Education wanted about Plowing/Soil Prep Implements

[knightgang]

So, I am new to tractors but even newer to using tractors for farming.

Recently, we purchased a L2950DT GST 4x4 with FEL and currently have a 5' Kodiak Rotary Mower. I have a list a mile long of attachments that I either am going to build or purchase to accompany this machine for all the things that I want to do with it. One of those tasks is small farming, like 1/2 acre size garden.

However, I really don't know exactly what I need to do this. I have been watching youtube videos of different implements and this is what I think I understand.

Bottom plow - to be used first, especially on new ground. Turns the ground over to expose the soil and roots of previous vegetation to kill it.

Disc Harrows - come in after the bottom plow to start breaking up the soil and virtually "Tilling" is into a finer plantable soil.

Bedder - Used to create bedding rows for your seeds

Cultivator - has small spades or rakes to just turn the soil in between the rows to minimize weed growth in the crop.

If this is correct, the next question would be concerning the Bottom Plow and the Bedder. My tractor is a 32hp 4wd, using a 12 or 14" bottom plow blade, would I be able to pull 2 blades, or would I be limited to one. My land where we are about to build was logged about 20 years ago and currently has a 6-10" top soil layer and not rocky at all.

Same question for the bedder, would I pull one with cultivator tines behind the tires or could I pull a 2 or even 3 row bedder and not need to worry about the tire tracks because it would be pulled into rows.

I should also mention that my tractor has R4 tires on it is that makes a difference.

Thanks in advance for your feedback and teaching.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

For small gardens use a 3 point rototiller, it does all the things in step 1-2 in one implement, and does it rather well.

You can skip 3 unless you need a hills for your crops, your tires won't let you do it very well anyways.

You can make a simple bar cultivator to weed if you want, but with R4 tires you would need too wide of row spacing to make it work, so I would go with using a small walk behind rototiller to weed.

 

[TexasBoy]

Cultivator - has small spades or rakes to just turn the soil in between the rows to minimize weed growth in the crop.

Around here we call these 'sweeps'.

 

[BAP]

For small gardens use a 3 point rototiller, it does all the things in step 1-2 in one implement, and does it rather well.

You can skip 3 unless you need a hills for your crops, your tires won't let you do it very well anyways.

You can make a simple bar cultivator to weed if you want, but with R4 tires you would need too wide of row spacing to make it work, so I would go with using a small walk behind rototiller to weed.

2nd the 3pt rototiller. These work great tilling up the soil. The first year on new soil you might need to go over it a few times to get it well broke up. As far as keeping your rows tilled, something like a walk behind tiller like a Troy-Built works good or even a garden tractor with a 36" rototiller on it. The other thing you should do is to have your soil tested to see if it needs some lime to bring PH up and the fertility.

 

[FrozenInTime]

I use a landpride 50" behind mine. It is easier than plowing/disking and does a better job. I broke up bout 1/2 acre with mine this past spring, most had not been farmed for 40 years. For hilling, I use a shovel and a hoe but I only need 3 10ft hills for my taters. Between the rows, I have a large bagger and put the grass-clippings between the rows. Throw in some straw when I run short. I have very little weeds, only takes a few minutes a day to pull them up by hand. Good luck with your new hobby, I love mine.

 

[Diydave]

If you are just going for a 1/2 acre garden lot, there are a lot of ways to accomplish this. Least amount of work, IMHO, would be spray it out with an electric sprayer, Subsoil with a single shank subsoiler, that can penetrate up to 18" deep, then rototiller. Keeps first year costs down... Once you have the bed prepped, the next year, you can dump a load of manure on it, and plow it in...

 

[cerlawson]

A rototiller is it. Some of them can be shifted to the side to get under branches and the like, but mine never was moved. So save the cost of that part. Watch out for wire and other stuff that will wind on the rotating shaft.

 

[skeets]

Yes Sir I have to agree, while all the stuff like plows and disks and culpackers and stuff make the place look like a farm. Take it from a guy thats been playin in small gardens ( under and acre) for most of my life,, YES the rototiller is the only way to go. You really dont need to get down 18 or 20 inches in the dirt, every thing except trees grows in the top 6 inches anyway. Also the tiller is quicker, prepairs a better seed bed, and is a lot easyer on you and your machine. Yeah I know the cost is a lot more than the stuff you might make or find at a farm sale. But when its all said at the end of the day you will be a lot beter off with the tiller. UNLESS all your doing is food plots for deer, then it really doesnt matter how you get the ground dug up. But if your going to garden it, the tiller is the way to go..
Just MHO understand

 

[knightgang]

Ok, you guys sold me on a toto tiller, however shouldn't new ground be broken and turned with a bottom plow to kill the roots and existing vegetation prior to tilling.

We have done small backyard gardens in the past (20x40ft) kind of gardens, weeds has always been a huge issue and we have not gotten much from it.

I was hoping that having quite a bit more space and a tractor would make working and maintaining the ground easier to reduce some weeds and make gardening more enjoyable.

Also, I believe in planting in bed rows. Everyone around here does, so back to the bedder. I was planning on building one, can I feasibly pull a 2 or 3 row bedder with my tractor?


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[ShaunRH]

Also, I believe in planting in bed rows. Everyone around here does, so back to the bedder. I was planning on building one, can I feasibly pull a 2 or 3 row bedder with my tractor?

If you can build one, you can make a bedding attachment for your tiller...

http://www.millerwelds.com/interests/projects/we-build/home/project/8519303517

 

[knightgang]

That is awesome. Yes, I could make that. That is a great idea, thanks...

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

No you don't need to turn it over to get rid of the weeds, the tiller will do that for you.

 

[skeets]

Shaun that is the carts arse !!!! I wish I had thought of that,, OFF TO THE SCRAP YARD

 

[knightgang]

If you can build one, you can make a bedding attachment for your tiller...

http://www.millerwelds.com/interests/projects/we-build/home/project/8519303517

Anyone have any other specs on the bedder that is on that miller welds picture? I was wondering more about the deminsion specs (of course to fit the rototiller) but also about how they attached it to the tiller.

 

[zload]

If you prefer to go "old school" a cool little multi-purpose gardening implement is the Keulavator Frame sold by AgriSupply (lots of locations in GA). You can add various attachments to bed, cultivate etc.

For the record I pull a 14" single bottom turn plow with my B2400 and have a Cole A frame cultivator, Cole 12MX planter and a separate Cole fertilizer distributor that can be used across multiple attachments for laying down fertilizer below the bed during initial planting or side dressing while cultivating. I also use a disc harrow and a "middle buster" plow. There is something very soul satisfying about watching dirt roll off of a turn plow

I usually plant a "garden" that's close to an acre and then several acres of corn watermelons etc. So having the ability to use the tractor to cultivate and apply additional fertilizer is important.

 

[Diydave]

If you prefer to go "old school" a cool little multi-purpose gardening implement is the Keulavator Frame sold by AgriSupply (lots of locations in GA). You can add various attachments to bed, cultivate etc.

For the record I pull a 14" single bottom turn plow with my B2400 and have a Cole A frame cultivator, Cole 12MX planter and a separate Cole fertilizer distributor that can be used across multiple attachments for laying down fertilizer below the bed during initial planting or side dressing while cultivating. I also use a disc harrow and a "middle buster" plow. There is something very soul satisfying about watching dirt roll off of a turn plow

I usually plant a "garden" that's close to an acre and then several acres of corn watermelons etc. So having the ability to use the tractor to cultivate and apply additional fertilizer is important.

X2 on the keulivator. I use mine with the rolling cultivator to bury potato rows deeper. Not a big fan of the big sweeps on the keulivator, I bent one, because it's cheap chinese steel. Good thing is is that IH sweeps from old vultivators are plentiful and cheap at auctions, and will interchange with the keulivator clamps...

Oh, and Agrisupply has locations all throughout the South, I go to the one in Petersburg Va, about 3-1/2 hrs away. Same chinese junk as TSC, but they actually usually stock things in their stores, a novel concept that has yet to catch on at tough sh!t charlies...

 

[knightgang]

Yeah, I have a TSC 10 minutes away and Agri Supply 30 minutes the other direction.


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