Tiller or Disc?
#1
Thread Starter
Fork Horn
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
From: NE PA
Last year I bought a 32 hp, diesel, Kubota tractor, with a tiller. This past fall was the first time that I attempted a food plot & was happy with the results. However, would a disc be easier to use instead of the tiller for turning over the ground that was planted in brassica?
#2
Probably faster - but unless its soft soil - probably not as deep.
Either will work - I'd try disks - and if its too shallow a cut - switch over to the tiller.
I use Moldboard plows - (2 bottom) and generally tun it over every year. I do usually disk where soybeans were the year before though.

FH
Either will work - I'd try disks - and if its too shallow a cut - switch over to the tiller.
I use Moldboard plows - (2 bottom) and generally tun it over every year. I do usually disk where soybeans were the year before though.

FH
#3
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Depends on soil type. In heavy soils a tiller may do better, but is much slower. Only disks that are probably too heavy for your equipment will really dig heavy clay. In loam or sand I choose a disk as it only take a couple quick passes to really turn the soil deep. Problems with a tiller, though, is that it has a bad habit of clogging up in slightly moist clay soil types. I use both depending on soil type and moisture content.
#4
Boone & Crockett
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,079
Likes: 0
From: Ponce de Leon Florida USA
We usually take a big offset disc for the first pass and then come back with a 8 footdisc before planting. On cereal grains this year we used a spike tooth drag harrow to cover the seeds. Worked great at covering the shallow seeds, but we had about 7 weeks of no rain after planting and the young sprouts dried up and died before they could get started. Now the 60 or so plots we planted look like crap.
#6
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
If you have the money and can afford it, spend it. I have both because specific times require specific equipment to do the best job. I used a disk for years and ended up buying a tiller because there were times it did better. Same goes for the disk. I plant for numerous clients every year and both come in handy. I don't mow fields before I plant and a disk works best because it doesn't clog up. After the field is down and the grass dead, a tiller lays out a flat and firm seed bed. Each situation is different, but I like to have the right equipment to do the best job possible in the quickest amount of time.




