6ft Rotory Tiller not getting job done
- Thread starter saxon11
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GillieBrook
New member
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2011
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- JD 5105
We use a 6' tiller and have had a 4' tiller on our farm for over 25 years. Virgin soil is tough to break down, so much root mass, dry conditions don't help.
My experience is run over the ground at a higher speed to open up the root mat then let is dry for at least a a week. Follow with a more a aggressive cultivation, slower tiller speeds, disc, or chisel plow. Let the field dry out again then finish with tiller.
Tillers are best to finish a field. Not the best tool for initial cultivation.
Its rare we slip the clutch, sounds as others have suggested, tool adjustment is needed, or you have a defective clutch.
My experience is run over the ground at a higher speed to open up the root mat then let is dry for at least a a week. Follow with a more a aggressive cultivation, slower tiller speeds, disc, or chisel plow. Let the field dry out again then finish with tiller.
Tillers are best to finish a field. Not the best tool for initial cultivation.
Its rare we slip the clutch, sounds as others have suggested, tool adjustment is needed, or you have a defective clutch.
Bobrown14
Gold Member
This exactly - you can use a plow and a disc and be done long before a tiller but the tiller is good for garden size or even a market garden.
I can still till certain soils with my tiller for sweet corn but IF I was doing a large plot no way would I use a tiller.
alpacalips
Member
Three problem is they won't read your comment either.
People will take the time to type out a long response but won't take the time to read the previous comments.
Bill Guenthner
Platinum Member
BigJack601
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- Sep 25, 2019
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- John Deere 3038E
Run a breaking plow over it first.
jyoutz
Super Member
It is good to break the soil with plowing or discing before tilling for the first time, but after the first year, I found that unnecessary for soil prep. I do like to rip or plow in the fall to break up hard pan and allow winter moisture to penetrate deeply.
SEJustice
New member
Soil type and moisture and previous experience in each field is very important in deciding what to do. Agree those who recommended a discing first even in fields that are annually plowed. Too many people expect too much magic from a rotavator- beautiful soil tilth in single pass. Also as you go on you really should (IMHO) look into reduce till, conservation till, strip till, no till as ways to save soil health but also land prep times, machinery and diesel costs.
oosik
Epic Contributor
DEFINITELY - break the ground, first, in one way or the other. I would suggest a multi-scarifier tooth bar.
Back in '82 I broke ground for our garden with a Troy Bilt Horse. This spot had NEVER been broken previously. It was a rough ride that I would never repeat.
Back in '82 I broke ground for our garden with a Troy Bilt Horse. This spot had NEVER been broken previously. It was a rough ride that I would never repeat.
ParkWhite
Member
Small cultivator or even better a small chisel plow sounds like a good idea. My clay/rocky soil likes to compact so bad that the tiller just bounces up and down on new ground. If you have a neighbor that is working ground with a big tractor they would do you a great favor to go over this field and get it broken up first.
I sew a heavy cover crop every fall. All those winter wheat roots help to keep the soil from compacting.
Good luck!
I sew a heavy cover crop every fall. All those winter wheat roots help to keep the soil from compacting.
Good luck!