Question About Food Plot/Green Field Preparation

[timebak]

I've got a BX2230 and am planning on buying a King Kutter 48" TG-48-XB-O PTO-driven tiller for it. This is a very well-built, tough, gear-drive tiller made for the BX size of CUT's. My property is 43 acres of heavily forested hills and hollers. I've got three or four places cleared where I'm planning on putting in food plots for deer. I've run tractor-powered tillers on smaller tractors enough to know that when tilling new, virgin ground you have to go slowly and take multiple light passes to keep from bogging the tractor down and also to get the best seedbed. BUT, I've never run a tiller on as small a tractor as my BX2230, which has around 17hp at the PTO. BTW, I'm running the ag tread tires on all four corners of my BX, which greatly help the traction compared to turf or R4 type tread.

These food plots are land that I've recently cleared out in the woods, and by clearing, I mean that all I've done at this point is cut the trees. I didn't pull any stumps at all.

Now, finally my questions:

1): Do you think that, if I take it slow and easy, this tiller on this tractor will cut through the (many) smaller tree roots (say up to 1" thick) that are in these fields?

2): Do you think that it would do any good to pull a ripper/subsoiler through the field before tilling them?

3): If the answer to question 2 is yes, do you think my BX2230 could pull a small, single tine, ripper/subsoiler through those fields being careful to not let it run more than 5" or 6" deep?

I know that I won't be able to cut through roots much larger than an inch, and that I'll have to till much shallower around the larger stumps in the fields, but I'm hoping that I can eventually till down to around 4" to 6" deep away from the larger stumps.

Thanks in advance,
Tim

 

[vtsnowedin]

I think the ripper is a good idea and that you will soon find out just how big a root or stump has to be to stop you in your tracks. In the spring when it is still wet you might get a lot done but your sure to have stumps left you can't rip out or till through. But do what you can and plant it. the deer won't mind munching around a few tree stumps if you plant them something nutritious.

 

[jeff9366]

You have quite a lot of land. No reason to get too close to the stumps, is there?

Consider sewing one of the perennial NO-TILL, clover based seed mixes close to the stumps. Sew taller seed mix in the unobstructed area.

Put out a $6 salt block.

I would spend the next increment of implement money on a Cultipacker for properly rolling in seed before I would acquire a sub-soiler for food plots.

I like to cooperate with conditions rather than fighting them. Stumps will rot in time.

How much sun will your plots get?