75/day. Trying to decide if I can do the job better/faster with the tiller.

I did a test run with my TC40DA and the plow last weekend. It did a pretty good job, although I thought the R4s lost traction pretty quickly. I am more concerned about getting to the seed bed stage as soon as possible.

I have never used a PTO driver tiller. So any advice/suggestions or experience, expecially with an HST appreciated.

 

[Soundguy]

Re: plow/disc vs. renting 5\' tiller

mow-plow-disc-plant

Yes.. the tiller would do it.. but the plow/disc will too.. and you own it.. save the 75$ for diesel, and start turning over some sod.

Soundguy

 

[lhfarm]

Re: plow/disc vs. renting 5\' tiller

Can I plow and immediately start discing or do I need to have a "drying" period? I've only seen fields plowed and left for a couple of days before someone comes in to disc. I'd like to get it done this weekend, which is why I was leaning toward the tiller. As you can tell, I new to this.

 

[Soundguy]

Re: plow/disc vs. renting 5\' tiller

I don't see why you can't plow / dis altogether.. all you are doing is the fire break / winter plot..

Soundguy

 

[djradz]

Re: plow/disc vs. renting 5\' tiller

I agree. The only time I've waited is if the ground was extremely wet and I didn't want to overly compact the soil or end up with lots of clumps. Otherwise, a the little bit of moisture left from plowing is just right for preparing the seedbed through disking.

Not sure how you're planning on planting the seed, but if you don't have a planter with a cultipacker, you may want to drag the soil after disking, to get a little more prepared seedbed, for the planting step, versus the somewhat rough surface you'll get just by disking.

 

[JerryG]

Re: plow/disc vs. renting 5\' tiller

I'm with Soundguy. Save your $75 a day and mow, plow then disc.

 

[lhfarm]

Re: plow/disc vs. renting 5\' tiller

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I'm with Soundguy. Save your $75 a day and mow, plow then disc. )</font>
I went to look for the old fertilizer spreader and it is rusted through. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif What I get for not taking proper care of my equipment. So the $75 will come in handy for buying a new one - about a 1/5 of one anyway. I need to apply lime and fertilizer, along with sowing the wheat. I'll drag it when I'm finished. Think I have my weekend planned.

 

[have_blue]

Re: plow/disc vs. renting 5\' tiller

Winter wheat doesn't need much preparation. You don't have to make a flower garden quality bed for it. Disk it up medium fine, plant, drag it off and spend the rest of your weekend relaxing.