Power tiller strip tilling for row crops

Bloemie · May 6, 2023

Another setup question from a newbie
When planting row crops with paths between for future access /weeding/spraying/harvesting. I am looking to add a power tiller to strip till. The option is a offset tiller, to cover my tire tracks and then make rows afterwards of desired width, or just buy a 4' tiller that fits between the wheels and make it 4 ft rows with tire widths access paths. Looking to grow both annuals and perennials and will need the paths and the ability to reach to the middle. 4' is about max (2 on either side)

I am curious who has tried either/both. Thoughtsr? Did you disc it all first, then till just your strips? Please share you ideas.

leonz · May 6, 2023

Ideally you want a raised bed for annuals and using a rotary plow to build the
seed bed is best as it creates a taller seed bed and the seeds will germinate
earlier and the weed swill be crowed out and die soon after.

When I had my last garden I made 24 inch spaced raised beds 12 inches high
and 12 inches wide and I had huge crops as I fertilized, incorporated sand and
gypsum to the soil. I picke drock amnd made the soil as loose as possible
before I made the raised beds with a hiller on my original troy built tiller.

As the growing season progressed I hilled the soil back to make more room for
water to collect in the furrows and soak into the soil. The few volunteer weeds
that came up were tilled under or I pulled them up and left them to rot in the row.

You could invest in a good tiller that will break the hardpan down to 14 inches
and eliminate any hardpan and buy a bed former to build a 48 inch raised bed
to make one wide deep tall sed bed but the issue is clay and rocks.
clay can be dissolved with deep mined fine crushed gypsum and the rocks picked out.

The problem is going to be rocks and needing a small rock picker to do the job every
year as the more rocks you get rid of the better for your seed bed and seedlings.

There are small rock pickers available for an ATV that could be used with a small tractor.

Bloemie · May 6, 2023

Yep, This is exactly why I am thinking. I have heavy clay, with drainage issues currently. Soil tests was mostly VH with a couple H and only 1 low (sulfur) and little rock (bottom land). The land was a dairy farm for years and currently just forage grasses. No chemicals used. I need to raise the beds, lower the rows and create some "tilth". Drainage, air and larger particles of organic matter for structure. I am not cash cropping, but looking to grow some herbal teas (annual and perennial) etc. Things that sell by pound not bushel or ton. I have about 10 acres of this soil, and 2 other soils on the property, a clay loam and a more sandy loam (shallower). neither as rich in nutrients or as easily irrigated. I am starting with a test area, the rest is going to get a cover crop with a good portion of tillage radishes.

My tractor is only has 45 HP but is 6' wide with 42" between the inside of the tires. I was thinking it can easily handle a 48" tiller -probably larger (not sure 6 foot though). But I cant decide if I should offset it, so I can till the wheel paths as well, then bed, or just put a 48" straight on.

With the 48" straight I could in future cover crop just a row and till it in and keeping the raised portion as semi permanent - setting the height above the bottom of the rows for future tills. I could also shallow till, just working a few inches of soil. I am leaning this way.

With an offset would need to till it all in... then build the rows back - the advantage I see is larger area can be cover cropped, but its more work rebuilding all the rows and no possible to do a single row. There definitely some advantages of scale here.

jaxs · May 6, 2023

You prefaced your question claiming to be a newbie but I feel the newbie because I don't have a clue about half the tools and procedures what you described. What do you think of turning 100% of surface over using a turning plow,planting 100% of surface in cover crop then turning soil again when cover crop matures? Standard row widths are 36" and less commonly 42". Since your tires are 6' on center,36" beds can be thrown up with middle busters or disc row builders. Weeds between rows can be controlled throughout growing season with 3 or 7 sweep cultivator. After harvest you can (A) turn crop residue under and plant cover crop (B) broadcast cover crop seed on fallow beds then bust beds when mature effectivly turning crop under and building beds for new planting. (C) let ground sit fallow until if or when weeds start taking over then bust beds before weeds make seed. I get the feeling you are trying to avoid compacting soil with tractor wheels but compaction while doing as I suggest above doesn't matter because the next pass will loosen soil again.
If you don't have implements I suggest looking at a 3 point tool bar which will accommodate various tools including middle buster,sweep cultivator, disc row builder and pallet forks.

Bloemie · May 7, 2023

jaxs said:
You prefaced your question claiming to be a newbie but I feel the newbie because I don't have a clue about half the tools and procedures what you described. What do you think of turning 100% of surface over using a turning plow,planting 100% of surface in cover crop then turning soil again when cover crop matures? Standard row widths are 36" and less commonly 42". Since your tires are 6' on center,36" beds can be thrown up with middle busters or disc row builders. Weeds between rows can be controlled throughout growing season with 3 or 7 sweep cultivator. After harvest you can (A) turn crop residue under and plant cover crop (B) broadcast cover crop seed on fallow beds then bust beds when mature effectivly turning crop under and building beds for new planting. (C) let ground sit fallow until if or when weeds start taking over then bust beds before weeds make seed. I get the feeling you are trying to avoid compacting soil with tractor wheels but compaction while doing as I suggest above doesn't matter because the next pass will loosen soil again.
If you don't have implements I suggest looking at a 3 point tool bar which will accommodate various tools including middle buster,sweep cultivator, disc row builder and pallet forks.

A newbie thats read a bunch on this and other sites. A great place to learn. I am stepping up from a more hand grown market garden approach - so tractors are new. My tires are 6' to the outer edge, though not center. (showing my newbiness) 42 " inside to inside, so was looking at 42 " bed size and using the tire width (~15") for rows.

Your approach you suggesting would require an offset tiller as a 6foot tiller on my small 34hp tractor in heavy clay may be a but much. I would till the whole field (paths and beds) and then reforming them each season. I can use as big a tiller as I can handle and easy spread of covers.

The second option I was wondering if anyone had tried is to use a tiller sized for beds (48" tiller for the 42" beds) and keep the "paths" semi permanent. I may need to reform the beds periodically, but I could also cover crop just a row at a time vs a field at a time.

3 Point tool bar research now underway! Thank you for that.

pokey1416 · May 7, 2023

Your tractor should have no problem with a 6’ if you decide to widen your beds. I have a 40hp (34 @ PTO) and run a 6’. Covering your tracks is handy for everything except your raised bed plan.