Tiller Tiller or Box Blade and tree roots...

[Briarwood]

I just finished brush hogging 1.5 acres of old pasture. There were several trees from 1/2" to 1-1/2" in diameter that the 60" hog on my B2710 chewed right up. Now, I want to plant a food plot. Will my 60" tiller be able to handle the small stumps and roots of these trees? It is a new tiller and I don't want to learn the hard way. Would it be better to pull the box blade with scarifiers over the plot first to maybe break up the roots? I want to get back out there on the seat but would like your advice first. Tiller? Box blade? or???

Briarwood

 

[johnday]

I think I'd vote for the boxblade with the scarifiers dropped. It seems like that would be better than twisting a tine or two on a new tiller. But wear your seatbelt, I had a stump stop a D4 dead in its tracks, guess who jambed his knee into the dashboard? A hint, it hurt alot. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[RodgerF]

I don't have a tiller so I'm not sure how that would work. I've been doing a similar project though using a 5' box blade with the teeth fully down. It sure does a job on roots and grapevines.

Good luck

Rodger

 

[Bird]

Briarwood, it might depend on just how big those stumps and roots are and/or what variety of trees. I guess the safest thing would be to use the box blade scarifiers first; however, a neighbor of mine had a bunch of cedar trees taken out of his yard by a bulldozer and then I tilled and smoothed the yard. In the process I tilled up some pretty good sized roots; sometimes made the tiller jump up and down, but never did any damage to it. On the other hand, my cousin tried the same thing and jammed a big root up into the tiller and severely bent the rear deflector on his tiller.

 

[DiskDoctr]

Briarwood,

I have a 72"BB and a 66" Tiller and have just had to do some of the same this summer. We leveled our lawn, lowering some and filling the other side. Had to take out a fair number of roots.

My vote is BB with scarifers. Once the roots are free, and not too large, don't be afraid to go over the area with tiller. Once you see how your BB may jump and jerk, you'll be glad you're using your $300-$400 BB instead of your $1000-$1500 tiller /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

After BB, I used a tree trimmer (2 long handles and a curved blade at the end) to cut the roots at the base to get them out of the yard.

Good luck.

-JC

 

[fractal]

I would go through with the box with scarifiers myself. Partially because of the roots, but mostly to break the hardpan. I tried tilling up an old bit of yard last year and it was hard going. I switched to the box, deep riped it, then it tilled a lot easier.