Tiller minimum speed for tiller?

[JLV]

Still trying to decide between a disc harrow and a tiller for foodplot work with my IH 284. Owners manual lists 1st gear Low speed as .97mph. Is that slow enough for tiller work?
Also, is there a hp/inches of tiller recommendation? Will 25-26 pto hp run a 60"?

 

[EquipmentJunkie]

I'd say that .97 mph is slow enough. Just go over it again to get the soil a bit finer. But, you are not making a garden. It should be fine for food plots.

Your horsepower should be fine for a 60" tiller, too.

 

[beenthere]

I ran a 60" tiller just fine with that many PTO hp (or very close to that). Speed depends on the ground, but I was tilling sod with stones and loosening the dirt so I could scoop it up in the bucket and using it for fill to plant grass seed. Worked great that way.
You should be ok with the tiller, IMO. And the seed will do better in the tilled ground than just the disk harrow, I think.

 

[Bird]

I agree; yes to both questions.

 

[JLV]

Thanks for the opinions. Now I just need to come up with the extra cash.

 

[bigtiller]

I have been using a 50 inch tiller for 13 years and the last 3 with a 24 hp diesel. I agree with the others on the hp, but I think the .97 mph will be a little fast if you have some hard ground. At 80 some feet per minute I think the tiller will walk on top of the ground.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I think the .97 mph will be a little fast if you have some hard ground )</font>

That's certainly possible if the ground is too hard and dry, but you can compensate for that by making multiple passes. To quote from the Bush Hog tiller owner's manual "Average soil with reasonable moisture will allow maximum depth in one pass with a tractor forward speed up to 2 mph. Hard soil may require two passes to reach maximum depth."

 

[NewToy]

I saw a gadget at TSC called a "Middle Buster"? It was a plow looking deal with one tooth. Is it best to use something like that prior to tilling on hard pasture type ground, or just make multiple passes with the tiller? I was also curious about the ground speed, I'm at .71 in low 1 at PTO speed so I should be OK.

Thanks,

John

 

[Bird]

John, I had one of those TSC middle busters. I got it, and used it, primarily for a potato digger, but to answer your question, I've done it both ways. I used just the tiller and made multiple passes sometimes and sometimes tore the ground up first with the middle buster. Either way worked well enough to suit me, but using the middle buster allowed me to get deeper. Actually for that kind of work, I would have preferred a single bottom turning plow (or moldboard), but I didn't have a good one.

 

[JLV]

In my case the majority of the tiller use will be on farmed ground. This ground has been farmed for 20 years or so and is currently in corn stubble. I will be converting the field to CRP this year, hence the foodplots. In my case the ground should be quite soft and easy to till, corn stubble would be the toughest thing I should have to till up.
If the ground does get hard I can have my farmer neighbor come in with his heavy equipment on occasion, as he will probably be planting my corn anyway. I just dont want to be at his mercy (he works full time as well) for field prep. I think he would be happier if all he had to do was stop by and plant my field while he is doing his own across the road. Thanks for the help.
I wonder though, given the easily worked nature of my ground, if I wouldnt be wise to save the tiller money and just use a disc as they are half the price? Decisions, decisions...

 

[NewToy]

JLV, Go with the tiller, it's got stuff spinning around on it, much cooler than a disc. Thanks for the "middle buster" info Mr. Bird.

John

 

[dsb5610]

JLV,

I put in 3-4 acres of foodplots in 55 acres of CRP every year. I could not imagine using a tiller to prepare that. I use a 14' disc each year with an occasional chisel or plow first every few years. If there is a lot of residue then I run the rotary mower threw it to prevent the disc from clogging.

My foodplots are 100' apart and run throughout the 55 acres. I have switch grass (warm season) in between the foodplot strips. I periodically burn the switch grass off. Before I do the prescribed burns I prepare the foodplots which act as a firebreak.

dsb

 

[HEC]

A disc would be much quicker for sure , the question is how big of a disc are you going to be able to pull with your tractor,is your tractor 4wd.loaded tires etc etc..You may want to try and borrow one and try it first if at all possible.
Herb,

 

[JLV]

I think a 5' or 5'5" disk would be my max. No 4wd, tires not loaded (dont really want to either), worst of all turf tires. On the plus side, the land is flat as a table top where the plot will be. According to the wife this tractor's primary purpose is to mow the lawn since it came with a belly mower. Silly woman.

I'm not real worried about how fast or slow I can get the job done. I work night shifts and have lots of free daylight to burn. Also I only have an acre or so to work with which is why I hate to drop a $1000+ on a tiller.
If I had a decent trailer I could recover the tiller cost with garden work, but I dont.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

One more suggestion. After reading the last description of what and where you'll be using it, one more option makes it's self usefull.

An old fashioned, "drag disc" (as my dad always called 'em) The kind from before 3-point, before remote hydraulics were common. Since you won't be leaving your place, there's not as much concern over transport-ability. Most have a quick way of "un-angling" the gangs so they roll straight, without damaging turf so much. And they work so much better than MOST newer 3-point hitch versions.