Garden tilling

[RBB 4]

What is the best wheel horse tractor to till a garden?

[Razorback 1,032]

I like my C-160 8-speed..... does a great job.

[Dan.gerous 2,696]

My C-125 8 speed did a fine job in some pretty rocky terrain.

[ebinmaine 62,963]

 Ray!

 

You'll find a good variety of Wheelhorses from the mid 60s up have a 6 or 8 speed transmission.

Part of the reason for that advancement from 3/4 speeds is to be able to keep the tractor speed way down while being able to keep the engine RPM up.

 

The "best" Wheelhorse for tilling would be a little subjective to ones preference or experience.

 

I don't use our herd for any driven implements but I can tell you the K341 16 horsepower engines are VERY strong.

 

Others will go bigger and tell you a 520 model.

I believe @pullstart has a tiller on an 8 horse.

 

 

In general... Most above 12 HP ...

 

 

[littleredrider 408]

hopefully I can answer that soon!! Putting a tiller on my 520-8 soon. Depending how it does, (tiller not tractor) gonna put the tiller on a tractor I'm putting together, 606 with an 8-speed and kohler K341. Think I'll need some weights from poppin' wheelies...

[RBB 4]

thank you for all the replies we are looking for a wheel horse with tiller and a plow will put it to work in our family garden I have my dads 1957 David Bradley walk behind in excellent condition that he bought new from sears and roebuck that is retired to the barn always liked the horses its time to get one 

[Pullstart 59,556]

 @RBB!  I have a tiller on my 8 hp 502, but it really should be on a 10-14 hp machine.  There is no “kit” to get what I have, the tractor is a 1962 502 with a bigger engine and newer 8 speed transmission, the tiller is driven via a ‘60’s era mower deck pulley and a not so typical length belt.

 

In my clay based soil, 1st/low is still too fast in spots of the garden, after I’ve plowed and disced already!  I should put a larger pulley on my transmission input to slow it down further.  At my old house, in sandy loam I barely needed low range.

 

 

[Pullstart 59,556]

 

[RBB 4]

good work there like all the pictures they say a thousand words thanks you

[WVHillbilly520H 10,369]

I'll let the pics speak for themselves...

[tom2p 2,393]

3 minutes ago, WVHillbilly520H said:

I'll let the pics speak for themselves...

top pic is awesome !

( and extra points for the big block truck in the background )

 

[pfrederi 17,129]

Considering the early TroyBilt walk behind tillers got it done with 2 or 3hp engines....  Tractor HP isn't a big limiting factor .  Weight and a low range gear drive more important

[tom2p 2,393]

45 minutes ago, pullstart said:

 @RBB!  I have a tiller on my 8 hp 502, but it really should be on a 10-14 hp machine.  There is no “kit” to get what I have, the tractor is a 1962 502 with a bigger engine and newer 8 speed transmission, the tiller is driven via a ‘60’s era mower deck pulley and a not so typical length belt.

 

In my clay based soil, 1st/low is still too fast in spots of the garden, after I’ve plowed and disced already!  I should put a larger pulley on my transmission input to slow it down further.  At my old house, in sandy loam I barely needed low range.

 

 

bottom pic - another great pic 

 

get Putt Putt an agent !

 

[tom2p 2,393]

48 minutes ago, pullstart said:

 

In my clay based soil, 1st/low is still too fast in spots of the garden, after I’ve plowed and disced already!  I should put a larger pulley on my transmission input to slow it down further.  At my old house, in sandy loam I barely needed low range.

can you add some course sand to help break up the clay ?

 

[Pullstart 59,556]

17 minutes ago, tom2p said:

can you add some course sand to help break up the clay ?

 

 

in years to come, that’ll be my goal.  I have a decent stockpile of sand, but it isn’t nearly enough for the size of the garden.

[Tractorhead 8,576]

I also fight with clay soil.

 

I thought to mix some wood chips under the soil to loosen it up, but i learned they turn the soil to sour.

A Farmer give me the advice it’s better to mix some rotten compost or humus under with the Tiller

to loosen up the Soil and get it so more fluffy.

If my harvest of potatoes this year is done, i will get several trailers of humus and mix it under.

i tried this a bit on a edge of the field and the result is pretty good.

 

 

 

I‘m working with a plow and later with a Walk ahead tiller, i simply mounted to the FEL.

After 3 passes, the soil seems fluffy like i will have and in first times it seems it loosened the soil up good enough,

but few rainy day‘s later and the clay stick back again.

 

 

that is my Tiller setup self propellered and the Horse is just responsible for the movement.

 

but i Agree with Pullstart, on clay soil, a very low speed is recommended.

[Andy N. 1,891]

  

 

 

I like to use my 312-8 for tilling.

[tom2p 2,393]

2 hours ago, pfrederi said:

Considering the early TroyBilt walk behind tillers got it done with 2 or 3hp engines....  Tractor HP isn't a big limiting factor .  Weight and a low range gear drive more important

and a 2 or 3 hp powered tiller would be a big step up from our 'tiller' :

 

Edited May 31, 2020 by tom2p

[8ntruck 6,358]

3 hours ago, pullstart said:

 

in years to come, that’ll be my goal.  I have a decent stockpile of sand, but it isn’t nearly enough for the size of the garden.

We had a garden when we lived in My.  It was about 50' square.  Started with the red clay soil typical of that part of the country.  Each fall, I would get about two pickup truck loads of leaf mulch from the local university and plow/till it in.  

 

When we moved 7 or 8 years later, the soil in the garden was much lighter and less red.

[wh79d160 52]

On 5/30/2020 at 10:56 PM, RBB said:

What is the best wheel horse tractor to till a garden?

The Horse in your neighbors garage. You can just have him come over and till it whenever you need it done. I hear he is a great guy.

[Dakota8338 115]

On 5/31/2020 at 7:52 AM, RBB said:

thank you for all the replies we are looking for a wheel horse with tiller and a plow will put it to work in our family garden I have my dads 1957 David Bradley walk behind in excellent condition that he bought new from sears and roebuck that is retired to the barn always liked the horses its time to get one 

You may not be riding, but that 'Ol David Bradley will keep pace with Horses all day, and with a set of cultivators, it will work a garden in ways the horses can't.  I still have one of the David Bradley's, with most of their gardening equipment.  I had two cultivators, so I cut one down and welded a pull rod or bar across the front to attach to the tiller/blade rear bracket and it works wonders in the garden with small plants.  The David Bradley in my opinion still out performs the Horses while working (cultivating) the garden plants.  The Wheel Horse's and David Bradley's are about equals while plowing, but the Horse's shine when tilling.  As I have gotten old, I prefer to ride myself, but both certainly have their place and each will do their fair share of work in the garden or about the place.