Tiller Tiller vs. Harrow
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bp fick
Super Member
Perhaps apropos.
Might point toward soil amending procedures for gardening. Having only 5" of quality soil is not ideal or sufficient. "Making" better soil in order to have at least 7-8 inches of healthy soil is a pretty important goal. Root systems easily descend through 7", depending on the plant. It takes time, in many cases years, but the rewarding results of amending thin soil is very worthwhile.
Might point toward soil amending procedures for gardening. Having only 5" of quality soil is not ideal or sufficient. "Making" better soil in order to have at least 7-8 inches of healthy soil is a pretty important goal. Root systems easily descend through 7", depending on the plant. It takes time, in many cases years, but the rewarding results of amending thin soil is very worthwhile.
Improving my soil quality is definitely a big priority for the garden. I'm thinking plow it once then send the (5) kids through with buckets to pick up all the rocks. We've got plenty of soil piles around with vegetation mixed in. Dump a few of those on top toss in some manure from the cows and muck out the goat pens once a month then pile that on. Grind it all up together with either a disc or tiller once in a while and I should have some pretty good crops next year. 
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Don87
Elite Member
Actually in your case you would be much better off making a 'compost pile'.Improving my soil quality is definitely a big priority for the garden. I'm thinking plow it once then send the (5) kids through with buckets to pick up all the rocks. We've got plenty of soil piles around with vegetation mixed in. Dump a few of those on top toss in some manure from the cows and muck out the goat pens once a month then pile that on. Grind it all up together with either a disc or tiller once in a while and I should have some pretty good crops next year.
There are specefic technics to make the piles work well for you, but fresh manure is never good for a garden.
Never?
oneillmj
Bronze Member
If you were going to plow then disc, what kind of plow would be preferable for clay soil?
sweettractors
Advertiser
I bought the nicest 2x16 Dearborn plow I could find. It is P A R A D E ready....and my tractor pulled it so nicely....and it turned the sod over...picture perfect. BUT.....I wont use it anymore.
On my soils I have about 4 or 5 inches of rich, black loam...which lies over about 1/2 mile of sand. Turn the black dirt over and put it deep.....and pull the sand up on top.....and you lose the value of the soils. Instead.....I can rip and then disc my land....or oftentimes just use the tiller to mix a the black top soil. Saves moisture too! Our water table is only a few feet below ground....so deep rooting plants thrive....and we get pretty frequent rains. :thumbsup:
So....which is better?.....IT DEPENDS ON YOUR SOIL. Give it some thought.
I fall plow every 4 to 5 years, but I go more than about 5 to 6" deep when I do it. Then every year between, I leave the garden trash on top through winter to preserve soil and then disc the stalks/trash/vines/etc to chop them up, and then run the chisel plow in two directions, let it sit for a couple of weeks and disc before planting. Of course, I plant with a Flex 71 planter for all of my row-crops.
If for some reason I need a more finished and smooth soil for rows, I just run a hand tiller down where my row will be and then plant.
Don87
Elite Member
Never. I tried that route last fall, I won't do it again.
I figured it would be well rotted by spring, but it wasn't. I wondered why, then found things like this:
Are All Animal Manures Safe for an Organic Garden ? -
An excerpt: Most raw animal manures contain the wrong form of nitrogen and the wrong form of bacteria for gardening use, from the original animal's digestive tract.