rototiller vs. plow

[santacruzer]

Hey guys,

I've been looking for a way to "dig up" some ground. A rototiller as I understand it, while pulverizing the ground, will also leave a compacted layer of dirt as far down as the rototiller goes (8" to 10" or so). After several seasons of rototilling, especially when the ground is a bit damp, this compacted layer becomes a "hard pan" that roots and water have a hard time penetrating.

The thought came to me that if I ran a single (or more) blade(s) of some kind that "cut" deeper into the ground and then finished the top off with a landscape rake I could avoid creating a compacted layer while still breaking the soil up and having a good planting surface.

I only have an acre of land but the soil is good and responds well to being turned

Being new to owning a tractor I would appreciate any and all comments.

And thanks for all the past help I've received from you people on this board...you've been a great help.

Thanks, Paul

 

[MMagis]

You don't say what your goals (garden, food plot, yard) with the land are, but your going to need more than a landscape rake to break up plowed dirt.

 

[Charlesaf3]

rototiller plus subsoiler would solve your problem.

For an acre, I'd go rototiller. Strikes me as more "maneuverable" from my experience - I rototill places I could never plow.

 

[MFL]

If you have the space to maneuver, consider a single bottom plow and a disc harrow. If you're working up the whole acre, then this combo will work, not give you hard pan, and you can buy the plow and harrow for less than your typical 5 ft. 3pt. tiller.

Course if you're working a small garden plot on that acre, tiller is the way to go. More effective and way more maneuverable.

 

[Soundguy]

Good advice so far... plows and disc's make good friends.. rototillers are better for smaller areas.. especially where you can't maneuver. Plows are nice on older tractors with high gears.. For instance.. an old ford 9n with not much more than 23hp is NOT a good rototiller machine... 1st gear is too much ground speed compaired to pto hp .. however.. it's a 2-bottom plow fool.. especially with it's draft control... On the flip side take a small scut.. maybee something with pto hp in the teens ( kubota BX series? ).. but a good creeper gear... it will rototill all day long.. etc.

soundguy

 

[Farmwithjunk]

A tiller will cause somewhat LESS compaction than a moldboard plow will. Plows are just about the WORST implement there is for causing a compaction layer. In fact, many of us "old timers" refer to a compaction layer as a "plow pan".

You're not going to find too many tillers that will work ground to 8" to 10". 8" is just about the drop dead limit for MOST tillers. Not uncommon for them to max out at 6" or 7".

Plows don't work well at extreme depths. A general rule of thumb is 1/2 of the width of each bottom. (ie, a 12" plow=6", 14" plow=7", 16" plow=8") Those numbers can be "fudged" a bit but not a lot. Plow much deeper and the furrow slice doesn't want to roll over "green side down".

Best way to break plow pan? In mOST cases, a subsoiler. If you have enough tractor, a chisel plow can work to depths beyond that of a moldboard plow. Most smaller tractors will struggle with a multi-shank chisel at depths of 10" or more. A subsoiler used at 12" to 20" (depending on conditions) then till or disc is a good way to break compacted soil and end up with a good loose soil structure.

 

[Cyberroc]

In mOST cases, a subsoiler.

Yes, but how many shanks? I understand to some point it would it depend on tractor, however is it also by the size of land you are working or would you go with whatever your machine could take?

I plan to till do a 1-2 acre plot, just for family.

Most I have seen used with CUT's have one blade, however I have seen a few with three and one gynormous tractor pulling what I beleive was a subsoiler-leveler... Huge!!!
.
.

 

[santacruzer]

Considering all the things you guys mention, a plow, discs and harrow etc, might be a problem due to having to maneuver a bit on my place. There is also a house etc. on the acre. My plan is to have a vegetable garden and be able to till under any other vegetation as a soil amendment.

The tractor is a BX 2350 but not knowing what a subsoiler really is I don't know if I can handle one and a tiller...but if it will eliminate the "pan" it sounds good.....same goes for the moldboard plow.

Also mentioned was a moldboard plow and I'm not really up on that tool either. Being new at this I need all the help I can get. I will "search" the subsoiler and the moldboard plow but I'm all ears for any other help you guys can give me.

Thanks a lot for you guys' help and time!!! Paul

 

[Charlesaf3]

bx2350 - easy, rototiller is your only choice, as soundguy said above.

My b3030 struggles under a 1 shank subsoiler. Subsoilers take a lot of horsepower and traction.

You might be worrying too much about plow pan considering what you are doing, but someone more knowledgable will have to weigh in on that.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Considering all the things you guys mention, a plow, discs and harrow etc, might be a problem due to having to maneuver a bit on my place. There is also a house etc. on the acre. My plan is to have a vegetable garden and be able to till under any other vegetation as a soil amendment.

The tractor is a BX 2350 but not knowing what a subsoiler really is I don't know if I can handle one and a tiller...but if it will eliminate the "pan" it sounds good.....same goes for the moldboard plow.

Also mentioned was a moldboard plow and I'm not really up on that tool either. Being new at this I need all the help I can get. I will "search" the subsoiler and the moldboard plow but I'm all ears for any other help you guys can give me.

Thanks a lot for you guys' help and time!!! Paul

Here's a subsoiler. Also, while you're in the search mode, take a look at "middlebuster". Several of the TBN members have 'em and use 'em with tractors in the same general hp class as yours.

Since you're obviously concerned about compaction, contact your county extention office. They should be able to give you hard numbers on the degree of compaction, the depth of the compaction layer, and make locallized recomendations on how best to deal with it.

 

[Dargo]

A tiller will cause somewhat LESS compaction than a moldboard plow will. Plows are just about the WORST implement there is for causing a compaction layer. In fact, many of us "old timers" refer to a compaction layer as a "plow pan".

Ah, ya beat me to it!! Yeah, someone fed him some bad advice about a tiller creating hard ground and compaction. Quite the opposite is the case. Areas in my lawn where I've tilled in the last 5 or 10 years grow grass much better than areas that haven't been touched in many years. That ground is extremely hard and grass doesn't grow so well because of that fact. With my high clay content soil tilling sure helps things stay non-compacted and growing well. Unfortunately, I don't want to have to buy new grass seed every 10 years after tilling my lawn.

Heck, one of the greenest areas in my lawn is where I dropped my tiller down to 8" and tilled an area smooth from where some fool (no, not me) drove off my driveway last winter and left me with some nasty ruts.

 

[Soundguy]

Besides.. with only 1-ac I don't think I'd be running out and buying a full set of tillage equipment!

soundguy

 

[ChuckinNH]

This is a middlebuster on a BX. They can be bought as a combination subsoiler/middlebuster in "XB" size for the BX tractors at TSC for a little over a hundred bucks. Don't know if this is what you want, or need, but they are available for your tractor.

 

[santacruzer]

Thanks for all the info. My searches on the equipment you guys talked about brought up a lot of good stuff.

After the comments I've received I have a little more confidence in going with a tiller. I was hoping to be able to eliminate a tiller and use a couple of simple attachments but there's a number of reasons why that might not be practical.

And Soundguy is right...for the amount of ground I have I don't need to buy out a tractor supply business.

I will say however, that the BX 2350 is one of the best investments I've made in awhile. I can't believe what I used to do with a wheelbarrow and shovel....I guess the real question is..... why I used a wheelbarrow and shovel??????

Thanks, Paul

 

[mentat30]

I have a middle buster on a BX2350 and it works great. Don't really have a problem with traction, and I have turfs. I paid $120 for a King Kutter Middle Buster on sale at Fleet Farm. So IMHO I think a Middle buster and tiller would suit your needs.

 

[gemini5362]

Besides.. with only 1-ac I don't think I'd be running out and buying a full set of tillage equipment!

soundguy

Hmm with only 1 acre dont think he needs a lot of tilling equipment. Soundguy how many acres do you have and how big a mower do you mow it with ?

 

[gemini5362]

Actually from the way it sounds he might be better off just going and buying a good rear tine tiller that you walk behind. That will be cheaper than a 3 point tiller will be and he will probably be able to till the ground faster with the amount of space he is talking about.

 

[Botabill]

Actually from the way it sounds he might be better off just going and buying a good rear tine tiller that you walk behind. That will be cheaper than a 3 point tiller will be and he will probably be able to till the ground faster with the amount of space he is talking about.

I like the walk behind tiller. I actually have a tiller that came with my Case 446 SCUT and never use it. The walk behind (BCS) is used to til my 1 acre garden. Typically I til one row at a time as I prepare seed beds to plant. Where I live you don't want to till until you are ready to plant to save moisture. Later in the season I scuffle between the rows with walk behind tiller. I wouldn't be able to do that with a tiller on a tractor. I have a single bottom plow that I also got in the deal when I bought the 446 that I will use with my BX to cut sod and til down green manure. I've had my BCS (two wheel tractor) for 20 years. It's run without trouble since new and I could probably sell it today for the cost of a tiller for my BX.

 

[Cyberroc]

Even at 1 acre, I would do the 3pt, anything close to or over that, it would be no question. Unless your doing an already tilled area or you have a lot of extra time, even a decent size rear tine simplicity took me 4 times as long as it did with a 3pt. tiller I rented.

This was on an overgrown (heavy think weeds, no trees) area that I attempted with my front tine tiller, after an hour I gave up and barrowed the neighbors rear tine, no question that it was much easier. However after 4 hours and only being half done I decided to add a tiller to the rental I already needed for another project and finished the other half in about an hour.

Now that own my own tractor, I will own a 3pt tiller. My neighbors rear tine walk behind was around $1,000 so an extra few hundred will be more than worth it and even better over time...

Not saying that a rear tine won't perform as good in some conditions, however the overgrown area that I tilled sold me on the 3pt.

 

[Soundguy]

Hmm with only 1 acre dont think he needs a lot of tilling equipment. Soundguy how many acres do you have and how big a mower do you mow it with ?

13 ac.. and I have a 15' mower... But I got it for super cheap.. IE.. 2000$.. that's pennies on the dollar vs the cost of one new... All it took me was a couple months of sweat equity, some welding and a couple hundred bucks in small parts and paint.. etc. it was a deal i couldn't pass up, sinc eit was roughly? 1/8 the price of new equipment.

soundguy