Moldboard Action
 

Since my tiller is dead, and I have a harrow. So I'm thinking of buying a Brinly 10" moldboard to till up some soil for my Spring garden. I've never used a field plow, and have only used tillers in the past. So My question is based on how well it will work in our overabundant rocky soil here in New England.

With the 125 set up with turf tires, and 2 sets of weights is it going to dig through in a single pass or will I end up making multiple passes, or just lose traction getting stuck on every rock and root?

Mike

You'll need ag tires or chains on those turfs

I think you are really gonna miss your tiller!

I have chains, and may end up renting the tiller, but what do you think given my area is under 5000 SF?

Mike

First off please understand that, I don't plow. I think going to a "plow day" and plowing with a bunch of other people would be GREAT FUN and I would very-much like to do that some day.

However, plowing a garden (in my opinion) would be way too much like real work. I don't know what your soil conditions are in CT (and that would obviously have a great deal to do with things) but plain old regular dirt here, is kinda hard to "work".

I may be way off base here but in the "old days" when farmers would use turning plows, they would then have to disk then harrow... it's kind of a wonder how they ever got anything done. Even with a garden as small as ours (my Brother and I) I would be until Thanksgiving just getting the ground ready...

But then again as I said earlier... I don't plow... So I really don't know what the "heck" I'm talking about.

Hopefully some of the guys who do plow can share some of their expertise, maybe even an old "granite head" like me can learn something new.

Around here, I believe a plow will cost you about $125.00 shouldn't you be able to pick up a working tiller for about 2 times that amount? I personally would be afraid that I'd spend the money for a plow and then end up HAVING to buy a tiller to get the work done.

Good luck, I wish you the best.

Is rebuilding your tiller an option ? Consider the cost of rebuild over buying something new or used....just a thought. :American Flag 1:

Mike:

Is your harrow a spike/peg-tooth, or is it a disk harrow? Many years back when I did some farm work, it was usually moldboard plow, disk harrow then a field cultivator or a "do-all" to finish before planting. Moldboard plow is great for breaking new ground, but it DOES leave the ground rough, and some finish work will be needed.

Sometimes, a chisel plow would be used if the ground needed more work. If the field had been cultivated the year before, we could disk, then chisel and plant.

I am planning to garden a good sized plot this year, but this darn yellow clay gumbo here in NE Ohio is only slightly less dense than concrete.

Plows are fun, but research modern AG practices, the plow died in 1975.

Minimal tillage is best, a spring tooth harrow is perfection if any tillage is done at all.

The only time I used the plow was to plant some asparagus.

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...psb51af018.jpg

I do this for fun in the spring"

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...psa6c4b1e2.jpg

My hope is to keep the organic material near the top.

I highly recommend plowing. You will need chains to go with your turf tires. The seat time when plowing is great! A 10 inch moldboard should be no problem. Here is a pic of my 1650 turning over my garden last fall.

I always plow in the fall and try to turn under as much trash as possible.
Then come spring, it's one easy pass w/the tiller and you are ready to stick the seeds in the ground.

I only till as much as I need at the time, trying to get the spuds in as early as possible.

Plowing is great fun when everthing is set up right and a good workout for your tractor if you enjoy them as much as I do.