Garden Implement Basics for the Beginner

[Argosy]

Three acres is a big organic garden, especially for a beginner. I would get the basics for tilling, a plow and disc or rototiller, worry more about learning about growing plants organically.

It doesn't take much work to get the ground ready to plant. It can be a lot of work if you get some kind of blight or insect that attacks your plants; being new you could loose most of them before you even knew there was a problem, especially if you don't use hybrid seeds that have resistance to a lot of common problems.

Start small, learn the basics of organic gardening, enlarge your garden as you go. I actually would be surprised if you ever decide to use the entire 3 acres unless you intend to sell a LOT of produce, and do a LOT of work.

 

[Agrantina]

BP-- I completely agree with the netting/fence... I have done some of that before just not that high.... Again thanks for the posts..

AndyG

 

[Travis_R]

Welcome to TBN.

I have almost 2 acres, this year, put into organic gardening. Last year, I expanded from a pilot plot to almost an acre.
I just got back from Texas where I put in a 3 acre organic plot for a brother down there, using a tractor similar to your L series Kubota.

The tillers are wonderful, but quite pricey and if you have a few rocks, these can also cause some situations.

There is, basically, two way of tilling the soil to get a seed or/and transplant bed. The old way was to plow/disc if necessary/then pull a "harrow" which is a device with tongs or teeth to complete the dressing of the soil.

The roto tiller potentially compresses those action into one device, by pulling a rotating tined implements through the dirt. Similar to a walk behind roto tiller, except your tractor does the walking and it is powered off you rear PTO. That said, a tiller is a bit slow. Doing 2/3 acres will take some time.

One way isn't right and the other isn't wrong. They are just different.
Frankly, there isn't a lot monetary difference between buying a plow, buying a disk, buying harrow (which can be used as both a field cultivator-harrow or as a one row cultivator once the plants are up) or buying a tiller. But, in my opinion, you'll still need a middle buster to dig potatoes and use a subsoiler to break up the pan a tiller creates and a cultivator in addition to a roto tiller anyhow.

If you really want to start out on the cheap, you can get by with a simple and inexpensive potato plow or middle buster. It just takes more passes, but eventually, one ends up with a similar result as using a turn over share plow.

Take a look at my youtube video I made late last June. Ask any questions and I'll try to be of assistance.
YouTube - Plants2b.mov

bp fick, Exactly how did you plow the ground with the middle buster?
I have a middle buster and a gang disk and was thinking about trying to bust up the ground like you did. Maybe bust the ground up with the middle buster and break up the clods with the disk? I'm brand new to gardening also. The row hipper and cultivator I just purchased and haven't even hooked them up to the tractor yet...

 

[bp fick]

bp fick, Exactly how did you plow the ground with the middle buster?
I have a middle buster and a gang disk and was thinking about trying to bust up the ground like you did. Maybe bust the ground up with the middle buster and break up the clods with the disk? I'm brand new to gardening also. The row hipper and cultivator I just purchased and haven't even hooked them up to the tractor yet...

OK, I will share what I do. YMMV. Pix of "before and after" below.

When busting soddy, hasn't-been-worked, ground. I plow at a pretty deep depth. I send the buster down to the shank. On mine, that is about 10".
I put my front wheel in the furrow and go again. Back and forth. Understand, this leaves an unplowed hump in between each furrow. Don't worry about it. I plowed that field shown in Texas in about 3 hours, so that's an acre an hour, but sometimes, you just need a bit more time. A middlebuster can bring a tractor to a stop.

OK, then I would love to have it rain for a good day or 1" of rain on it. Then, I come back and plow the whole thing again, this time plowing the "in-betweens" that were skipped the first time. Now, all of it has been plowed.

NOW, you go after it with your disk. I would recommend on near virgin, soddy soil, that you plow twice before disking.

In the future, you could plow once and your disk will take care of that "in-between" hump, no problems, because you don't have those roots and sod and your soil is nice and so much better now.

Sure, I'd love to stumble on a good turning, share plow, sized right for my tractor. Love to. They are rare as hens teeth around here and priced at a horrendous rate, cause guys can scrap them. My point remains that for $140, a potato plow, middle buster can do the job and you have a tool in your shed that has many other future uses, even if you get a tiller or turning plow one day. It is an answer to the OP's question of basic beginner implements.

 

[Travis_R]

OK, I will share what I do. YMMV. Pix of "before and after" below.

When busting soddy, hasn't-been-worked, ground. I plow at a pretty deep depth. I send the buster down to the shank. On mine, that is about 10".
I put my front wheel in the furrow and go again. Back and forth. Understand, this leaves an unplowed hump in between each furrow. Don't worry about it. I plowed that field shown in Texas in about 3 hours, so that's an acre an hour, but sometimes, you just need a bit more time. A middlebuster can bring a tractor to a stop.

OK, then I would love to have it rain for a good day or 1" of rain on it. Then, I come back and plow the whole thing again, this time plowing the "in-betweens" that were skipped the first time. Now, all of it has been plowed.

NOW, you go after it with your disk. I would recommend on near virgin, soddy soil, that you plow twice before disking.

In the future, you could plow once and your disk will take care of that "in-between" hump, no problems, because you don't have those roots and sod and your soil is nice and so much better now.

Sure, I'd love to stumble on a good turning, share plow, sized right for my tractor. Love to. They are rare as hens teeth around here and priced at a horrendous rate, cause guys can scrap them. My point remains that for $140, a potato plow, middle buster can do the job and you have a tool in your shed that has many other future uses, even if you get a tiller or turning plow one day. It is an answer to the OP's question of basic beginner implements.

I like it! I like it! Yes, definately gonna try it. I'd love to get a turning plow also- and will eventually, but can't do it right now...

Another question, when do you recommend applying lime pellets or fertilizer? I have an electric seeder that goes on the back of my 4-wheeler that I'll be using to do it with... Should it be done before the ground is plowed, after it's plowed, or do I only put it in the furrow after I make my rows??

Thanks!

 

[bp fick]

I like it! I like it! Yes, definately gonna try it. I'd love to get a turning plow also- and will eventually, but can't do it right now...

Another question, when do you recommend applying lime pellets or fertilizer? I have an electric seeder that goes on the back of my 4-wheeler that I'll be using to do it with... Should it be done before the ground is plowed, after it's plowed, or do I only put it in the furrow after I make my rows??

Thanks!

Lucky dog! You got a spreader, eh? Nice! Put your lime on after disking and use your field cultivator to drag it in. It takes 30-40 days to work. I am assuming pellets here. If you use powdered lime, you'd not likely use your spreader. Want to use a drop spreader when using powder.

 

[bp fick]

I'm organic, so i don't use chemical fertilizers. I plow in leaves and manure in fall, and I sheet spread manure all winter, right up to March. Then, no more manure, as we have rules about days to harvest when using manure. Summer manure goes on compost pile. Old compost gets spread when ready.

 

[Travis_R]

Lucky dog! You got a spreader, eh? Nice! Put your lime on after disking and use your field cultivator to drag it in. It takes 30-40 days to work. I am assuming pellets here. If you use powdered lime, you'd not likely use your spreader. Want to use a drop spreader when using powder.

Yeah I use the spreader for deer plots. I've never used it for gardening yet. I've had it for alittle over a year now. Very glad I made the purchase.

I'll take pictures and post them when I start preparing the ground. (hopefully soon!)

Thanks!

 

[Don87]

bp fick............here ya go: Ferguson 3pt 2 Bottom Plow - eBay (item 230514104076 end time Jan-17-11 14:14:17 PST)

$250

If a JD 790 can pull a 2 bottom, you should be able to also.

 

[bp fick]

bp fick............here ya go: Ferguson 3pt 2 Bottom Plow - eBay (item 230514104076 end time Jan-17-11 14:14:17 PST)

$250

If a JD 790 can pull a 2 bottom, you should be able to also.

Don87
Not too shabby.:thumbsup: Could pull it with the Century down in the Republic, but no way, up here, with my B2320. Nice find though!!!!