Newbie garden attachments....what to purchase?

[bigbull338]

you need 2 things for a 2ac garden.1 is a 3pt tiller.an i personally would get something like a bushhog tiller.i dont know how the offbrand tiller hold up.lastly you need a 1 row beeding plow to digg your taters up.an if your going to plant corn every year a 1 row 3pt seeder will come in real handy.

 

[Ted Summey]

I'm not sure what you are calling a middle buster. Mounting two on a tool bar will be a lot of torque on the tool bar or on a bedder/hiller frame. A middle buster is a heavy framed single plow point (for scuts and cuts) similar to a subsoiler. The difference between a middle buster and a subsoiler is the plow point. The middle buster's large surface area and tendency to pull itself into the soil puts a lot of pressure on the hitch and frame. It is good for breaking hard pan. The better tool for creating ridges for gardening is the bedder.

Are you referring to cultivating plow points and shanks for cultivating between your rows of established plants? These would mount to a toolbar or to the bedder frame in place of he hiller discs.

Here is a middle buster and a set of cultivator plow points on shanks mounted to a tool bar

 

[bigbull338]

the 1st pic you posted is what i call a middle buster.

 

[Ted Summey]

Bigbull - yes the first is the middle buster. The Red one is a set of cultivator points mounted to an implement frame.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

I used a turning plow, a disc harrow and a set of bedding discs for years before I got a 6' rotary tiller. The rotary tiller eliminates the need for the turning plow year to year and the disc harrow. If you can afford the tiller, I would advise it highly! Since you have sandy soil, plowing probably isn't needed any way.

If you add the cost of a turning plow and a disc harrow, you will have a good start toward a tiller. New or used throws all kinds of variables in.

When I was plowing, I would plow in the fall. Then in spring would disc the garden with a timber chained behind. The timber would drag and break up the clods and level the ground. A bedder would then be used to layout the rows.

Others will have different methods including the use of a 9 shank field cultivator instead of a plow and disc - this might work for you in sandy soil - use a drag behind it as well. Then follow with the bedder.

A box blade might work dependent upon how compacted your soil is.

I agree with Ted. This is almost the same as I do.

I will add that it all depends on the money you want to spend. Where I live you can find a used single bottom plow for $150-$200 and a double for $250-350. I good used set of used disc go for $400-$700 depending on type. A new tiller will run $1600+ for 6 foot.

The area of my land that I farm is sandy and I like to use the bottom plow and disc every other year to get as deep as I can to brake up the hard pan.

If your garden area has never been used as a garden I would suggest plowing the first year. Is there anyone that you could borrow a plow and disc from?

 

[DirtMerchant]

I agree with Ted. This is almost the same as I do.

I will add that it all depends on the money you want to spend. Where I live you can find a used single bottom plow for $150-$200 and a double for $250-350. I good used set of used disc go for $400-$700 depending on type. A new tiller will run $1600+ for 6 foot.

The area of my land that I farm is sandy and I like to use the bottom plow and disc every other year to get as deep as I can to brake up the hard pan.

If your garden area has never been used as a garden I would suggest plowing the first year. Is there anyone that you could borrow a plow and disc from?

I'll have to do some asking around, but most of the farms around me are big farms, hundreds to thousands of acres, they won't have single or double bottom plow. I think I can probably find one on Craigslist for a few hundred or less though. I hate spending $300 on a bottom plow that is going to be used every other year....but it is probably the right thing to do. The tiller I know I will use a lot, the bedder/hiller will get used a lot too, a 3pt seeder sounds cool but I find it hard to justify, I'll probably try to find an old walk behind.

 

[roostersmasher]

I am some what in the same position. I am planning on using a single bottom plow to bust it up good and then go over it with a tiller.

I was looking for the video with of the plow going over it first then the tiller. My soil is not as sandy as yours, that is why I am planning on using the plow, to dig deep and really turn the soil. I have a friend with a 5' 3pt tiller, he offered for me to use it. All I have to do is find a good used single bottom plow.

I liked this Video, it really shows you how to adjust it right. 14" One Bottom Plow LB-81-14

 

[wolftree]

DirtMerchant,

Look at "Buckeye Tractor Co." "Buctraco.com" at their Small tillage and Gardening/Hobby farm sections for some interesting ideas and usefull information.

Has anyone used/tried Bush Hog brand "All Purpose Plow"? There are several companies making similar type small chisel plows.

 

[M E Race]

As almost all planter boxes and fertilizer boxes tool bar mounted to allow for row spaceing, a good place to look would be your local implement dealer for a used trade in. Here in south lousiana all your big farmers have upgraded to anywhere from 10 to 16 row equiptment. Dealers are loaded with used 6 row tools and are looking to make good deals just to get rid of them. Each box is independently driven off the packer wheel so you simply need to change the clamp brackets from 4x6 inch bar to your size bar and you are ready to plant. With interchangable seed plates one planter will work on any row crop from corn to beans.