Tiller Tiller vs. Harrow

Redgoatea · Sep 4, 2010

Well thanks for the great advice guys. I'll look into all of your suggestions. Mom has been pushing for a disc harrow but I've been trying to tell her I don't think it sill do the job. She's pushing 70 so the easier I can make it for her the better.

I've seen a couple of rototillers on sale lately $850 for a 4'. So I'll investigate that a little more but I'm also definitely going to look into BP's economical options as well.

7

Artesia Aggie · Sep 4, 2010

I went through this a few months ago. I chose a Deere 647 tiller and have been very happy. VERY easy much more so than the walk behind I rented every year.

inveresk · Sep 4, 2010

Although probably no substitute for a plough, I find that a few passes with the boxblade with the teeth fully extended tears up the top few inches quite nicely. (I have a single bottom plough but haven't yet learned how to set it up).

sweettractors · Sep 4, 2010

Redgoatea said:
Well thanks for the great advice guys. I'll look into all of your suggestions. Mom has been pushing for a disc harrow but I've been trying to tell her I don't think it sill do the job. She's pushing 70 so the easier I can make it for her the better.

I've seen a couple of rototillers on sale lately $850 for a 4'. So I'll investigate that a little more but I'm also definitely going to look into BP's economical options as well. 7

In that $850 range, sounds like chinese to me? Be careful at that price for a 48. Ken Sweet

bp fick · Sep 4, 2010

sweettractors said:
In that $850 range, sounds like chinese to me? Be careful at that price for a 48. Ken Sweet

Good used one maybe? But if new, yup..... I'd steer way clear.

hrcarver · Sep 4, 2010

I must be the exception... I had a 5' tiller for years and sold it two weeks after I got my disc harrow. That thing covers some ground in a hurry! Tillers are SLOW! I can make a couple passes and still catch the game!

If it your first time breaking the land, a plow first would be ideal, every year after the disc alone will do fine.

sweettractors · Sep 4, 2010

hrcarver said:
I must be the exception... I had a 5' tiller for years and sold it two weeks after I got my disc harrow. That thing covers some ground in a hurry! Tillers are SLOW! I can make a couple passes and still catch the game!

If it your first time breaking the land, a plow first would be ideal, every year after the disc alone will do fine.

I can agree with that scenario. Ken Sweet

Redgoatea · Sep 4, 2010

Yes it will be the first time that soils been disturbed. I'm thinking definitely a plow to start with. The area was used for many years to strip branches from trees before they were fed into the saw mill so they put down some baseball sized rock for the equipment to drive on.

jenkinsph · Sep 4, 2010

I would recomend a Deere 647 or 655 tiller for your tractor, whichever it takes to cover your tracks. I would make sure these smaller tillers have a slip clutch on the driveline and is adjusted correctly. These tillers will work about 6 to 7 inches deep in one pass. Two passes yields great results and you are ready to plant. Tillers are ideal for gardens as you can back up to the fence and start tilling to depth before you move. Disks need to travel several feet to approach the full depth. A good disk harrow that will till dep enough will cost about the same as the tiller. A cheap lightweight disk will not till deep enough for a garden without many many passes.

I wouldn't be too scared about rocks with a forward rotation tiller, it will climb over them and for the most part leave them on the surface to remove. Been there done that. No one wants to hit rocks but it doesn't seem to damage the tiller or the blades, they seem to stay sharp after hitting many rocks. Some the size of bowling balls.

foggy1111 · Sep 5, 2010

....ya know.....so much is going to depend on your soil, and what is there now. I have a 2 bottom plow, a ripper, a box blade, a 5' box frame disc, and a 5' tiller. I have tilled new ground without any prior plowing....and I have plowed first and used ripper or box blade rippers first...and then followed with the disc and then tiller. So much depends on the vegetation and soil types. Mostly....for my sandy loam.....I can just lower the tiller and start tilling. One pass and I'm ready to plant. But sometimes.......I have lots of roots and such and it takes a few passes to clean up the land to prepare for the tiller.....then too, sometimes I have stumps and/or rocks.

Like so many things......the answer to this question is: It Depends. :laughing: