Tiller Tiller vs Disc...Need Help to decide

[bjcsc]

I have a creaper gears so it is really slow if I need to go that slow. According to the the manual it goes .12 MPH.

Perfect. As other replies, I think your decision should be based on the size of the area you intend to work. <5 acres I'd say go with the tiller. With your creeper you'll be able to find the perfect ground speed...

 

[bjr]

I do small 1/2 Ac. gardens and I use the disc first then the tiller. I wish I had a cultipacker too. Around here, custom tilling, you'd better be able to cover your tire tracks. Primary and secondary tilllage is something that make a good seed bed. I have two bottom moldboard plows I've had to use to tear up old pastures then disc and then use the tiller. You can have places that would require the use of all three. bjr

 

[RobJ]

I like a disc and I think it has some wider uses. Tiller fine for the small garden, I would hate to till a 4.5-acre garden or plot at .12 mph. In virgin soil the disc will take a few passes to get the soil loosened up. After that for a garden or year round food plot I hit it with the disc every quarter or more. In my soil one pass will flip it and I'm done. If a disc has 14" discs you can go 7" deep give or take, I think that's about as deep as you will get with a tiller.

If you want to plant a cover crop in the winter, strighten out the disc and drag it over the field (at a high rate of speed to!), then spread out some seed and it'll fall in and take hold faster and better. And you didn't do much damage to the hay grass if that's what you have.

Of course if you have the means...get both.

That's my story!!

 

[pitt_md]

Hi, new guy here. I have a 30 acrea hobby farm with a couple of horses. I am going to be turning a 6.5 acre field into part hay field and part pasture. I went through this same debate not to long ago. Because I will also be building a new house and a new barn and putting in lawn I went with a 6' tiller. The field I will start on has been chisle plowed last fall and i have been picking rocks since. I know this is a lot of ground to till but I am thinking it will be a one time thing and I can use the tiller for the lawn and many gardends my wife wants. If the ground ever thaws I will let you know how it goes.

 

[JDeerekid]

Well I have thought it over and I bought the 6ft kk II tiller. And I am not sorry I did. I can do an acre in about 20 minutes and a slow but steady pace one pass. Thats all I did as it has started raining and I will not be able to get out in the field again till at least next friday. My neighbor also has a 5ft kk II tiller and between the two of us we should knock out alot of land in a day. Main reason I went for the tiller is I have always wanted one and I have alot of neighbors that have small gardens and they wanted to plow then disk them, which would take me 3-4 times longer to mess around with than with the tiller. Like many have said once you have the place tilled once it is easy to do year after year. Still alot of rocks to pick but no bigger than softball sizes. I am still going to buy a set of discs if I can find a used set cheap enough. but around here everyone seems to want to keep them and put their own gardens in this year. Thanks or your help and I will post picks once it drys up and I start tilling again.

 

[bz1]

Interesting discussion. I debated this same thing a number of years ago and went with a tiller. It was really my only choice at the time since I only had a 20HP tractor. But, as time went by I used that tiller for many more things than I would ever have used a disc. The tiller is great for smoothing my yard and planting grass. I had a large pile of black dirt in my yard left over from a pond building project. I dumped this dirt all over my yard one skid steer bucket at a time. When is was done I had over an acre of ground with 2 foot piles covering the whole thing. I didn't even try to smooth it with the skid steer. I just ran the tiller over it about 4 times at various angles and the whole thing was ready for seed. I've used it to do similar things since. Wouldn't trade it for a disc. I also use it to plant 1 to 2 acre food plots every year. My soil is pure sand with zero rocks so that definitely helps. I can only imagine that with lots of rocks the tiller would have a tough time.

 

[dixie306]

Well I have thought it over and I bought the 6ft kk II tiller. And I am not sorry I did. I can do an acre in about 20 minutes and a slow but steady pace one pass. Thats all I did as it has started raining and I will not be able to get out in the field again till at least next friday. My neighbor also has a 5ft kk II tiller and between the two of us we should knock out alot of land in a day. Main reason I went for the tiller is I have always wanted one and I have alot of neighbors that have small gardens and they wanted to plow then disk them, which would take me 3-4 times longer to mess around with than with the tiller. Like many have said once you have the place tilled once it is easy to do year after year. Still alot of rocks to pick but no bigger than softball sizes. I am still going to buy a set of discs if I can find a used set cheap enough. but around here everyone seems to want to keep them and put their own gardens in this year. Thanks or your help and I will post picks once it drys up and I start tilling again.

I'll make one suggestion, before you use your tiller, I'd plow with a set of all purpose plows first and remove any large rocks, roots or whatever the plows uncovered. I just moved up to a six ft KK and really happy with it

 

[JDeerekid]

Her some pics of the new tiller in action. The field was a little wet but worked well. As I said before it has not taken me long to do it and I will probably going to make one more pass after I pick some rocks just before I start planting. Also have some pics of a field I plowed just before it started raining again.

 

[SCDolphin]

Thats some rich looking soil. Now you need a drag harrow to smooth it out! What was the price on the tiller. I just got one of 1600 for a 6' KK

 

[JDeerekid]

Thats some rich looking soil. Now you need a drag harrow to smooth it out! What was the price on the tiller. I just got one of 1600 for a 6' KK

The soil was still pretty wet when I tilled it and it was a little clumpy. I think when things dry up and I pick the big rocks out I will hit it again with the tiller and turn it into dust. I got mine for a little cheaper 1599 . But so far I love it. Just has to dry up. the next week is suppose to be rain free and in the upper 60s to 70s.