Plow first or go right to tiller?

[2458n]

You need to plow in the fall and let winter do its magic. You do not have to wear the dirt out in the spring then. Wait till the ground is really dry and ready to till- this is the hard part. If you get into it too soon you will be rolling marbles all year.

 

[RalphVa]

I used my Gravely plow ONCE. When I got my JD and a friend gave me a soil ripper, I used it ONCE. After that, it was no till.

Got only raised beds now. Don't till them.

Ralph

 

[tcreeley]

I used to have a Farmall cub with a single bottom plow and a disc harrow. I used that for years and when I sold my Farmall, I kept the plow and harrow for the garden. When I got a rototiller, I stopped using the plow and harrow. I also have a hiller that I've used for potatoes and in wet areas of my second smaller garden. The tiller, now that the garden is set will be my first choice.

 

[Gary Fowler]

Thanks everyone. I see the jury is decidedly still out. You have helped me determine that a 60" tiller is not unreasonable for this tractor (many here and elsewhere use one with the same or slightly less pto hp). I'll be watching closely on the plow question while I search CL for a good used one (very rare here in Maine so far).

HP is not really in the equation for a tiller. IF your tractor can handle the weight, then just about any size tiller will work. I doesn't take much HP to turn a tiller what with the slow travel speed.

 

[Ugarte]

I can report that my cheapo TCS middle buster works great! Breaks up the sod like a champ down to about 8 inch tiller depth without bogging the tractor down (going very slowly in low, of course). Actually, the thing is pretty heavily built. So far I'm glad I didn't spend the time and money to find, learn and use a proper plow.

 

[Gary Fowler]

This is the way to loosen up soil for a tiller if you need to. Much faster that a plow. It is same as a box blade without the box.

 

[gwdixon]

View attachment 462601This is the way to loosen up soil for a tiller if you need to. Much faster that a plow. It is same as a box blade without the box.

I agree that such an implement (or a box blade with scarifiers) does an excellent job of breaking up soil.

BUT...It has to be bare soil or very shortly mowed foliage that does not have a lot of surface clutter. These tend to load up with debris, lift the 3PH, and slide over the surface. And I have a very heavy box scraper that does this.

A middle buster is slower because of the limited soil contact, but the OP has gotten his to perform as desired.

Not trying to be contrary, just pointing out limitation I've found in my experience.

 

[2ndhalf]

Tiller would do it.. I too have worked up thick sod with one in two passes. though I would use roundup on the sod first regardless of what you use. Otherwise your fighting grass... trust me on that.

Anyone use one of these?

CountyLine One Row Cultivator - For Life Out Here

 

[Jtullis13]

Gwdixon where did you get that ripper? Or what is it called? It does look like a box blade without the box but I've never seen one before.

 

[Jtullis13]

All of the box blades I have seen you can't remove the box & leave the rippers like that