Use for 'potato digger'

[BAGTIC]

Use for \'potato digger\'

Until recently I hadn't found a good use for the potato digger. I can't plow straight enough in reverse to make a respectable furrow that I would not be embarassed to let anyone see. I tried reversing the blade so I could see where I was going. It helped but it doesn't seem to dig as deep in my rocky clay when going forward.

One day I was trying to rotortill, a very frustrating and slow experience in my soil. I hooked up the potato digger and drove all around the garden site without even trying to keep a line. I was just using the digger as a ripper to loosen the packed soil. To my delight I discovered that 'pre-ripping' the soil makes the tiller work so much faster and better that overall it probably cut my total time in half from what it had formerly been trying to rotortill in a single pass.

 

[pajoube]

Re: Use for \'potato digger\'

I think you hit it right on as to what most of us use the potato digger for. Many have stated they use it to bring rocks to the surface, others like myself break up the soil. For an attachment that is very little cost it sure can come in handy and save much labor.
PJ

 

[tracdoc]

Re: Use for \'potato digger\'

Thanks for the tip. That's a great application for this handy attachment. I am going to try it in an area in which I have trouble growing grass---lightly rip the area, add topsoil and amendments, compact w/ LM bucket, and seed.

With the potato digger blade reversed, one has to be mindful of the angle, as FOURTEEN has pointed out to us{HERE} or you'll be digging to China. On 'float' the plunge can start quickly. I noticed the same behavior when I reversed the tines on the rake attachment. It's marvelous to rake forward (especially in a few weeks when the leaves start falling). However, on 'float' the rake wants to take a dive if you are not watching closely. It seems to work better for me to manually adjust the angle and level of rake with the joystick instead of using float.

 

[J_J]

Re: Use for \'potato digger\'

Why do they call it a tater digger. Does anyone dig taters with this implement?

 

[BAGTIC]

Re: Use for \'potato digger\'

When I was young and drove a Caterpillar D-7 on a 1,400 acre farm such devices were refered to as 'listers'. Of course the Cat would pull six big ones creating a half-dozen beds at a time for planting sorghum, sugar beets, or tomatoes.

 

[FOURTEEN]

Re: Use for \'potato digger\'

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Why do they call it a 'tater digger'. )</font>


<font color="red"> They don't! They call it a "Potato Digger"!! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

PS: Potatoes are usually planted shallowly in sandy soil. To harvest them the Potato Digger is pulled along the row at a depth just below the level of the potatoes. If done correctly, the potatoes will pop to the surface untouched, where they can be simply gathered up! </font>

 

[FOURTEEN]

Re: Use for \'potato digger\'

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I discovered that 'pre-ripping' the soil makes the tiller work so much faster and better )</font>


<font color="red"> Since I do not have a tiller, but do have red clay soil, I spread a layer of composted mulch over the soil, and use the Potato Digger to mix it in, creating genuine imitation loam! </font>

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[strickm]

I'm in the market for a 1 row Potato Digger/Harvester/ whatever you wish to call it. I live in SE GA and own a small farm that I'm just now getting into growing different crops. Planted one 125 ft row of potatoes last year with super great success and want to expand. Have dirt...Will plant!

Any suggestions or info would ne greatly appreciated!

Mike

 

[bp fick]

I'm in the market for a 1 row Potato Digger/Harvester/ whatever you wish to call it. I live in SE GA and own a small farm that I'm just now getting into growing different crops. Planted one 125 ft row of potatoes last year with super great success and want to expand. Have dirt...Will plant!

Any suggestions or info would ne greatly appreciated!

Mike

Hey Mike. Welcome to TBN.

I use a middle buster. It works very, very well. In fact, these were often called a potato plow, back in the day.

 

[J_J]

Here is a potato digger.