# Pull behind ground attachment



## brokengeiger (Mar 1, 2011)

I don't think I want a pull behind powered tiller, I am curious though what exactly a cultivator or disc harrow is for? 

I'm thinking for fall I should work my slope of a garden and till it... But rather spending money on a tiller perhaps there is a pull behind ground engaging device. I thought I had it nailed down to a disc harrow then I ran into a cheap cultivator with tines a few months back... Anyhow in discussion with some guy at work he said that neither will do.

thoughts?


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## Country Boy (Mar 18, 2010)

The disk harrow will chop up garden residue and help incorporate it into the soil. It is better to get a dual gang disc with a set in front and a set in back. that way the soil will remain level. I used to have a pull behind disk that was single gang, and it tossed all the dirt out, leaving small ditches in the garden on each pass. It will take more power to pull a dual gang vs. a single one.

The cultivator (aka tine harrow, spring tooth, etc) will also stir up the soil well, but it will tend to drag the garden residue along unless it has already been chopped up. The cultivator can dig a bit deeper than the disk, which relies on weight for penetration. A cultivator is also better in stoney ground as the disk harrow can be damaged by hitting rocks.


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## brokengeiger (Mar 1, 2011)

Thanks for the info.
Some of this residue are weeds - is it 'ok' to incorporate weeds back into soil as long as I keep working it? I would assume at some point the weeds won't be as bad.

Sounds like it's a good idea to have both cultivator and disk harrow (as they are still cheaper combined than any pull behind powered tiller).


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## Country Boy (Mar 18, 2010)

The weeds aren't the problem, its their seeds that are. If you chop them up before they go to seed, you stand a chance at controlling them. Some come back from the root, so tilling them back into the soil will just let them grow back. If you mulch the garden heavily between the rows, you will help keep the weeds down. That's the quickest and easiest way to keep the weeds down, plus, it keeps the water by the plants instead of letting the garden get dry.


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## rumjar86 (Nov 18, 2012)

I put a lot of weeds and other bits into a big pile and put water on it then cover it with black plastic wrap or on a smaller scale just black plastic rubbish bags and leave them in the sun it will cook the seeds pretty good. I then work it into the ground. It helps boost the amount of nitrogen into the soil.


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## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

I use a tandem disk to incorporate plant residue and errant weeds in my garden in the spring. After a few weeks I hit it again to mix it and then a few days later I use a field cultivator to prepare a seed bed for planting. I have a little homemade cultivator that I pull behind my Garden tractor to to weed between the rows during the growing season. With a little handwork from a stirrup hoe it helps keep the weeds at bay.


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## rumjar86 (Nov 18, 2012)

Hey Argee would you be able to post some pics of your implements that you built? Or could you please help design a thread which has how to DIY mini implements for small tractor / lawn tractors


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## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

I'd be happy to! I have some time off coming up on Thanksgiving. Weather cooperating and permitting I'll get some pics together. I am currently in the middle of building a new and improved field cultivator made from two fold down wings from a 14' unit. It's coming together pretty nice...I just have to install a hitch bar on it a it should be ready to go. I really enjoy taking old junk a crating something useful from it.


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## brokengeiger (Mar 1, 2011)

That would actually be perfect if you can share that.


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## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

I'm really sorry.....I've got myself busy and distracted and never did get any pics. It's now buried in a couple feet of snow so pics are on hold until spring. My bad.


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## skunkhome (Nov 30, 2008)

I always use a 10" Brinly plow to turn everything under. 








Then allow it to sit about a week then go over it with a Toolbar sweep cultivator.


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