Tiller How big should I go? Topic is 3 pt Rototillers.........

[oleman]

We are in the black earth Texas area, have a Deere 4310 4x4, it is about 25 PTO HP with a 48" Kubota that is all the 4310 can handle. It has lots of traction with large rear tires but runs out of power unless it is in lower ranges.
Also run an old Int 464 at 45 PTO HP with a 5' tiller, with this machine it is easy to destroy the PTO drive shaft and probably the tiller gear box unless you take it easy.
Good luck with your project.

 

[blackrams]

We are in the black earth Texas area, have a Deere 4310 4x4, it is about 25 PTO HP with a 48" Kubota that is all the 4310 can handle. It has lots of traction with large rear tires but runs out of power unless it is in lower ranges.
Also run an old Int 464 at 45 PTO HP with a 5' tiller, with this machine it is easy to destroy the PTO drive shaft and probably the tiller gear box unless you take it easy.
Good luck with your project.

Not that I have a huge amount of experience with tillers but, grew up on a farm in KS. One thing I learned quickly from my ole man was to never abuse his equipment, that included trying to run his tractors to hard. Yeah, I agree.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I use a 6 ft king kutter with my 20hp massey, no problem.

 

[Texasmark]

I have a 40 Hp tractor and a 72 inch tiller so it cover the tire tracks. You definitely want the tiller at least at wide as the tire tracks.

I've never felt the tiller ever came remotely close to bogging down the tractor, so it is probably more about the weight your tractor can handle on the 3PH and still have good steering control. My tractor is 4WD so that helps with control too.

I till one pass in the lowest or second lowest gear at a little less than the rated 540 PTO speed. Then if needed, the next day or at least a few hours later a second pass at right angle to the first in the next one or two gears higher is plenty.

Sod is more difficult. I generally prefer to turn sod with a plow first and then 2 passes with the tiller.

Others are right to go as quickly as works the ground and do not turn it to powder. Adding organic matter (manure, leaves, etc.) is the best thing you can do to improve your soil and you will need less tillage to keep it loose. The next best is to plant cover crops to add organic matter.

I'm running the same rig, Ford 3000 and 6' TSC tiller. Bought it especially to do what you are doing. Plant Austrian Winter Field Peas in the fall and turn them in in the spring after hogging to cut them into small pieces which till in better. I run as fast as it takes for it to work. Has really improved my crop and cut way down on my fertilizer bill. Don't have to inoculate and digging up the roots for a sample, the nodules are there in quantity.

 

[blackrams]

I'm running the same rig, Ford 3000 and 6' TSC tiller. Bought it especially to do what you are doing. Plant Austrian Winter Field Peas in the fall and turn them in in the spring after hogging to cut them into small pieces which till in better. I run as fast as it takes for it to work. Has really improved my crop and cut way down on my fertilizer bill. Don't have to inoculate and digging up the roots for a sample, the nodules are there in quantity.

This post causes me to question what I'm doing. I've been using a small walk behind tiller for several years for my wife's small garden but a couple years ago, I decided to plant Sunflowers. Sunflowers bring in the birds that my wife loves to see and provide their own scenic beauty. (She has six or seven Hummingbird feeders also in addition to four or five bird feeders.) Regardless, at the end of the season, I cut the dead/dying stalks down and burn them in place. Should I be tilling them into the soil? Or, removing them and disposing of them in another manner?

 

[CincyFlyer]

I only till when I'm amending soil (we have a lot of clay here, severely compacted). So I'll put sand and peat moss on top of the clay, and thoroughly "pound it", as some person said. Then it is untouched until it needs more goodies. We only grow flowers and decorative bushes for now, I'll probably get a plow or use my sub-soiler when we start growing food.
I do know that a lot of folks till the weeds and stubs and other detritus in their food gardens every year, and yet they seem to produce. Perhaps the earthworms are unhappy, but the plants aren't.

 

[Creamer]

I only till when I'm amending soil (we have a lot of clay here, severely compacted). So I'll put sand and peat moss on top of the clay, and thoroughly "pound it", as some person said. Then it is untouched until it needs more goodies. We only grow flowers and decorative bushes for now, I'll probably get a plow or use my sub-soiler when we start growing food.
I do know that a lot of folks till the weeds and stubs and other detritus in their food gardens every year, and yet they seem to produce. Perhaps the earthworms are unhappy, but the plants aren't.

Or perhaps they could be a lot happier? That is what many farmers are finding - of course most homeowners really do not care if they use more fertilizer or pesticide than needed because the cost is small - immediate results are their concerns. Farmers care because they are a major input cost.

 

[blackrams]

We are in the black earth Texas area, have a Deere 4310 4x4, it is about 25 PTO HP with a 48" Kubota that is all the 4310 can handle. It has lots of traction with large rear tires but runs out of power unless it is in lower ranges.
Also run an old Int 464 at 45 PTO HP with a 5' tiller, with this machine it is easy to destroy the PTO drive shaft and probably the tiller gear box unless you take it easy.
Good luck with your project.

Excellent advice and will attempt to adhere to it. My Ford 1210 is a small tractor and that has been a concern from the beginning. Looking for an affordable 42" tiller. I figure that worst case, I can always eliminate tines if, that's too much for my little diesel. The Little Engine That Could had it right, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...........
:thumbsup:

 

[CincyFlyer]

Or perhaps they could be a lot happier? That is what many farmers are finding - of course most homeowners really do not care if they use more fertilizer or pesticide than needed because the cost is small - immediate results are their concerns. Farmers care because they are a major input cost.

We actually don't have any earthworms until after the tilling!

 

[blackrams]

We actually don't have any earthworms until after the tilling!

OK, not doubting your word on this but, I'm curious just how one would know this?