Old Kubota tiller

[5thhorseman]

I am looking for a tiller for my B7000, and came across one that was paired with a B5000 but which the owner doesn't need. I need to find the brackets that fit each side of the PTO (mine are missing) as this is a 2 pt tiller, and need to consider clearances from the back tires (B5000 seems a bit smaller than B7000).

However, I'm told that tillers that come with the grey market Kubotas are actually built for use in ride paddys, i.e. muddy conditions, and therefore aren't too great at working drier soil as we do over here in North America. Our tillers have a more aggressive design and can do much more in one pass.

I was wondering if anyone has used one of these "rice paddy tillers" and can describe their effectiveness.

 

[meanjean]

Did you end up buying it?

 

[5thhorseman]

Nope. Being a novice at this, I've decided to err on the side of caution and wait till I see a few more tillers first. My field has been pasture for the last few years and I think it will be tough work for whatever tiller I get, let alone one designed to work in rice paddies. Also I don't know much about tillers yet. Couldn't spot a slip clutch if it was staring me in the face.

 

[gktilton]

Nope. Being a novice at this, I've decided to err on the side of caution and wait till I see a few more tillers first. My field has been pasture for the last few years and I think it will be tough work for whatever tiller I get, let alone one designed to work in rice paddies. Also I don't know much about tillers yet. Couldn't spot a slip clutch if it was staring me in the face.

How big an area are you planning to till, if really large you might consider a plow and harrow instead of the tiller. Could cost less too, if you watch craigslist close.

 

[5thhorseman]

How big an area are you planning to till, if really large you might consider a plow and harrow instead of the tiller. Could cost less too, if you watch craigslist close.

Yes, I reckon I'll have done good if I got a tiller for less than $1000. I've been on the watch for a plow as well, since it might be worth turning over the soil early this year to give some time for the organic growth to compost, and then till just before planting.

Of the entire property I plan to till probably at most 2 acres, and probably much less than that initially.

 

[Kytim]

Just a 'for what it's worth' moment, thats an awful small tractor to till/plow that much acreage. I'll tell you how I know, I tried it last year. the place hadn't been cultivated in at least 30 yrs. HARD was a good word for the rear portion and swampy for the front. overall I ended up with about a 1/3 of an acre tillable. worked my self and tractor to death for 2 weeks. I plowed it, used a york rake to pull the grass out after using my "new" tiller. I got so tired of the idea I didn't even plant it. I spent a lot of money for a new tiller, rake, and 12 single bottom plow and burned a lot of fuel too. if it hadn't been 4x4 I dont know if it would have done what it did. whew is all I can say! 420ft by 420ft is a big area.

kytim

 

[5thhorseman]

Just a 'for what it's worth' moment, thats an awful small tractor to till/plow that much acreage. I'll tell you how I know, I tried it last year. the place hadn't been cultivated in at least 30 yrs. HARD was a good word for the rear portion and swampy for the front. overall I ended up with about a 1/3 of an acre tillable. worked my self and tractor to death for 2 weeks. I plowed it, used a york rake to pull the grass out after using my "new" tiller. I got so tired of the idea I didn't even plant it. I spent a lot of money for a new tiller, rake, and 12 single bottom plow and burned a lot of fuel too. if it hadn't been 4x4 I dont know if it would have done what it did. whew is all I can say! 420ft by 420ft is a big area.

kytim

My soils is loamy with a little bit of clay, and with good drainage. Hopefully that will make it it easier, but after hearing your story I'll temper my ambitions. Sorry to hear you didn't end up planting

The hard part I expect will be initially breaking the soil. Would you recommend going at it with a plow first or just tilling?

 

[cody]

I have this tiller on my B5000 and have used it with no problem in very hard clay. I’m not sure if there is a difference between a North American style and Japanese tiller but mine works great for a good size garden or turning spare land into lawn. But I would agree with kytim this size of tiller would be time consuming on a large piece of ground. Plus you may want to confirm with Vic but I think the PTO shaft on your tractor is bigger and wouldn’t fit the tiller so this could be a road block in using it. It would be best to confirm that this is not the case before spending any money.

 

[meanjean]

Definitley plow first!

I tilled roughly an acre this past summer.
Broke ground with the first pass, 2nd pass got a bit deeper.
Machine worked pretty hard the whole time.
Crawled along in bull low, SLOW work.
An inch an hour, two feet a day.

Looking to till more area this year, won't do it without plowing first.

 

[Kubota Newbie]

The question nobody has asked is, what do you intend to plant?
That's a pretty small tractor to be tackling 2 acres (approx two US Football fields). If your heart is set on it, you better plow it first. Try to do a good job, 'cause running a tiller over a poor plowing job in old sod will beat the livin be-geebers out of you (running anything over a bad plowing job in old sod will beat the be-geebers out of you). You'll get a better job of plowing in sod if you use a 2-14 or bigger plow, something that you can turn a 7-8 inch deep furrow with and still get it to roll clear over. That's probably more plow than your 'bota will drag.
Don't have a neighbor with a mid-size or small farm tractor that would plow and disk for you?
RC

 

[gktilton]

I am only up to 1/2 an acre at this point. I am tilling it with a 38" tiller behind a 1968 john deere garden tractor. Garden started 5 years ago at 50 x 50, each year I plow and harrow a little more more on the outside and pick rocks for weeks, never end up tilling it until the following spring. The Kubota takes a beating on the harrowing, but it pulles a 10" plow fine. It is definately a slow process. Starting with 2 acres would be easy if you had a large tractor, 2 bottom plow and a rockhound, but otherwise I would start much smaller. At 1/2 an acre I can spend 2 full weekends just getting it planted.

 

[meanjean]

L1801
I want to buy a plow
Problem is I know bugger all about them and don't know what to look for.
Is a 10" plow fine?

 

[5thhorseman]

@cody - The difference is that tines on a North American tiller are in a distinct L shape, whereas the rice paddy tillers are more or less straight. Yeah, I hadn't though of the PTO shaft and hadn't actually taken a close look at mine before I went to see the tiller. In part that led to my hesitancy as I realised I really don't know much about tillers, such as "how do I know the tines are worn? It's encouraging to hear you did well in clay!

@meanjean - Thanks for the advice. I'm reading that you need about 18-20 hp per plow, but I'm not sure about the plow size. I read somewhere that my B7000 could handle a single 12" bottom plow. This seems consistent with what gkilton is saying.

@Kubota Newbie - I plan to put up a couple of large polytunnels/hoophouses for growing peppers, cukes, chilis, and tomatoes. Outside it'll be corn, beans, pumpkins, various squash, etc. I'll be starting small, for personal use, not the whole two acres right away. Thanks for the advice, though I think my tractor can only handle a single 12" plow. I could ask the farmer next door, but wouldn't want to make it a regular habit.

@gkilton - What you're doing is what I wanna do!

 

[meanjean]

Thanks for the advise.
Didn't find anything on kijiji, craigs list next.

My Dad helped me plant a garden last year,
I didn't really think I would care for it, thought it would be a pita.
I have since changed my mind.
My wife and I are already planning to expand the garden and grow a pile of different stuff.
Its a pita, but totally worth it.

 

[150baker]

@cody - The difference is that tines on a North American tiller are in a distinct L shape, whereas the rice paddy tillers are more or less straight. Yeah, I hadn't though of the PTO shaft and hadn't actually taken a close look at mine before I went to see the tiller. In part that led to my hesitancy as I realised I really don't know much about tillers, such as "how do I know the tines are worn? It's encouraging to hear you did well in clay!

@meanjean - Thanks for the advice. I'm reading that you need about 18-20 hp per plow, but I'm not sure about the plow size. I read somewhere that my B7000 could handle a single 12" bottom plow. This seems consistent with what gkilton is saying.

@Kubota Newbie - I plan to put up a couple of large polytunnels/hoophouses for growing peppers, cukes, chilis, and tomatoes. Outside it'll be corn, beans, pumpkins, various squash, etc. I'll be starting small, for personal use, not the whole two acres right away. Thanks for the advice, though I think my tractor can only handle a single 12" plow. I could ask the farmer next door, but wouldn't want to make it a regular habit.

@gkilton - What you're doing is what I wanna do!

I have a b7000. It is rated at 12hp and 9hp at PTO.I have seen pictures of them pulling a one bottom plow but that was in a rice patty. I have clay and would need to plow early spring. I dont know if this B7000 would pull a plow in hard clay or run a tiller. A two cylander tractor is small.
I would like to find a tiller though. I live in WA state and have not seen or heard of many tillers. It is probaly a arduous journey.

 

[Kytim]

Well i used my B7100 pulling a 12 single bottom. 4X4 made a real difference for me. That extra cyl. didn't hurt either. theres something to be said for more cubic inches.

If your a good fabricator or have one in the family find some old 8 or 10 inch sleeve hitch garden tractor plows and make them into a double bottom plow. surely it would pull 2 8's. would be a trial and error thing though. then go over it with your tiller. Also know a good used tiller will run 600 and up to 1300 for new. also, Its hard to find a single bottom that doesn't weight 350lbs.

Kytim

 

[meanjean]

Has anyone got plans/pictures of a 12 inch bottom plow?

 

[Kubota Newbie]

5thhorseman,
Shame you're in BC and not US. USDA has a program now to help people get started out with the high-tunnel hoop houses. RC

BTW, you wouldn't have to plow the whole area, why not just plow long strips wide enough to plant your produce in and leave the inbetween areas grass that can be mowed as a travel-way. You don't want to have to do needless tillage for weed control anyway. Just a thought.

 

[stuart]

That is actually a good plan. With some survey work first, you could till the rows one pass wide, then leave a space for the mower to run down between the rows. Give you perhaps 5' centre to centre. The 4' and 42" brush cutters command a premium at the auction here as they are used to trim between the crop rows. Sometimes there is a disadvantage to having a wide mower.
If you have lots of land available, then the unused portion does not affect your crop yield.

As for the actual tilling of ex-pasture, I found this method to work reasonably well.
- cut the grass as short a possible, several times if necessary. Better if you can 'scalp' it a bit. This prevents the longer grass & roots from fouling the tines.
- run the tiller fairly shallow, just enough to chew up the grass roots.
- rake them away of you want to, if you till the roots in you will have more problem with grass growing through the crop.
-till several passes as deep as possible.

I don't see much difference between 'rice paddy' and other tillers, but there may be some small difference in the shape of the tines. I think the greater difference would be in the length of the tines, and therefore in the maximum depth you can till. Of course, not all crops require the soil to be tilled as deep.

 

[gktilton]

A little late for this year but when converting grass to garden, I like to turn it over with the plow and let it sit. Did the last part of my garden during august and then harrowed and rock picked in september. With the grass upside down it dies and composts.