Have tractor, need attachments for these tasks…

[LADPT]

After much research here and elsewhere over several years I picked up a used [AFFILIATE=1, nofollow=true, newwindow=true, title="Kubota"]Kubota[/AFFILIATE] L4240 GST. Now it’s time to get some attachments for some particular tasks. I’ll lay out what I have currently, tasks, and what I think I need. Please advise.

Tractor implements on hand:
6ft & 5ft rotary cutters, 6ft & 5ft disc harrows, 6ft multi-row cultivator, 6ft chain harrow drag, 6ft box blade with rippers, 10ft disc harrow with hydraulic wheels, fertilizer/seed spreader.

Mahindra 4530 (2k heavier than mine) and Takeuchi TL130 skid steer with grapple, bucket and an assortment of digging scoops.

Tasks:

I’m installing an orchard of ~400 trees, bushes and vines. Some of that is in a sandy rocky field we usually plant for large food plot. Some will be planted after reclaiming an acre of pines. Been digging them out with skid steer and will have a big chore to clean up. Dozen or so dead mature oaks to clear out too. This ground is clay and I’m thinking about subsoiling to break up roots, increase drainage and work some amendments in.

1500ft drive needs major overhaul then regular maintenance.

My back is in rough shape and I need an easy way to gather limbs.

Will need to move large amounts of piled up mulch to orchard rows.

Plans: heavy duty root rake for cleanup, limbs, gravel driveway, level food plots, etc. 42” forks for pallets and brush. Subsoiler for general farming, breaking up clay and laying water lines. Possibly Land plane if a better option for drive. Maybe toothbar?

Planning to split cost for rototiller with dad this Fall.

Is top-tilt a high priority considering the cost? No immediate plans for 3rd function up front with skid steer & grapple sitting here.

Thanks for advice and helping me spend wisely.

 

[LADPT]

Pics

 

[Hoss710]

thinking post hole digger for planting those trees. a land plane ( EA makes a really nice 1 . it remindsme of a box blade with short angled edges). and or also a Harley rake.

 

[Wolfy]

The box blade you have and a grader blade that tilts both ways is best for a gravel driveway. Everyone I know that bought a land plane was disappointed and sold it.

 

[leonz]

After much research here and elsewhere over several years I picked up a used Kubota L4240 GST. Now it’s time to get some attachments for some particular tasks. I’ll lay out what I have currently, tasks, and what I think I need. Please advise.

Tractor implements on hand:
6ft & 5ft rotary cutters, 6ft & 5ft disc harrows, 6ft multi-row cultivator, 6ft chain harrow drag, 6ft box blade with rippers, 10ft disc harrow with hydraulic wheels, fertilizer/seed spreader.

Mahindra 4530 (2k heavier than mine) and Takeuchi TL130 skid steer with grapple, bucket and an assortment of digging scoops.

Tasks:

I’m installing an orchard of ~400 trees, bushes and vines. Some of that is in a sandy rocky field we usually plant for large food plot. Some will be planted after reclaiming an acre of pines. Been digging them out with skid steer and will have a big chore to clean up. Dozen or so dead mature oaks to clear out too. This ground is clay and I’m thinking about subsoiling to break up roots, increase drainage and work some amendments in.

1500ft drive needs major overhaul then regular maintenance.

My back is in rough shape and I need an easy way to gather limbs.

Will need to move large amounts of piled up mulch to orchard rows.

Plans: heavy duty root rake for cleanup, limbs, gravel driveway, level food plots, etc. 42” forks for pallets and brush. Subsoiler for general farming, breaking up clay and laying water lines. Possibly Land plane if a better option for drive. Maybe toothbar?

Planning to split cost for rototiller with dad this Fall.

Is top-tilt a high priority considering the cost? No immediate plans for 3rd function up front with skid steer & grapple sitting here.

Thanks for advice and helping me spend wisely.

The only way you will gain anything is use espalier planting to establish your
orchard after you have done all the land work and make much less work for you in total.

Renting a FECON self propelled forestry mulcher will do all your clearing and land
leveling for you in one pass and dig below ground level to get rid of roots.

You do not want to use wood mulch as it will provide cover for rats and mice,
you just need to get rid of the mulch or sell it and use black plastic mulch.

You need gypsum to dissolve the clay in the soil and lime to balance the PH
after you have cleared it, picked out the rocks and then tilled in concrete sand,
gypsum and lime in the tree rows.

Renting a vibrating plow or Toro dingo trencher will be a faster way to install
water line's as a subsoiler can get you into a lot of trouble with deeper roots and rocks.
Installing utilities like water lines requires a square trench and the water lines placed in
larger black poly lines in the trench along the wall of the and held in place by shovel full's
of dirt until the trench is back filled

You need a great deal of weight and adhesion to use a sub soiler and the slits are not wide
enough to set water lines.

The fastest way to plant rootstock or potted trees is to use a post hole digger and a
tree transplanting auger. You do not want to use a fencing auger as it will not penetrate
quickly to depth and create a wide bottom base for the plant rootstock or potted trees.

The more preparation to you do the easier it will be to plant with the espalier method using
the tree transplanting auger to set the posts then the root stock and pots and then the support
wires to train the tree limbs and canes. The other thing is the espalier method will let you keep the
branches very low and still grow plenty of fruit as the orchard will be easier prune, weed, fertilize
and spray oils and soaps in the off season.

 

[2manyrocks]

I'd recommend a box blade for working your gravel driveway. A grapple will make it easier to gather limbs.

 

[Williy]

I enjoy using my land plane will never sell it
glad I didn't purchase a box blade

willy

 

[LADPT]

Well, after some more research and thought I have in my EA cart: Post-hole Digger with 6” & 18” augers, Pine Needle rake, 42” Forks. Planning to borrow a land plane grader and dads box blade to work on the drive.

 

[leonz]

Your augers are too small, you need a tapered transplant auger with a flat base spiral on the bottom.

I forgot to add this but one transplant auger is all you will need for everything you intend to do.
A wider tapered auger pulls everything away from the hole as it sinks in and the rocks along with the dirt.

 

[jyoutz]

For driveway construction or reconstruction a box blade is best. For driveway maintenance, I don’t like box blades. A heavy rear blade that is capable of offsetting and tilting is the implement that I prefer.