Will a DISK do me what I need??

cisco · May 14, 2006

Just did a small patch that I intend as a vegetable garden. It was hard pack, and my neighbor, trying the same task on his property, had used a disc with a couple of 6X6" posts strapped across such for weight - only scratched the surface, but after 1 zillion passes got some decent 6" grooves in the soil. So .... I used my subsoiler, which I had purchased for laying electric cable. Got about 18" into the ground, behind an L3410 4WD, and the only time I had traction problems was when a tree root was snared. So, after 1/4 zillion passes, I had the ground really torn up, and deeply too. Then, I layed a couple of loads of good topsoil onto that broken ground, and finally use the discs to mix things up (if I'd had access to a tiller, it'd be even better) - you only have to really deeply tear up the ground once, and thereafter yearly maintenance is a lot easier.

cisco · May 14, 2006

Just did a small patch that I intend as a vegetable garden. It was hard pack, and my neighbor, trying the same task on his property, had used a disc with a couple of 6X6" posts strapped across such for weight - only scratched the surface, but after 1 zillion passes got some decent 6" grooves in the soil. So .... I used my subsoiler, which I had purchased for laying electric cable. Got about 18" into the ground, behind an L3410 4WD, and the only time I had traction problems was when a tree root was snared. So, after 1/4 zillion passes, I had the ground really torn up, and deeply too. Then, I layed a couple of loads of good topsoil onto that broken ground, and finally use the discs to mix things up (if I'd had access to a tiller, it'd be even better) - you only have to really deeply tear up the ground once, and thereafter yearly maintenance is a lot easier.

Sully2 · May 15, 2006

18 inches deep!!?? Good Lord! You guys ave definately missed the point!!!

Sully2 · May 15, 2006

18 inches deep!!?? Good Lord! You guys ave definately missed the point!!!

flINTLOCK · May 15, 2006

What about a 3-pt reverse tine tiller running v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y?? Should dig in better than forward tiller. I used a walk behind reverse tiller on hardpan clay when planting my yard.

flINTLOCK · May 15, 2006

What about a 3-pt reverse tine tiller running v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y?? Should dig in better than forward tiller. I used a walk behind reverse tiller on hardpan clay when planting my yard.

cisco · May 15, 2006

Hmm, not really, unless your crops have very shallow roots (e.g., grass that's cut for hay multiple times a summer). For the seeds to get started, a yearly discing or tilling are all that is needed - blends in last year's leftover and softens up the soil layer where seeds germinate and put out roots. Now, for stuff that sets up deep roots and grows during a long season, having the "hard pan" under your disc'd soil is useful, and many farmers around here break that "hard pan" up every 5 years or so. Me, I couldn't get the disc to cut into the surface of the never planted soil I had, so resorted to the subsoiler to tear things up, and got the deep stuff as a bonus. Cheap and easy.
Some planting expensive grape vines will literally excavate (dig out with a back hoe and turn over) the soil under a planned arbor line, so the vines can easily put down very deep roots.

cisco · May 15, 2006

Hmm, not really, unless your crops have very shallow roots (e.g., grass that's cut for hay multiple times a summer). For the seeds to get started, a yearly discing or tilling are all that is needed - blends in last year's leftover and softens up the soil layer where seeds germinate and put out roots. Now, for stuff that sets up deep roots and grows during a long season, having the "hard pan" under your disc'd soil is useful, and many farmers around here break that "hard pan" up every 5 years or so. Me, I couldn't get the disc to cut into the surface of the never planted soil I had, so resorted to the subsoiler to tear things up, and got the deep stuff as a bonus. Cheap and easy.
Some planting expensive grape vines will literally excavate (dig out with a back hoe and turn over) the soil under a planned arbor line, so the vines can easily put down very deep roots.

Trev · May 15, 2006

Hi Sully,

Having just read through this, my first thought was that you might want to consider renting various implements so you can find out how they work in your situation? Should be pretty cheap, I would think.. and it shouldn't take you long to get your answer.

Bob

Expert opinions: $5 ... I shut up: $10 /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Trev · May 15, 2006

Hi Sully,

Having just read through this, my first thought was that you might want to consider renting various implements so you can find out how they work in your situation? Should be pretty cheap, I would think.. and it shouldn't take you long to get your answer.

Bob

Expert opinions: $5 ... I shut up: $10 /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Sully2 · May 16, 2006

( Hi Sully,

Having just read through this, my first thought was that you might want to consider renting various implements so you can find out how they work in your situation? Should be pretty cheap, I would think.. and it shouldn't take you long to get your answer.

Bob

Expert opinions: $5 ... I shut up: $10 /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )

RENT?? I aint made out of money!..lol Actually..it hard t find SMALLER impliments to grent. I can get a 12 ft wide disk..lol...but cant use that!!

I didn find a guy with a 35HP Ford diesel that has a 4 1/2 ft wide set of disks...so I can borrow them in the spring to try it out. If it works for me I may go head and buy them. My "farmer buddy" has got about every Cat 1 implement known..execpt....you guessed it!!.... A set of disks..lol

Sully2 · May 16, 2006

( Hi Sully,

Having just read through this, my first thought was that you might want to consider renting various implements so you can find out how they work in your situation? Should be pretty cheap, I would think.. and it shouldn't take you long to get your answer.

Bob

Expert opinions: $5 ... I shut up: $10 /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )

RENT?? I aint made out of money!..lol Actually..it hard t find SMALLER impliments to grent. I can get a 12 ft wide disk..lol...but cant use that!!

I didn find a guy with a 35HP Ford diesel that has a 4 1/2 ft wide set of disks...so I can borrow them in the spring to try it out. If it works for me I may go head and buy them. My "farmer buddy" has got about every Cat 1 implement known..execpt....you guessed it!!.... A set of disks..lol

gmsssi · May 16, 2006

Funny timing for this thread...........I just bought the 800 pound king kutter 6.5' adjustable box frame disc harrow at the local TSC. Hooked it up to the Dk45s and did 3 acres of various clay, shale, topsoil, briar, weed and grass. The land is hill side and the top was pretty hard with clay and shale and the lower was top and sprouting weeds Started at 16 degree, the way it came set, made level and tilt adjustments and it barely scratched the surface. I got a little worried, 800 pounds had to be enough... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Set it at 30 degrees and got 2-3" of penetration. WOW, just what the new acreage needed, 2 hours later I was done! Tractor didn't even know it was back there. Going to do it again in about a week then rake and plant grass. In this case the adjustable appeared to be the ticket but it's the first disc I ever ran. Just my note and comment to the thread........

gmsssi · May 16, 2006

Funny timing for this thread...........I just bought the 800 pound king kutter 6.5' adjustable box frame disc harrow at the local TSC. Hooked it up to the Dk45s and did 3 acres of various clay, shale, topsoil, briar, weed and grass. The land is hill side and the top was pretty hard with clay and shale and the lower was top and sprouting weeds Started at 16 degree, the way it came set, made level and tilt adjustments and it barely scratched the surface. I got a little worried, 800 pounds had to be enough... /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif Set it at 30 degrees and got 2-3" of penetration. WOW, just what the new acreage needed, 2 hours later I was done! Tractor didn't even know it was back there. Going to do it again in about a week then rake and plant grass. In this case the adjustable appeared to be the ticket but it's the first disc I ever ran. Just my note and comment to the thread........

Highbeam · May 16, 2006

Cool. What kind of cost on that 800 lb beast?

Highbeam · May 16, 2006

Cool. What kind of cost on that 800 lb beast?

Sully2 · May 16, 2006

MUCHO appreciate the post Greg. Im looking toward a small set of disks..with a smaller tractor ( B3030 Kubota) and MUCH smaller parcals of ground...about 150 x 200 each time. So when I get on it..if it takes me 2-3 hrs to get it broken up..thats cool....then come back in a week after drying out some more..and have a go at it again.

Waiting here now for the rain to GO AWAY..lol. Ive got 50-60 Hosta's to get out along with the other plants.

Sully2 · May 16, 2006

MUCHO appreciate the post Greg. Im looking toward a small set of disks..with a smaller tractor ( B3030 Kubota) and MUCH smaller parcals of ground...about 150 x 200 each time. So when I get on it..if it takes me 2-3 hrs to get it broken up..thats cool....then come back in a week after drying out some more..and have a go at it again.

Waiting here now for the rain to GO AWAY..lol. Ive got 50-60 Hosta's to get out along with the other plants.

gmsssi · May 17, 2006

I looked at Howse, Hawkline, Landpride and King Kutter. I got a lot of recommendations to the KK, so I bought it .....and BTW it was the cheapest at TSC for $955. Northern wants $1099 for the same one.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/NTELargeImageView?rfno=200311215&storeId=6970

Howse

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/NTELargeImageView?rfno=200054274&storeId=6970

Landpride - $1200+

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-6ft-4in-Disc-Harrow-tractor-implement-by-Land-Pride_W0QQitemZ7555441774QQcategoryZ66887QQcmdZViewItem

Hawkline - 6.5' could be had for about $900, just thought the KK looked heavier and was much more accessable for purchase..... 12 months no interest mothers day weekend.. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-7-1-2-Foot-3-Pt-Adjustable-Disk-Harrow-Cat-I-II_W0QQitemZ7611583966QQcategoryZ66887QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

The angle frames were in the $600-$700 range. Adjustments would have taken a lot more time due to having to remove 8 bolts, reposition, then rebolt. The KK box frame takes two bolts, slide disc to position then rebolt and I see no reason not to use clevis' instead of bolts. The box frame is also 300# more.

gmsssi · May 17, 2006

I looked at Howse, Hawkline, Landpride and King Kutter. I got a lot of recommendations to the KK, so I bought it .....and BTW it was the cheapest at TSC for $955. Northern wants $1099 for the same one.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/NTELargeImageView?rfno=200311215&storeId=6970

Howse

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/NTELargeImageView?rfno=200054274&storeId=6970

Landpride - $1200+

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-6ft-4in-Disc-Harrow-tractor-implement-by-Land-Pride_W0QQitemZ7555441774QQcategoryZ66887QQcmdZViewItem

Hawkline - 6.5' could be had for about $900, just thought the KK looked heavier and was much more accessable for purchase..... 12 months no interest mothers day weekend.. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

http://cgi.ebay.com/New-7-1-2-Foot-3-Pt-Adjustable-Disk-Harrow-Cat-I-II_W0QQitemZ7611583966QQcategoryZ66887QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

The angle frames were in the $600-$700 range. Adjustments would have taken a lot more time due to having to remove 8 bolts, reposition, then rebolt. The KK box frame takes two bolts, slide disc to position then rebolt and I see no reason not to use clevis' instead of bolts. The box frame is also 300# more.