Proper pasture and garden preparation - looking for advice

[bigtiller]

I have a John Deere 4410 that I would like to use for preparing a garden and to "renovate" horse pastures every 4 or 5 years or so. I have been looking for 3 point hitch tillers and may have found one at a good price (48", $1500, 6-7 years old)

Q1 - is this the proper attachment for what I want to do? If not, what would work better?

Q2 - Price check on the tiller, I believe I can talk it down to $1200 or 1300.

Thank you!

It's hard to say what it's worth without knowing anything about it. More importantly, your 4410 has about 30 PTO Hp. The 48" tiller you are asking about is undersized for your tractor. I think I would shop around for a 60" tiller, it should cover your tire tracks.

 

[Otto Syracuse]

bigtiller. it is a John Deere tiller, and I agree......I'd rather have the 60" to cover tracks rather than offset the 48". So far, it sounds like I can find a 60" tiller for around the same price as this one. In addition to a middle buster or plow, I think I will have the right tools for the job.

Thanks for the posts everyone, I knew I would get good advice here!

 

[john_bud]

It's hard to say what it's worth without knowing anything about it. More importantly, your 4410 has about 30 PTO Hp. The 48" tiller you are asking about is undersized for your tractor. I think I would shop around for a 60" tiller, it should cover your tire tracks.

I would say s 72" tiller would be a better mstch for the tractor.

For the pasture...a disc in the 6 to 8 ft range.

 

[powerscol]

Otto - I agree with John. You can probably run a 72 or 74 inch tiller. I have an Ansung YJR074 behind my Bobcat CT235 which is very similar in power to yours - mine is hydrostatic drive. It critical to cover the tire tracks.

I will be doing a similar maintenance to my pastures. Agg service has made recommendations for me after doing soil tests. Might be wise for you to talk with yours. The also advised to kill the existing pasture first (Round-up of similar). otherwise old grass would just come back.

In doing research I ran across this web site - gives you price comparisons for various new tillers. McGee Farm Equipment, Inc.

Also do a search for tillers under attachment and elsewhere here - great information

 

[jenkinsph]

I would recommend a 60" or 66" tiller with 6 tines/rotor and a large rotor diameter. This would allow you to get the best depth and bang for your buck. I would not recommend a disk for a tractor this size. I also would suggest that a good tiller and a simple drag would be all you need to get good results.

 

[powerscol]

jenkinsph What kind of a simple drag were you recommending. I have an adjustable harrow I was going to use, but in the past I have made a drag out of chain link fence and several fence posts across it to add weight. Thanks - Keith

 

[Spindifferent]

Other implements to consider:

K&M Mfg. Product 3
Agriculture PRC Series - Pasture Renovators - Monore Tufline

- Spindifferent

 

[jenkinsph]

jenkinsph What kind of a simple drag were you recommending. I have an adjustable harrow I was going to use, but in the past I have made a drag out of chain link fence and several fence posts across it to add weight. Thanks - Keith

Something like a chain link fence panel or stock panel comes to mind. For a few more bucks you can build a spiked tooth harrow if you have a welder, I built this one complete for
$250.

 

[Jerry/MT]

We have four pastures that can be closed or opened so that the horses move around and don't eat too much of any one pasture. (my father did it this way, so I've continued it). In the spring, I'd like break up and soften the soil and to replant one of them each year with new seed mix.

For the past few years I would just drag a drag harrow across it and throw down some seed. Some took, some didn't. Somehow the drag harrow turned up missing (scrapers?) so I am looking for an alternative that would do a better job.

I wouldn't mind the tiller so I can plant a small (50x50) garden and some food plots in other areas of the property.

Ken, thanks for the link, I can see new equipment for around the same price, I'd rather lean that way.

Otto Syracuse

Pasture renovation as you describe is an iffy situation.
The best way to restore a pasture is to replant.

I have restored weedy pastures utilizing herbicides to kill the weeds and then fertilizer (after soil testing and and determining requirements) to help the remaining desireable grasses to compete. It takes longer but does not take the pasture completely out of production.

Another possibility is to frost seed. Google on "frost seed" to see what that entails.

 

[Otto Syracuse]

Jerry,
My plan to renovate is:
Roundup in early spring, wait 10 or 12 days.
Middle buster or disc to loosen soil
Add lime, fertilizer or organic material per co-op recommendations
Tiller to 8" depth
Seed when soil is at proper temp
Drag with chain link or steel bar to mix seed into top layer of soil.
Water if needed.

Let me know if I should change up that order.

I will read about frost seeding, sounds interesting from the first couple of hits I saw.