Plowing Advise

samven · Mar 4, 2012

I am getting ready to start a new garden and need to break the sod and turn it in. I am wondering if my B7500HST can handle a single bottom plow. I have the Turf tires on it and they are calcium loaded. Everything I read says you need 20 hp per bottom and I dont want to do any damage to the transmission and cant afford a new set of tires just for this project. Maybe a set of chains if they would make a suitable substitute for Ag tires. Otherwise I have to find someone with a larger tractor and pay for the job.

flusher · Mar 4, 2012

samven said:
I am getting ready to start a new garden and need to break the sod and turn it in. I am wondering if my B7500HST can handle a single bottom plow. I have the Turf tires on it and they are calcium loaded. Everything I read says you need 20 hp per bottom and I dont want to do any damage to the transmission and cant afford a new set of tires just for this project. Maybe a set of chains if they would make a suitable substitute for Ag tires. Otherwise I have to find someone with a larger tractor and pay for the job.

I plowed my lawn area with my 2005 Kubota B7510HST and a middle buster with no damage to the tractor.

A single bottom 12" moldboard plow should work OK with your 7500. My guess is that a properly aligned single bottom plow should pull easier than that middle buster.

Good luck.

moored4 · Mar 4, 2012

Give us some more info!

First off!

:welcome: to TBN! :thumbsup:

Happy :tractor: ing

How big of a garden?

What implements do you have access too!

Verticaltrx · Mar 4, 2012

Your tractor should handle a single bottom 12" plow no problem, even with turf tires. Shouldn't harm the transmission in any way as long as you use low range and keep the throttle up.

If the ground isn't too hard you might get by with a single 14" bottom plow, but I'd try to find a 12".

Chilly807 · Mar 4, 2012

I doubt you'll do any damage to the tractor, use low range as suggested.

The 20 HP per bottom has me a bit skeptical, possibly for a 16" plow that might be true. I use a 12-2 behind my L3400 (35 HP) in clay soil, it has no problems at all pulling it. You should have no trouble with a single bottom, other than possibly traction issues.

Sean

samven · Mar 4, 2012

Thanks Guys,

I am only putting in a 30'x60' garden this year and may enlarge it later. I am in the West Virginia Panhandle and the clay is not a problem but the rocks and ledges can be frustrating. I have been looking for a 12" single bottom moldboard used and have seen 1 or 2 in the $100 price range but didnt want to waste the money if they were not going to work for me. Wish I could mod a Farmall plow to fit a 3pt, saw a real good deal an a nice one with a cutting disk and spring loaded bottom.

PHILIP8N · Mar 4, 2012

What about a tiller? I pull a Dearborn 2-12" trip plow behind my 3000# 1948 Ford 8N that has 28 flywheel horsepower and 18 drawbar horsepower all day in Indiana clay dirt. Not sure where you got that 20hp a bottom quote. If I need a small garden now, I borrow a buddys 6' tiller to pull behind the L3940, really pulverizes the dirt. Philip.

Egon · Mar 4, 2012

Thirty by sixty feet.

A rotatiller may be a better choice as you can till the rows in the garden. The plough turns the ground but then you have to work it with another implement to break it down and smooth it.

DABSGT · Mar 4, 2012

I also make a small garden about 100 x 60 in clay with plenty or rock. Agree that a tiller would be a good investment. I have found that turning with a plow and going over with a harrow makes tilling easier especially if the soil hasn't been turned before. The tiller just doesn't go deep enough fighting clay and rock. I found that if I turn with a plow every 2 years or so the soil is richer.

samven · Mar 4, 2012

I have a small Troy bilt Pony tiller that is about 20 years old. It does a real good job on anything that is semi busted up but I was concerned about trying to till this much sod. The area was part of an enclosed pasture and probably compacted well. I figured to use the tiller to mix in all the compost once I got the ground busted and some of the bigger rocks out.
I know 30x60 is not a big area and I will probably enlarge it later but this year I just dont have the time to prep a bigger garden and fence it for deer and rabbits.