Breaking sod with a tiller (any tips/tricks?)

[KuB6000]

Do the more experienced folks have any tips for breaking sod? I have a B6000 with 42" tiller. I tried a little bit yesterday - just enough to get the tractor warm for an oil change. I was reasonably impressed.

What works better - wet, moist, or dry soil? Or does it change based on soil type?

Thank you,
Chris

 

[dusty-t]

Hey KuB6000. I haven't done that much with a 3ph tiller but I've done a wack of it with a walk behind. If it is clay it makes an awfull difference whether it is wet moist or dry. If clay is dry it can beat your tiller to death. If it is wet it becomes part of your tiller in a hurry. Moist is best but only a little moisture. For sod with a walk behind some times you find the tiller bouncing on the grass. You may not have that problem with a 3ph tiller. If you do, just do a light pass taking only an inch or so deep it will peel the grass off the top, you can do the whole area very quickly and then start again put the tiller down more. I have had jobs where I let the turned up grass dry then rake it off to the side before i tilled. Good Luck

 

[downey]

I have done this many times with my L2550, I'm not sure how that compares to yours. But I find if I stay in low range, 1st gear and 900 - 1000 rpm. I don't get beat up and my rototiller doesn't get beat up. I sink it if fairly deep and just ramble along on the first pass. Once I've broken through the sod I get the RPM up to 2250.

 

[dggott]

Like all farming- never work wet soil- you will wind up with clods that won't disappear until a freeze/thaw cycle or two. As far as the rest- the advice you've gotten is pretty good. Take what you can without beating you or your machinery and don't be afraid to make as many passes as you need. On sod especially, either overlap your work, or make perpendicular passes to break up what's missed by the gap between teeth that allows for your gearbox. Otherwise, 90% will be well tilled and 10% will essentially still be sod- maybe without any visible grass- but sod, nonetheless.

 

[cviola2005]

My tilling tractor is a Yanmar YM1410D with 3 PTO speeds (IDK what rpm they are).

I start off breaking sod in 1st gear with PTO in 1st gear also.Engine (14 hp lol) around 2000-2200 rpm. I make 2 passes like that working about 3 inches of dirt, moist or dry is no different. Two mores passes like that but with the tiller lowered to about 5-6 inches deep. Then I make a 2 passes in 1st gear with PTO in 2nd gear. Then I make 1 more pass in 1st gear with PTO in 3rd.

After all that, the dirt is nicely fluffed and workable by hand for weed removal and planting.

I know it's a Yanmar and not a Kubota, but hopefully it helps. IDK if your PTO has gears or if it's only a 540 rpm PTO. YMMV


ETA: BTW, I'm in Middle TN, with about 2 inches topsoil, 6-12 inches (in areas) of midsoil (IDK name) on top of the hard pack. Also, moist is easier, I mentioned earlier that it makes no difference for me. I was wrong.

 

[nickelplated5s]

Next one I do I'll spray Round Up, subsoil/rip it, then till.

 

[cviola2005]

Next one I do I'll spray Round Up, subsoil/rip it, then till.

I tried something similar with mine. I mowed the grass really short and sprayed weed killer. Let that soak for a few days and then hit the weak spot hard and sprayed over the rest, then tiller it in. I waited 2 weeks after that and sprayed and tilled again. Worked great.

 

[Creature Meadow]

For me here in NC with a sandy loom soil a little moisture works best for me.

I cut low as possible spray to kill grass and weeds then till or disk. I go one way then perpendicular.

I have a subsoiler so I then run it making 2 passes to get full depth usually one way then perpendicular.

Now till or disk again.

I love my subsoiler, use it on my garden twice a year in the spring before planting and again in the fall before planting. keeps encroaching roots from trees out of my garden robbing water and the hard pan busted for good water penetration. Amazing how far roots will run and all they do is rob the water from my plants that need it.

 

[Bigscooter]

I'm excited to try My B6000 Next spring. The even smaller tractor I've been using, I run a small Single bottom plow across it first. After that the tiller works smoothly and effortlessly