Disc or Tiller

[Dmaderi]

Hi everyone, I'm a new member of the forum but have been reading this one for years. I'm up in the air, me and the wife are starting a rather large garden this year and I can't decide on a disc harrow or a tiller. TSC has a 60" tiller for about 1600 and I can get a frontier dh1066 for about the same price. I already have a vintage jd 412 2 bottom plow.....so i can go either way with this, I could use some input what do you guys think? I'm pulling it with a 790.

Thanks!

 

[Reg]

Hi everyone, I'm a new member of the forum but have been reading this one for years. I'm up in the air, me and the wife are starting a rather large garden this year and I can't decide on a disc harrow or a tiller. TSC has a 60" tiller for about 1600 and I can get a frontier dh1066 for about the same price. I already have a vintage jd 412 2 bottom plow.....so i can go either way with this, I could use some input what do you guys think? I'm pulling it with a 790.

Thanks!

Disks can be faster, in fact they tend to work a bit like plows, e.g. they turn soil better and cut clods better if you go a bit faster (within reason) than you would normally run a tiller at.

I'm not clear what a "790" is, but if you don't feel like hitting a plowed field with it at about, hmmmm,,, lets just say a brisk walk ? Then a tiller may be the way to go.

Rocks and roots can factor into this too, e.g .reverse rotation tillers can hook under roots and STOP Ya.
Disks tend to ride up and over.

I just re-read your post.
NEW garden, eh ? and you will be plowing it 6 or 7 inches deep first.


OK, I vote for a tiller - and since you are considering TSC the one you have been looking at is most likely a "forward" rotation(same direction as tractor's wheels when going forwards).

 

[bp fick]

Man, if you already have a plow to pull behind that Deere 790, the disk would be pretty sweet.

Find yourself a section or two of old spring or spike tooth drag to level it out nice and you're in great shape. Nothing wrong with a tiller, but they are pricey!!

 

[nybirdman]

Tiller for sure,one pass,after plowing........done..disc multiple pass.Disc that a small tractor can pull aren't going to be very heavy.I do 8-10 acres a year of garden and food plots.Tried a three point disc,didn't work very well.

 

[zman007007]

Never have used discs, but how many times do you have too run over with a disk, to turn the ground to a powder consistency? I just did my wife's garden today, yes it was used last year, but ran over it one time at 540 rpm"s turned around and ran over it in the other direction. Then I cranked up the rpm"s to the 1,000 range and it looked like powder. So I would say tiller. zman

 

[zman007007]

Man, if you already have a plow to pull behind that Deere 790, the disk would be pretty sweet.

Find yourself a section or two of old spring or spike tooth drag to level it out nice and you're in great shape. Nothing wrong with a tiller, but they are pricey!!

Hey BP he said both was about the same price. zman

 

[SandburRanch]

Hi everyone, I'm a new member of the forum but have been reading this one for years. I'm up in the air, me and the wife are starting a rather large garden this year and I can't decide on a disc harrow or a tiller. TSC has a 60" tiller for about 1600 and I can get a frontier dh1066 for about the same price. I already have a vintage jd 412 2 bottom plow.....so i can go either way with this, I could use some input what do you guys think? I'm pulling it with a 790.

Thanks!

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I realize this wasn't your question but already having a moldboard plow have you considered a cultivator for a large garden. They are faster than a tiller and shanks could be removed for cultivating row crop style if one desired.
YouTube - How to Use a Ripper / Field Cultivator - Gardening Series

 

[Dmaderi]

Wow thanks for all of the responses, I was talking with my wife after a few of these posts and one of her concerns with a tiller is the amount of rocks and shale we have in our soil. Never have using one how sensitive are tillers to rocks, my luck I would get out there and break it the first pass ;-).

 

[Reg]

Wow thanks for all of the responses, I was talking with my wife after a few of these posts and one of her concerns with a tiller is the amount of rocks and shale we have in our soil. Never have using one how sensitive are tillers to rocks, my luck I would get out there and break it the first pass ;-).

I think you will find most of that with the plow first.
If you want to go DEEP to find the shale seams a sub soiler might be worth running through, just go slow and do give up when you are stopped and your wheels spin.
A sub soiler may be a good idea for new garden plots ANYWAY if the soil has been left undisturbed for decades, just to loosen it up and start with good drainage.

I have found some NASTY rocks with my 6ft King Kutter II, but no "Tiller Killers" (YET !).
Other than chipped paint; no problem, i.e. no bent tines, bent shaft, cracked gear case, etc.

There are several threads here about the relative merits of forward vs reverse rotation tillers, no need to re-hash it all in THIS thread, but I will just say that forward rotation tillers probably suffer less when they find roots and rocks.
There is a tendency for them to climb over "buried treasure", the reverse rotation tillers are more likely to hook under it.

 

[Egon]

The plough/disc combination would work well with few maintenance problems.

The rototiller also works well but is higher maintenance. Rocks can jam things up or break teeth. It would be quicker for cultivated soil. Breaking sod will take a little time and patience.

In your situation with a plough at hand look at the tiller options carefully. Just don't get one that is too large.:thumbsup:

 

[nybirdman]

Nobody has more rocks than us in the North-east..I have miles of stone fences and lots of rock piles...farmed since 1850....tiller does work but you must keep the discharge flap full OPEN.Kicks 99.9% out the back.I had one flat rock about 15in. jam my tiller up....the slip clutch worked!I have a cultivator too.....takes a lot more passes with that to break up plowed ground.

 

[Egon]

I've found that the smaller flat rocks or ones about fist sized will jamb up the most.

 

[spruce Deere]

Welcome to TBN:thumbsup: I too was a long time reader before joining

I would lean towards a tiller. Minimal passes, usually one or two and all is good. Even if you did not plow first in your established garden

A disc will work, but many passes would be required. And it would not be as nice and even and fluffed as a tiller would leave it.

If breaking new ground or expanding the existing garden is on the list, I would still lean towards the tiller even after using the plow.

Rocks and tillers dont get along but, the worst things I have had happen is a brick one time and a rock another time stopped the tines cold and the slip clutch on the tiller went to work and Nothing broke. HIGHLY recommend a slip clutch for any tiller.

TSC sells king kutter tillers I believe, and that brand if you do a "search" on them and read up they are darn near bullet proof.

I am going to be upgrading my gear drive maletti 48 incher to a 60 inch king kutter before long

 

[nspec]

I'm in the exact same situation. While my plow and a disc sure would be lots of fun, think of this: What if down the road, the garden is all established and you wanted to till just select areas and leave others undisturbed? I think you'd have a great deal of difficulty with a disc. Piece of cake to run down a row or two with a tiller. I'm going with a 60" King Kutter tiller myself.

 

[Dmaderi]

Well........ordered! Everythingattachments has the 60" kk tiller for a good price with free shipping within a 1000 miles so I went ahead and ordered it. Now I can't wait to get it. Thank you for all of the responses!

 

[jonyyuma]

Myself, I won't be going back to the Disc set....The tiller does a very nice job of pulverizing the soil...Not sure about big rocks?? It does have a shear bolt on the drive shaft. if it becomes a problem then I will buy a slip-clutch for it..

 

[Dmaderi]

Guess what I ordered? Came in yesterday......can't wait for good weather! Thanks again everyone!

 

[jsanders420]

So,what you guys are saying is this - If a guy has a turning plow and disc he has all he needs to get a garden in good shape. I have a turning plow, disc, chisel plow, sub soiler and cultivator...I should be good. I guess I've been too impatient. I was going to scrounge money for a tiller but not now. Where would I go to find the best use for all this equipment?

 

[bp fick]

So,what you guys are saying is this - If a guy has a turning plow and disc he has all he needs to get a garden in good shape. I have a turning plow, disc, chisel plow, sub soiler and cultivator...I should be good. I guess I've been too impatient. I was going to scrounge money for a tiller but not now. Where would I go to find the best use for all this equipment?

Look, it is simple. Tillers are awesome, if expensive, implements. But how did people put in gardens or work farm fields for the last few thousand years before their invention? I wouldn't mind having one myself, but don't own a 3 pt tiller yet.

Yes, of course, hundreds of thousands of people put in large garden just using plows, disks, and spring/spike harrows, etc, including me.

 

[bp fick]

So,what you guys are saying is this - If a guy has a turning plow and disc he has all he needs to get a garden in good shape. I have a turning plow, disc, chisel plow, sub soiler and cultivator...I should be good. I guess I've been too impatient. I was going to scrounge money for a tiller but not now. Where would I go to find the best use for all this equipment?

jsanders, life is filled with learning experiences. It's what keeps it interesting. While we learn from copying others examples, in the end, we have to dive in and learn by a first hand doing of a thing.

No two plots are quite the same, as soil varies widely. However, given your list of implements, try different ways and judge the outcome for yourself, for in the end, only you can judge and only you will be able to develop a working plan that is effective.

Basically, here is a sketch. You take it from there and enjoy life by learning as you go.

1. Plow in fall, especially, if you have clay in the soil and have frosts to break it down. If your soil is sandy, just disk compost and trash in.

2. If not plowed in fall, plow in spring. If soil requires some disking, do so, but remember, every trip across the soil risks compaction.

Then, using your cultivator as a "rake", smooth out the ground and commence planting. A drag behind spike tooth harrow will leave the ground extremely pretty.

Here's to wishing you a successful gardening year!