10 acres Tiller or Disk Harrow?

[Dillier23]

Morning,
This has been asked before but it seems not to this large an acreage. I have about 10 acres of corn field on a property I recently purchased that I would like to try to start farming. I have the agronomy background and large farm experience to do the job, but this will be my first time commercial farming on my own. I have a Case DX40 tractor, 40hp, and a 6' KK tiller. I have estimated that I can till the entire 10 acres in a long day (8-11 hours continuous) but I would like to know if anyone has a comparison between what a tiller will do vs a 7'-8' disk harrow. Speed is of some importance, I would like to perhaps become a bit larger in the future.

Would this HST 40hp machine handle a 7'-8' disk effectively? Would a tiller be able to leave a rougher tilled path, I don't want a bed of powder?

 

[jeff9366]

1] I have about 10 acres of corn field. I have a Case DX40 tractor, 40hp, and a 6' KK tiller. I have estimated that I can till the entire 10 acres in a long day (8-11 hours continuous) but I would like to know if anyone has a comparison between what a tiller will do vs a 7'-8' disk harrow.

2]Would this HST 40hp machine handle a 7'-8' disk effectively? Would a tiller be able to leave a rougher tilled path, I don't want a bed of powder?

1] Few people use PTO powered roto-tillers for plots larger than 1-1/2 acres, but that is partly dependent on field shape. Roto-tillers work good for small plots and irregularly shaped plots.

Disc Harrows are another form of tiller, better for tilling ground in long strips. Disc Harrows are not effective at tilling pulled too slow, nor too fast. Optimum speed to pull a Disc Harrow is 4 mph to 5 mph. Too slow and the soil will not mix, too fast and the Disc Harrow pans tend to ride on the ground rather than penetrating and cutting.

2] You need to select a Disc Harrow primarily by diameter of its discs/pans/wheels. Secondarily by its (variable) width.

Here is a thread on selecting Disc Harrows for tractors, which amplifies:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/308251-disc-harrow-selection-18-45-a.html?highlight=

 

[Fossil Farm]

Tiller is out for 10 acres. It would be costly and very slow. Use it for your garden. Depends a bit on your soil conditions and how aggressive your disk harrow is. A disk harrow on first pass may work or primary tillage with a chisel plow, then secondary tillage with your disk harrow plus spring tooth harrow pulled behind the disk to prep the seed bed and then plant.

 

[JSanders10]

In my experience, you will find the pricing jump from a 5'-6' to a 7-8' quite significant.

I would recommend a good heavy duty 6' disc harrow with added weight to the tiller, and one that is adjustable from straight cutting to angled cutting.

 

[txdon]

I have a KK tiller like yours on a 50hp tractor and would not use it on 10 acres. Go with the Disc Harrow.

 

[Raised on a Deere]

I have a KK tiller like yours on a 50hp tractor and would not use it on 10 acres. Go with the Disc Harrow.

I have a 7 footer and it is fantastic on a couple acres (48 HP tractor), just got lucky on an equipment deal years ago on a used tractor. But for 10 acres I would go "no till" or breaking plow and disk harrow, or a really heavy disk harrow alone.

 

[AKfish]

I have a 8' disk that I've pulled with a JD110 @ 43hp (gross). It's a lighter, "finish" type disk. I usually add 500lbs of concrete blocks to it. Tractor will pull it but not real fast, 3mph or so and it won't really cut sod or hard pan soil very well. Need to make several passes to get the soil worked and its best to "crosscut" the field.

Couple of questions, however. Does the field have corn stubble on it? How/what are you considering to re-plant the field with?

If the field has corn stalks - you'll need a 'heavy' disk. I have also used a 5' 1/2' HD disk with my JD 4720 @ 66hp (gross). That disk would CUT and was harder to pull than my 8' finish disk.

That said, if there's stubble you'll need to break it down and incorporate it into the field so you can plant it. A couple of passes with a HD disk will get the field into "winter fallow" shape. Rough enough to limit erosion; yet, the stalks worked into the ground enough to begin degrading.

Rototilling the 10 acres would chew up and incorporate the stubble and leave you with a nice, highly erodible seed bed...

Small tractor, small disk - lot's of time in the field to get it into planting shape. Small tractor, rototiller -lot's of time in the field to get it into planting shape.

More passes with the disc... Fewer passes with the tiller. (I've got a gear drive tiller, too. Used it to till 3-4 acre fields.)

AKfish

 

[Raised on a Deere]

I have a 8' disk that I've pulled with a JD110 @ 43hp (gross). It's a lighter, "finish" type disk. I usually add 500lbs of concrete blocks to it. Tractor will pull it but not real fast, 3mph or so and it won't really cut sod or hard pan soil very well. Need to make several passes to get the soil worked and its best to "crosscut" the field.

Couple of questions, however. Does the field have corn stubble on it? How/what are you considering to re-plant the field with?

If the field has corn stalks - you'll need a 'heavy' disk. I have also used a 5' 1/2' HD disk with my JD 4720 @ 66hp (gross). That disk would CUT and was harder to pull than my 8' finish disk.

That said, if there's stubble you'll need to break it down and incorporate it into the field so you can plant it. A couple of passes with a HD disk will get the field into "winter fallow" shape. Rough enough to limit erosion; yet, the stalks worked into the ground enough to begin degrading.

Rototilling the 10 acres would chew up and incorporate the stubble and leave you with a nice, highly erodible seed bed...

Small tractor, small disk - lot's of time in the field to get it into planting shape. Small tractor, rototiller -lot's of time in the field to get it into planting shape.

More passes with the disc... Fewer passes with the tiller. (I've got a gear drive tiller, too. Used it to till 3-4 acre fields.)

AKfish

I definitely would not hesitate to till a few more acres under all the ground situations being discussed and for a one time situation I would use my tiller to do the 10 acres with no concern knowing that the extra time and fuel is just for this one project. But if it was a yearly process I would not head down that road thinking tiller. I would be hunting for a plow, disk harrow combo of some sort. Heavy disk does not leave as good a finish but could be made to be the fewest passes as compared to plowing and then disking. Take that all with a grain of salt as you consider your tractor size vs mine and your personal time and resources constraints and of course what you consider to be fun. I would probably be happy if I thought the world would not stop while I tilled 1 hundred acres with a 25 horse using a 4' tiller even though I admit that somewhere along the line it would get old.

 

[nybirdman]

With your size tractor(similar to mine) a tiller will work fine.It will take some time but so would 5-6 passes with a disc.I do ten acres every year between food plots and gardens.
I brush hog any standing plots,plow with a two bottom and till.
You can't compare these small tractors with large AG tractors pulling monster discs,they have way more weight and power.

 

[AKfish]

I definitely would not hesitate to till a few more acres under all the ground situations being discussed and for a one time situation I would use my tiller to do the 10 acres with no concern knowing that the extra time and fuel is just for this one project. But if it was a yearly process I would not head down that road thinking tiller. I would be hunting for a plow, disk harrow combo of some sort. Heavy disk does not leave as good a finish but could be made to be the fewest passes as compared to plowing and then disking. Take that all with a grain of salt as you consider your tractor size vs mine and your personal time and resources constraints and of course what you consider to be fun. I would probably be happy if I thought the world would not stop while I tilled 1 hundred acres with a 25 horse using a 4' tiller even though I admit that somewhere along the line it would get old.

Just as soon as you venture down that row... of farming with small equipment - the time required will eat ya up! Even if he finds a good, heavy disc; he can only pull a 6' at best! And they (discing) won't give you a good seedbed until you ride that field into submission; probably 4 times across that field - especially if there's corn stubble!

No.... a tiller is NOT a long-term solution for 10 acres on an annual basis. But, really; is a 6' disc any better?

IMO - the time it would take to rototill the field twice is probably gonna be the same as it would take to disc the field 3-4 times before you could plant it.

I wouldn't want to do either one year in - year out.

That's all the more reason to plant it to hay or pasture!!

AKfish

 

[Tailrotor]

10 acres is a lot with a tiller. I would save the wear and tear on my tractor and see if you could hire a local farmer to do it for you with a larger tractor. 10 acres with a big farm tractor and a good disk can be done in a couple hours and done right.

Saving you time and wear and tear on your tractor which could server you better for years to come.

Good luck in your decision.

 

[biodegraded]

If I may ask from the peanut gallery, would there be a difference in engine requirements between using a disc harrow and a tiller? Long stints at full PTO output are quite fatiguing on ears and nerves if not the tractor. If discing can be done at lower RPMs, that'd be a big draw to me.

 

[Dillier23]

Good info so far. Let me give you a little background to go with this. I've helped a customer/friend farm for about five years in the past. He had brand new 300hp front wheel assist and 600hp quad tracs with large implements. Now, tilling for one day (8-10 hours) seems like a much better deal than when I would spend several 12-16 hour days in a large ag tractor covering thousands of acres. In reality, if the tiller can do the job in one pass, I am perfectly happy doing this once or twice a year. It sounds like a very time consuming job, but I see it as using what I have the first year. Then if I manage to make money, use the cash to upgrade the tillage equipment or buy a 4 row planter of my own (using a friends the first year). Buying a disc would not be an issue, and I think it would suit my need better in the long run if I can get a little more ground. Then again, if that happens I'll be looking at a 70-90hp tractor and my disc purchase would have been unwise as it would likely be too small for that size a tractor.

These are just some of the thoughts I've been kicking around and wanted to hear some others opinions and similar experiences. Keep the advice coming, all is appreciated.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

You could certainly do 10 acres with your tiller, but it will take a long time. Probably longer than you're thinking. But it's do-able if you're patient.

If it was me, I'd look for the heaviest 6 foot disc harrow I could find. If the field still has corn stalks standing, I'd shred them with a rotary cutter and then run the disc harrow over it.

 

[Dillier23]

There is still corn stalks in the fields, no fall tillage was done.

 

[Deerherd]

I have 35 tillable acres of on my property of 77 acres. I use a 7 shank chisel plow and 8 1/2' disc to prep the soil. Disc size depends a lot on your soil conditions, I have areas I can bog down my 88 hp tractor while running the disc or chisel plow.

I'm sure you could fit your 10 acre field with your current tractor and tiller, it would just take a while. For maintaing optimal soil conditions and productivity I wouldn't want to run your tiller on a year in and year out basis. Everyone I know is going to the chisel plow for better fracturing of the soil and minimal tilling.

Sounds like you have a good idea what you need and good luck with your endeavor! Here's a picture of my tractor/plow/disc.

 

[txdon]

10 acres is a lot with a tiller. I would save the wear and tear on my tractor and see if you could hire a local farmer to do it for you with a larger tractor. 10 acres with a big farm tractor and a good disk can be done in a couple hours and done right.

Saving you time and wear and tear on your tractor which could server you better for years to come.

Good luck in your decision.

x2:thumbsup:

 

[AKfish]

There is still corn stalks in the fields, no fall tillage was done.

You are well aware of the "drill" field-prep wise - I'm betting! A brush hog will do a good job before discing or you'll have to disc the crap outta the stubble. Which means more passes...

Or a couple of passes with the tiller.

If you are REALLY considering a larger tractor and larger equipment in a few years.. Go with what you have that gets the job done.

What you save up front can be used for later equipment. 'Cause you know that you'll take a hit on selling later and you'll also have the rigmarole of dealing with moving the equipment to someone else's place.

Or.... Maybe you should just see what your current tractor and implements are worth - and look at the next rung on the tractor ladder.

AKfish

 

[coobie]

With that kind of acres I would use a 5-7 shank ripper plow.Then I would york rake it to smooth it out.I bought a bush hog 85 inch.wide spring loaded 7 shank ripper plow last summer and it does a great job.

 

[jeff9366]

Would there be a difference in engine requirements between using a disc harrow and a tiller?

Long stints at full PTO output are quite fatiguing on ears and nerves if not the tractor.

If discing can be done at lower RPMs, that'd be a big draw to me.

About the same tractor requirements for Disc Harrow and PTO Roto-tiller. No PTO drive required for Disc Harrow, but draft force is pretty high as Disc Harrow should be pulled at 4-5 mph while soil is being cut, thrown out, then in by the Disc Harrow pans. Most 20-50 hp tractors with HST, pulling heavy, effective Disc Harrows, would pull in HST medium range with some additional throttle. Often two or more passes required for the Disc Harrow.

Tilling soil to 4" deep (5", 6"), uses a certain amount of energy, regardless of the type of tiller.

I always wear passive sound deadening ear muffs on my tractor. Less than $20 at Walmart. Make sure the muffs you buy will co-exist with the hat you wear.

Ear plugs are another type of passive sound deadener.

More expensive active sound deadening ear muffs are supposed to be better ($100) but I have not bought active type.