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Tiller vs Disk harrow

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MIFarmin
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 34 Michigan
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2004-12-18          102497


I have a JD 4310 (32hp) with a tiller and I want to plant a 4 acre field that has not been touched for years. Would I be better investing in a disc harrow? Will I be asking for trouble using the tiller on unfamiliar ground? I have a box blade with scarifiers that I thought might work for a first pass. I've never tilled a large area before. The soil is loose with no clay.



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Tiller vs Disk harrow

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BrendonN
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 89 Central Kansas
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2004-12-18          102502


For a four acre patch, I would personally lean toward a disk since this implement will be able to work at three or four mph while the tiller creeps along. And, should stumps or large rocks be encountered, the disk will just ride over them. I also like a somewhat more firm seedbed that the disk creates. To me, tilled ground is often too fluffy and dries out quickly. BUT, a small disk will only work three or four inches deep and that is if the ground is somewhat loose to begin with, either by plowing or chiseling. The tiller would go twice that deep.

Just my two cents worth. ....


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Ironpeddler
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 111 Science Hill,KY USA
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2004-12-18          102503


Do you wnat to plant a hayfield, make a yard, or reseed some pasture? And what grass to you want to sow? ....


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MIFarmin
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 34 Michigan
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2004-12-18          102504


The ground was left very uneven, with deep furrows. I need to level it and then plant somthing to hold the soil together. Hay, alfalfa, or clover, not sure yet. ....


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Ironpeddler
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 111 Science Hill,KY USA
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2004-12-19          102535


I'd be inclined to plow and disc it. ....


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brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2004-12-19          102537


Mifarmin
If I am correct you said "hold it together" I take it your soil is mostly sand? If so either would do you for impliments. Regaurdless you must be putting in food plots? You wont have to ever go deeper than 4-5 inches for what you want to establish. With your sandy soil you will want to build it up as much as possible and keep the nutrients in the top portion. After you start dont go deeper than the 4-5 inches and dont plow. I have soil that is clay/black and rocks. Its pretty good soil but with the rocks its a pain. I have a disk which is great but only if you break it up first. I will buy a tiller (5-6') this spring. The tiller is slow but in one pass you will go from a crappy looking field to a perfect seed bed that only needs to be packed back down a bit after planting. The time you will save along with the money in fuel and hours on the machine you will save will be well worth it using the tiller with one pass instead of the rippers maybe 3-4 passes and then the disk maybe 3-4 more passes. All the tools you mentioned the disk the box scraper and the tiller are great and each may have a place on your food plot. If you were to buy only one though, hands down I would buy the tiller.
Good luck and check out your e-mail ....


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MIFarmin
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 34 Michigan
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2004-12-19          102572


The tiller does sound like the way to go when you consider making 1 pass compared to 8 passes. I also read in another post that the tractor runs cooler with a tiller. Only going down 4 to 5 inches makes good sense too. How should I pack down the soil after planting? Another post I read said you shouldn't drive over it to much or it will pack to tight. ....


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brokenarrow
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 1288 Wisconsin
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2004-12-20          102575


We all know that the standard practice now a days it to keep your soil from getting compacted. Well there is a impliment called a cultipacker that was made just for that. If you can find one (and where you are it will be tough) It is a perfect impliment for food plotters to get seed to soil contact. Since many of us dont have or want to have a grain drill this workd fine. Of course you dont have to have it by anymeans. I dont. Check out my pics and you will see what you can do with limited equipment. After doing your soil test and prepairing your ground, spread your seed. Depending on what seed you are planting will depend on how you go about burrying it. The seeds that need only 1/4 - 1/2 inch cover I had pulled a bed box spring (burned off the covering) over it. Last year the soil was a bit wet so I chanced it and tilted my disk so the back was the only ones touching and lightly disked it
in. If you had a cultipacker now would be the time to use it. If you had one you may only be able to pack it if your soil is light.
Go to that web sight I gave you and read as many old posts as you can. They have a wealth of info on it!
Good luck ....


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earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2004-12-20          102618


The quickest and easiet way is to disk it, then drag it to fill in any low spots or furrows. If you drag it in overlapping circles you'd be amazed how much more level it will turn out versus running back and forth. To make a drag all we ever used was a 6' square of welded 4" or 6" angle. Attach a 15' chain to ends and you're good to go. If you run in circles you will have to adjust the center of the chain (unequal lengths from the ends of the drag to the center) to get the drag to follow correctly. If not done correctly it's like pulling a water skier with a boat around in circles--the drag will try to pass you!

If you fabricate the drag, stack the angles as shown below:
<-6'->
|------------------------------------------------|
|________________________________________________|
------ ------
| |
| |
<-5'->

SIDE VIEW


| |
___|________________|___
/ | |
/ | |
/ | |
Chain / | |
| |
| |
| |
\___|________________|___
| |
| |
TOP VIEW ....


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