TILLING VS PLOW AND HARROW

   / TILLING VS PLOW AND HARROW #1  

Coginchaug

New member
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
20
Location
South Central Connecticut
Tractor
JD2320
Hello
I have a JD 2320, with a FEL, 54" inch front snow blower and all is good. Trying to decide to by a tiller or try a 2 bottom plow and harrow for 1+/- acre garden. I much appreciate any feedback. The land was wooded until last year when I cleared it. I have to say I would buy a Timber wolf log splitter any day of the week.
Coginchaug (means long swamp)
South Central Ct
 
   / TILLING VS PLOW AND HARROW #2  
I don't know your tractor exactly but I believe it is in the lower 20's for horsepower? If so you probably should consider a one bottom. I've heard 20hp per bottom. I have 38hp and a 2-14 will give it a good workout.
 
   / TILLING VS PLOW AND HARROW #3  
Also the roots will be giving you issues if they weren't cleared well. This would be with with either the plow or the tiller.
 
   / TILLING VS PLOW AND HARROW
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Hi,
Thank you, that makes sense, I did a little tilling with a small walk behind Troy Built and didn't find any roots, but then I wasn't very deep
 
   / TILLING VS PLOW AND HARROW #5  
If you've got tree roots buy a 1 bottom plow and RENT a tiller.
For example Sunbelt rentals rents a tiller for $55/day. Your probably going to use it twice a year.

I bought a plow and PLANNED on renting a tiller, but a good Craigs list deal turned up so I bought the tiller, for less than a new 5' disc harrow.
 
   / TILLING VS PLOW AND HARROW #6  
The only time I use my turning plow is for breaking new ground. After the land is turned I allow it to break up during the winter. I used to use a disc to prepare the land for lists/beds. Now I use the tiller. I have a 72" tiller. It takes no time to get the soil ready for planing using the tiller. My disc waits for larger project than the garden. Here is a food plot I prepared that way.
 

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   / TILLING VS PLOW AND HARROW #7  
Buy the tiller...forget the plow. With the tiller you can bounce over roots and rocks or obstacles and the surface will remain fairly smooth. A plow will leave clumps of dirt or roots and grass and be difficult to smooth. If I was doing hundreds of acres of hayfields in the stony glacial till of New England, I would own a tiller and never touch the ground with a plow and harrow. I have done both and in soil like yours the tiller wins without exception.
 
   / TILLING VS PLOW AND HARROW #8  
:2cents:
Plowing is a directional move, no? Lotta driving around with a 1-bottom that I agree would be the most I'd pull with a tractor in that power range. A bit of an offset may be required to space passes if the tractor's wheels determine your exact path, & they likely might. Disc after all that, ... and it might not look like a garden to me .. unless maybe you plant from the 3-point too. So, final pass, ... tiller anyway? Yes, rent one to use only twice a year and let other needs determine which attachments, and in which order you add more stuff.

Why I commented:
I just ran the sub-soiler across my tiny, 1/4 ac (if that) sand dune of a food plot. It's barren save for the expected smattering of weeds, since I worked but didn't plant it last year. Ruts set my spacing, and toggle stabilizers didn't exactly invite me to fuss with them. Second pass with the disc was cross-wise to the initial 'fluffing' of a sort & backing-over to go both ways with the disc down. Ok, I have a 60" tiller that my tractor (~28hp, PTO) should manage in soft sand and I'm kicking myself for not just hooking it up first. :confused3: (New tractor, <4hrs on it). I'm still 'lumpy', a ways yet from planting :ashamed: & just missed a rain I wish I'd been ahead of. :(

Anyway, I wouldn't buy plows or discs right away for just the 'garden' if I wouldn't use them elsewhere in the 'near'. It nice to have a tiller, but, say renting one will get the job done for now & could get one a feel for it, say a 48" that'd maneuver to do flower beds by the house without knocking the porch off it. If you want a splitter & a head start on next Winter, it seems you know what you like. Ground-working tools could happen later as good deals come along. JMO
 
   / TILLING VS PLOW AND HARROW #9  
I have the same tractor as you. I have a cultivator, which sees no real use. Honestly, I think the bottom plow, harrow is old school stuff unless your doing 5 plus acres. Over the last two years I've tilled about 3 acres of land that had never been touched. Most of it is for long and wide tree lines and also a large(too large) garden. My suggestion is pick up a 60" King Kutter tiller from TSC for $1500. Best money spent. Do some reading on how to set up the slip clutch(first thing). On unbroken ground it is pretty slow going, don't try and bury the tiller either. Go deeper with subsequent passes. Roots and rocks won't stop it but will slow you down. I'm getting a little over confident with mine now, I knocked down some 3" willow trees and roots yesterday, very slowly though. I would not attempt the 4" ones even after my neighbour dared me. It definitely maximum size for the jd 2320 but it can handle it. Good luck and keep us posted.
 
   / TILLING VS PLOW AND HARROW #10  
A tiller is the only way to go. If your using soil ammendments like mushroom soil or manure or compost it will do a great job of mixing it in. They also work great for lawn or pasture renovation. Just set it so that it only goes down a couple of inches and your new seed will get a start on soil rather than old grass.
 
 
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