discing or reverse tine tiller

wildfire

5 year old buck +
I have a tractor that can pull a 4' disc, but it take at least 3 passes to get good soil for planting. It takes 2.5 hrs to get soil worked up per acre. I then cultipack, fertilize, and seed, and cultipack again. 6.5 acres at 6 hrs per acre, makes for long days. Plots have more wet ground than dry. By discing twice and waiting for ground to dry somewhat, discing again the next day. Would a tiller do the same as discing 3 times? According to King Kutter, a 5' tiller would be what my tractor will handle. My tractor has 4 wd, a HST trans, running at 2200rpm in middle gear.
 
I have a 5.5' King Kutter Box Frame Disk and a King Kutter 5' Tiller. Just broke some new land and I took a few passes with my disk due to trash and stumps. It looked rough after a few passes with the disk. However, this land REALLY shaped up with one pass with the tiller. I'd say my tiller will do more in 1 pass than a disk will in 5 passes - or more.

I use the tiller on all of my land in lieu of a disk. It providers a far better seed bed with less time.....as compared to a disk. Incorporates fertilizer better too. I usually till about 3" deep in order to preserve moisture. My ground speed is about 2.5 to 3 MPH.

At times I wonder why I own a disk anymore.

You mention reverse tine tiller. I don't have any hands-on experience with them....but I know some folks like them. They may not be a good choice if you have lots of stumps or rocks however. A forward spinning tiller just rides up over debris and kind of pushes the tractor forward. Debris is typically not as big of an issue with forward rotation. A reverse tine is said to make a bit finer seed bed. I dunno.....mine is pretty darn good. :)
 
Oh....regarding time. I spend about an hour per acre with a tiller. A hydrostatic transmission seals the deal! You really don't need 4WD with a tiller....as there is not much pulling required from the tractor. I can till all of my plots in one day - quite easily. You will love a tiller Wildfire!
 
I have a King kutter tiller in my future as well! Disking takes FOREVER an they always break! I'm about done with em
 
I like your thinking Foggy, just have to convince the boss.
 
I don't own a tiller but I understand you don't want to use them on corn stalks so you might want both.
 
I would love a tiller - as far as corn stalks are concerned - mowing them first will help. The issue is the stalk wants to wrap around the main shaft and cause issues. I mow mine even when I plow and disc. Only reason I plow and disc is because I am cheap and I have the equipment. I just don't plot enough to make the investment worth it. I may have one to borrow this year for my fall plots. I see a tiller like a boat - nice to have friends that have them so you can use them when you need/want to, but you don't have to mess with the rest of what goes along with them - like paying for it!!!!
 
You can pay more for a tiller.....but it's hard to beat the durability and price of a King Kutter Tiller. They are by far the best bang for the buck. I believe I paid $1295 for mine a few years ago -on sale....but they may be a bit higher priced now. Bullet-proof design IMO. I have used and abused mine for several years. It will wrap with some crops....like corn stalks or even rye.......so in those instances of long-stringy crop residue.....you need to use a rotary cutter to mow the debris first. Sometimes mine can get wrapped with roots on new ground. I keep a long pry-bar to pull stumps and branches out of the tines on new ground. BIG TIP: Keep a battery-powered SAWZALL and long "wood blade" to cut the wrapped debris from the tines. Slick.

Also if you have lots of old wire.....the tiller will wrap it tight. Keep a bolt cutter handy for wire. (Wire can really make for a bad day.)

A tiller and a rotary cutter are two indispensable food plot implements for your tractor IMO. Add a grapple on your front end loader.....and your golden. :) Over time......I've found deals on - and accumulated many 3 point implements. Some get used allot.....and some I could likely live without. The three above are indispensable to me......as has been my stump grinder. But I'm pretty much done grinding stumps now. Still.....there is always an improvement to make. :D
 
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