Tillin like a villain

[chiefbkt]

So just bought a new tiller last week and finally got to use it yesterday. Hot damn does that thing kick some butt! I tilled our gardens and was so amazed I went and tore up some new ground for a food plot. Having lunch now then going to go spray roundup and find some more ground to tear up.

[growalot]

It can be fun. Ours is older and I have used it a lot...well the tines were about worn through so Mr B replaced them this year...HOLY COW...I didn't realize how hard it had been tilling...lol  She is a munching mulching monster now...I have gone in and tilled 9" high red clover between my garlic .I wanted to see how it would handle it with out mowing . Completely turned it over cut it up and buried it to rot....Going out now to work in a bit of lime and put up tomato fences in a new spot. Tomatoes need lots of lime(calcium) to avoid blossom end rot :

http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.cfm?number=C938

[landtracdeerhunter]

Is this a pto. driven tiller for behind the tractor or a walk behind?

[growalot]

mines a walk behind

[chiefbkt]

We have an older walk behind that runs great and in no way what so ever is that fun to use! But our main garden is 50 X 100 and we have a smaller one that is 20 X 40 as well. So I splurged and bought a 5' tiller for the tractor. I should have mentioned that earlier! The thing is awesome. Took about 10-15 minutes to do both gardens.

[landtracdeerhunter]

The tractor 3 point hitch pto tillers are super nice. I plow first, then go on with the tiller. With the plow furrow first, then corner to corner to get three passes. Needs rolling as the seed bed is to loose. I notice the plants grow better and quicker.  I need to get another as I sold mine after three years of use for a nice profit. Helps to get them wholesale, but the freight is a killer.

We also use a smaller version. My son just picked up a couple year old Husqvarna 300 a some cc. Third owner as it had a problem eating drive belts. Tuned out the dealer never adjusted the belt guide, as was rubbing the belt. Quick fix and runs like a charm. 

[growalot]

No way could I use a 3pt tiller for plots here....but our Husqvarna works great on our 180 x 80 ft garden and several of the smaller woodland plots...I will also use it around the trees in the tree plot this summer ...to avoid root damage....I like tilling.

[Adkhunter1590]

Wish I had a tractor with a tiller. But I did get some earth churned up with my atv and groundhog max disc today!

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[LetEmGrow]

Congrats on the tiller.  If I were you I would keep a good eye on it.  Tilling virgin ground puts a ton of torque on those things.  I know first hand because I destroyed one a couple years ago.  Unbelievably, the manufacturer (big brand name tractor maker) rebuilt it for free and I was clueless as clueless gets.  We have clay soil around here and it gets very hard.  Like you, I was going along great, early in the year, when the soil was moist and there were no weeds.   But then it got a little later in the spring, a few more weeds (roots are tougher than you think), and harder ground as days got warmer on our clays.  

 

First I completely broke the hitch arm on one side (suddenly the tiller just fell to the ground and started to drag).  At the same time I bent the other arm.  We replaced those and exclaimed "POS Tractor Maker".  But then we went back out with it (setting it much shallower) and basically blew it up. The ground was way too hard.  This was with a brand new 25 HP tractor with a brand new 50" tiller.

I finally realized it was my fault.  You think that a big $20k investment will go through concrete but don't be fooled.

 

It might depend greatly on your soil but I would seriously, and as a fellow sportsman, caution you about rototilling virgin ground.  You should really have it flipped over first.  I hate to sound like a know-it-all but you will find this to be the general consensus.  It takes a lot of force to rip up ground and that force becomes torque if the soil has not been loosened up in decades.

I hope everything works out for you  

Edited May 26, 2016 by LetEmGrow

[LET EM GROW]

I run a 4' king kutter tiller on my 28hp CAT and it does great even on virgin soil.. i only have it set to till 3-4" of soil. no need to work the full 6-8" depths.. theyre just food plots lol.. plus its harder on the machine/equipment... if slip clutch is set right it shouldnt be too bad.. it still doesnt like big rocks but does a good job and fast, so you can go over it a second time or three if needed

 

I have the bolts on my slip clutch backed off to where they are free, then hand snugged then tightened with a wrench about a 1/4- 1/2 a turn more, and that is all, any more than that the slip clutch wont work ... took me awhile to find its sweet spot.. lol

[LET EM GROW]

(3) TILLED UP PLOTS FROM LAST YEAR,

 

...AND THE MACHINE THAT DOES THE GRUNT WORK LOL

[chiefbkt]

Thanks for the input guys. Most of my property has been worked at some point in the last 10 years. I gave her a go yesterday on some ground that hasn't been touched in a while and it did well. I had it set pretty shallow and just made several passes. I'm pretty impressed so far. I'll try post up a video of it in action!

[LET EM GROW]

For small Seed food plots, that's all you need.. just a few inches.

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