Cutting Harrows

[michellesc7]

Id like to get advice from the group. I have been struggling to get ground broken up ahead of planting mostly vegetables. I have chisel plow and small 18 inch very old harrows and two 4wd tractors 43 hp and 65 hp. The 65 hp barely pulls the 7 shank chisel plow and this is a very slow and very costly (in diesel fuel) process.

I am looking at Frontier medium duty, and not too heavy or wide- offset harrows 32 series (20") and regular harrows 13 series (22") through my John Deere dealer who is really working with me on the purchase amount and financing.
Very competitive in comparing with other brands.

So which is better for cutting sandy loam ground with less than a year's worth of weeds? I want to cut the organic matter into the soil a couple of times then plant. Yes I am dealing with the weeds banks.

I would the experienced advice from those of you who prepare ag land for planting but have smaller tractors like I do.

Thanks
Michelle

 

[pjbci]

Either of the two you mentioned will do the job just fine. I personally would get the regular disk harrow over the offset because of ease of use and a regular harrow is not as finicky about being adjusted just right to keep it from building ridges. Also an offset likes only allows you to turn one way and not the other. You can turn either way with a regular tandem harrow. Just my thoughts.

Oh by the way, i just finished preparing 939 acres for soybeans with a regular tandem wing fold disk.

 

[jeff9366]

This thread may provide some useful information on cutting harrow issues:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/275147-disc-harrow-primer-howse-disc.html

 

[2deererod]

I worked about half of my soybean land with a John Deere 2640 and a 12' John Deere TWA bog harrow. I also have an 8' offset harrow that pulls just as hard. If the ground is hard the offset does a better job getting in the ground. Both harrows leave a furrow. BTW doing to much turning with a harrow in the ground is a good way to push the bearings out.