Tiller?
 

i was wondereing if i could start my plot with just a PTO driven tiller or do i need a plow?

RE: Tiller?
 

Yes, many people use a tiller only. But, I wouldn't want to go much more than an acre or two.

RE: Tiller?
 

It'll be a lot easier on the tractor to use a plow first, a tiller is doable though

RE: Tiller?
 

Thats all I use.

RE: Tiller?
 

thanks guys all im gonna do with it is about 1 -2 acres

RE: Tiller?
 

I wish I could use a tiller, but its way to rocky where my plots are.

RE: Tiller?
 

Most people use a disc or cultivator just for speed and less fuel usage. A tiller is actually better. The soil has a finer consistancy and is mixxed thoroughly. This makes a perfect seed bed. And promotes a better root system. If you have a little tractor you may want to rev it up pretty good and use 1st. If you have 40 or more hp you can probably get by with half throttle or a little less in second. Just keep in mind you want the engine revved up enough and puttlng along so you are churning the soil. This will dig the rocks up. If you lug the motor it is possible to break the crank in the worst case or pto in the best. You want the strain to be on the tiller tines instead of the engine if it hits a big boulder under ground. I have never broken a tine. But have seen 3 guys break their cranks on 20 hp or so gas tractors from lugging the engine at low rpm. Just don't get in a hurry and don't get cheap on the fuel usage. One more tip, you may considder tilling twice. Let's say your model goes 8" deep. Till 4" then wait 2 weeks for emergence then go 8". I have good results doing that without using roundup.
Blessings

RE: Tiller?
 

mine is 20ish hp diesel

RE: Tiller?
 

I use an old 24hp diesel kabota and a 5ft tiller and it workrd just fine. Just go slow.This tractor has a 3 speed pto and I put it in 1st for more power. I did about 1.5 acres tilled itand then ran a lime wagon this fall and used about 2gal gas. Then I will till it this spring just befor I plant. Illsee how it works.

RE: Tiller?
 

I'm not a big fan of tillers. They are very hard on the soil, especially with prolonged use.

RE: Tiller?
 

All soil working implements are hard on the soil over time, but the tiller has the least impact.

RE: Tiller?
 

I use a tiller to work up my garden and plots. It's a little work doing a large area, but it does look nice when you are done. It also allows you to get in places where a tractor can't get.

RE: Tiller?
 

It actually has the most impact. It completely demolishes the soils natural structure in the zone it works, leaves it the most susceptible to wind and water erosion, and reduces the organic matter content of the soil the fastest.

RE: Tiller?
 

Sorry for the double post.

RE: Tiller?
 

Yeah, and so does every other tillage method. The whole point is to break up the soil and creat a good seed bed. The end result is exactly the same no matterwhat method is used.A tiller creates less compaction over time compared tothe traditional plow/disc method. That is why it's often referred to as "plow pan".

RE: Tiller?
 

Not exactly.

Different tillage operations have different impacts on soil organic matter, which probably the most important component of the soil. Soil organic matter serves some very important functions. It serves as a nutrient bank, storing nutrients in plant available form. It tends to attract and store certain nutrients, as well as providing nutrients as it decays. And since it is largely based on plant matter, it contains most if not all of the essential elements plants need. In addition, it absorbs and holds moisture, and can improve water infiltration rates. It also improves soil tilth, soil structure, and helps to minimize soil and nutrient loss to erosion. The amount buried by the tillage operation and the size of the pieces it leaves has a large impact how quickly it decays. A tiller chops it into fine pieces and buries most of it, making it decay much quicker. It also incorporates more air into the soil, burning off even more OM and drying the soil. On the other hand, a chisel plow or subsoiler appropriately equipped will only bury about 15-20% of the standing OM at a time. The OM left on the surface helps prevent erosion, slows the movement of water, and increases infiltration. And these type implements do not chop the residue, resulting in much slower decay. A larger percentage of the soil organic matter will remain for maturing crops.

Tillers and disks also create much more compaction than something like a chisel plow. It is not a phenomenon unique only to plows, as many gardeners know the effects of “tiller pan”. Take three fields. One is tilled only with a tiller. One with a disk. The other with a chisel plow. Most tillers or disks are used on about the top 4" of soil. If no other tillage method is used, that penetrometer will most likely show a sharp spike in the amount of force required to penetrate the soil at that 4" depth, which is the plow pan you mentioned. On ground that has only had a chisel, the penetrometer will show a slow, steady increase in the amount of pressure required to penetrate the soil. I've done this study myself a few years ago. All soils tested were the exact same type: Bluegrove Fine Sandy Loam. I used a field my dad farmed (he disks a lot), one I farmed (I only used a chisel), and the garden, which only saw a tiller. The readings on the penetrometer did not indicate a plow pan on the field that saw only the chisel (three times with spikes and once with sweeps). Digging to a depth of 12", root growth had no appearance of any hinderance at any depth, although there were no roots growing down the full 12" at the time. On the field that had been disked, there was a spike in the amount of pressure required to penetrate at about that 4" depth. Subsequent digging there showed many roots slowing at the 4" level, with many stopping vertical growth and growing horizontally. Some roots did penetrate and continue growing. That field was chiseled once (with sweeps) and disked three times. I do not know what effect, if any, running over the ground once with the chisel had. I don't know what possessed me to do the garden other than curiosity. I could not get the penetrometer to penetrate passed 4". After it rained (I did this during a prolonged dry spell because that is when the effects are most pronounced), I dug down to about 12”. The roots stopped almost completely at 4”. Now I know why I was having to water my garden so frequently. My plants were not able to develop an adequate root system, and since the closer moisture is to the surface, the quicker it evaporates, it didn’t take them long before they needed water again.

Soil doesn’t have to be perfectly size and perfectly smooth to create a good seedbed. It is also not the entire aim of a tillage program. A good tillage program provides benefits to the plant throughout that plant’s life cycle. Getting a good stand is meaningless if it is not accompanied by good production, which is the ultimate goal of any food plot.