Plow , Cultivator or What?

EDW · Oct 7, 2008

Hello Folks; I would like to prep a half-acre for crops;( Your typical garden varities ). I have a Farmall 'C' with no 3-point hitch. I know nothing about this stuff!! What would I use ?? Thanks in advance!

Brian Schmidt · Oct 7, 2008

I would plow it of course. A field cultivator might do a good job depending on what is there now. If it is sod, then for sure plow it. If crops, then a cultivator would work good too. I just love plowing.....

EDW · Oct 7, 2008

Thanks Brian for the info. Nothing better than Tractor Work!!

konstan · Oct 7, 2008

Four implements I use the most, in this order

disk - good all around tillage implement, and many are pull type, no need for three point, but you would need hydraulics to lift it up and drop it

harrow - an amazingly useful implement. i have a spring-tooth harrow and i absolutely love it. uses range from harrowing after disking to even things out to harrowing the seed if you broadcast it

Lister - like a plow but instead of turing the ground over just leaves two open furrows. Good to plant and then dig up things like potatoes and garlic.

plow - break up new ground, make terraces, move dirt around... i use my plow a lot more for dirt work than for farming.

Rootsy · Oct 8, 2008

Turn it over with a plow this fall if it is sod or filled with other vegetation. In the spring break it down and level it with a disc. Pull a packer behind the disc.

I reckon if you have a clay based ground that clods then a spring tooth harrow will help make those dirt clods smaller...

A half acre to be planted with row crops or vegetables? There are multiple ways to skin a cat with each...

El Toro · Oct 8, 2008

They made a 2-bottom moldboard plow for that tractor. We had one for our C I think it was a pain to mount. If you don't have much to plow beside the garden I would look for a pull type plow. You could remove one of the bottoms. It will easily pull a 16-inch single bottom plow.
Hal

EDW · Oct 8, 2008

Hey Folks; Thank you for the information. This will get me started. I have plenty to learn, but will do, with the help of you folks.

Wesley Stephens · Oct 8, 2008

For a garden, I usually disk and then ridge up rows with hiller blades. I either use a Pittsburgh frame behind one of our small Massey Fergusons or my Cub. With those, I do one 4' row, but with the C you can cultivate 2 rows.

spiffy1 · Oct 9, 2008

(quoted from post at 20:34:23 10/07/08) Thanks Brian for the info. Nothing better than Tractor Work!!

Depends on how much tractor work you need an excuse for!

If you like the soil when you turn it and need an excuse to plow...there you go! You'll still need a pass with a disk or something after that.

If the soil is loose enough for your liking a few inches down, and you're not trying to bring up better "top soil" a foot down, disking is about as easy as it gets. Multiple passes probaby and reducing the V on the last couple should get you close to a manageable soil.

Not sure of a chisle type or field cultivator small enough that would work with that, but probably out there - this would be easier than plowing, and still bring up some of the lower soil. Again, you'd probably want to break it up some after that.

Also, a cool way to cheat: just buy the cultivator; use it for tilling (obviously multiple passes to compensate width as well as working to a depth), a disk or drag wouldn't be bad after that though. Then plant your rows to an acceptable width to set the cultivator and use it for that too! BTDT, not ideal, but gotta love cheating out extra uses for an implement!

Plow , Cultivator or What?

EDW

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Brian Schmidt

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EDW

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konstan

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Rootsy

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El Toro

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EDW

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Wesley Stephens

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spiffy1

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