BoneDigger
Bronze Member
I have maybe an acre and a half or two acres of food plots I want to put in. This is very sandy east Texas soil with no clay or rocks. Most of it is cleared with no roots. I'll be using a 4x4 35hp tractor. Ideas?
Tiller or disc?
- Thread starter BoneDigger
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jeff9366
Super Star Member
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- Tractor
- Kubota Tractor Loader L3560 HST+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3,700 pounds bare tractor, 5,400 pounds operating weight, 37 horsepower
Tractor with 35 horsepower is adequate.
If BARE tractor weighs 3,000 pounds or less go with a PTO powered roto-tiller.
If BARE tractor weights 3,500 pounds or more you can pull a Disc Harrow with 22" diameter pans, the lightest Disc which will scratch up plot area enough to seed. Lean how to adjust gang angles on the Disc Harrow. You will want to make at least one pass with gang angles aggressively set, further passes with gang angles less aggressively set to smooth seed bed.
If wind erosion is a problem, consider a Field Cultivator which is a lightly constructed Chisel Plow. Field Cultivator is for SECONDARY TILLAGE but your conditions "sandy east Texas soil, no clay or rocks, no roots" fit.
Ideally, you would roll in seed with a Cultipacker.
LINK: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/339095-dirt-dog-all-purpose-plow.html?highlight=
If BARE tractor weighs 3,000 pounds or less go with a PTO powered roto-tiller.
If BARE tractor weights 3,500 pounds or more you can pull a Disc Harrow with 22" diameter pans, the lightest Disc which will scratch up plot area enough to seed. Lean how to adjust gang angles on the Disc Harrow. You will want to make at least one pass with gang angles aggressively set, further passes with gang angles less aggressively set to smooth seed bed.
If wind erosion is a problem, consider a Field Cultivator which is a lightly constructed Chisel Plow. Field Cultivator is for SECONDARY TILLAGE but your conditions "sandy east Texas soil, no clay or rocks, no roots" fit.
Ideally, you would roll in seed with a Cultipacker.
LINK: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/339095-dirt-dog-all-purpose-plow.html?highlight=
Last edited:
OP
BoneDigger
Bronze Member
Tractor with no bucket is 2900#. Bucket adds probably 700# with loader? It's a New Holland Workmaster 35.
Sawyer Rob
Super Member
For me? I wouldn't even consider anything but a "decent made" tiller...
They are just so much more useful...
SR
They are just so much more useful...
SR
jeff9366
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2011
- Messages
- 12,787
- Tractor
- Kubota Tractor Loader L3560 HST+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3,700 pounds bare tractor, 5,400 pounds operating weight, 37 horsepower
Right in the middle. Make it difficult.
I would go with either the PTO powered roto-tiller or a Field Cultivator for two acres.
Field Cultivator is very easy to mount. Field Cultivator is maintenance free.
Five tine Field Cultivator <$1,000, Roto-tiller or Disc Harrow with 20" pans or 22" pans, $2,500 to $3,000.
(I am a little doubtful you can pull a Disc Harrow with 22" diameter pans at 4-5 miles per hour.)
Why not add your tractor brand and model to your T-B-N PROFILE?
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Duke460
New member
I have both. The pto tiller is faster and does a great job. Disc is good for larger plots.
Gary Fowler
Super Star Member
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- 2009 Kubota RTV 900, 2009 Kubota B26 TLB & 2010 model LS P7010
I haven't hooked to my 7 foot tandem disk since I got my tiller. I do think a disk will till to a deeper depth than you can ever get with a tiller. Tillers wont ever get more than 4-6" deep. A good disking every couple of years to break up the hard pan would be advisable for clay soils but your sandy soil likely can get by with tilling.
For east Texas sandy loam, a tiller is likely the best way to go. A 35 HP tractor should have no trouble pulling a 6 foot tiller. Most folks recommend a really slow till at 1-1.5 MPH but this might not be necessary in your sandy soil. Only trial will tell but you may be able to up the speed by double that amount and still get a good tilling.
You don't want to over till to the point of fluffing your soil unless you plan to run a culti-packer over it afterward to remove the trapped air. Watch for clearance sales from places like Atwoods or Tractor supply to get a better deal on your tiller. I got my 6 footer from Atwoods for $1695 2 years ago while on sale.
I like my King Kutter II that is gear driven and forward rotation which allows it to ride up and over my home grown rocks here in Arkansas. A reverse tine tiller is supposed to mix the soil better but will be much harder to pull. I think either one does a great job of destroying vegetation.
For east Texas sandy loam, a tiller is likely the best way to go. A 35 HP tractor should have no trouble pulling a 6 foot tiller. Most folks recommend a really slow till at 1-1.5 MPH but this might not be necessary in your sandy soil. Only trial will tell but you may be able to up the speed by double that amount and still get a good tilling.
You don't want to over till to the point of fluffing your soil unless you plan to run a culti-packer over it afterward to remove the trapped air. Watch for clearance sales from places like Atwoods or Tractor supply to get a better deal on your tiller. I got my 6 footer from Atwoods for $1695 2 years ago while on sale.
I like my King Kutter II that is gear driven and forward rotation which allows it to ride up and over my home grown rocks here in Arkansas. A reverse tine tiller is supposed to mix the soil better but will be much harder to pull. I think either one does a great job of destroying vegetation.
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
For food plots, a disk is plenty. No reason to spend a lot more money on something that requires more maintenance, and has more moving parts. Get a boxed in frame disk 6 feet wide and it will never let you down. A tiller is better, but for all you are doing, it's not needed.
nybirdman
Super Member
No familiar with your soil conditions but;small tractors with small disc's are a waste of time and effort IMHO.One pass with a roto-tiller and you are done and done well.Cultipac for sure.I have had my tiller for ten years and do about ten acres of food plots per year;service slip clutch every year(15 minutes) and have had no break downs at all.
jenkinsph
Super Star Member
I would go with the tiller for your use with just a single implement. I have never had much luck getting good results with small discs.
Do you have the 3 range hydro transmission or the 12 speed gear or shuttle transmission? Just curious.
Do you have the 3 range hydro transmission or the 12 speed gear or shuttle transmission? Just curious.
Sawyer Rob
Super Member
Depends on the brand/size of tiller...
My tillers will go 7 to 8" deep in any soil that is tillable, I do it all the time because that's what my customers want...
SR
OP
BoneDigger
Bronze Member
12 gear shuttle shift.
jenkinsph
Super Star Member
There are lots of tillers that will run about 12 inches deep and the same is true for larger discs. A tiller with small diameter rotor and a disc with small diameter blades will only handle shallow depths. One thing both large tillers and large discs have in common is both are expensive.
