# Food Plot Tiller



## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

I have a clearing in the middle of 600 acres of pines. It is approx. 20 yards wide and 200 yards long. I want to plant a food plot in this clearing. I plowed it 3 years ago. I have not planted since. I do not want to haul the tractor all the way back down there.

I am wanting to take a rear tine tiller and till up a spot about 20 yards wide and 30 yards long. The only thing growing in there are weeds and briars. Do you think a decent rear tine tiller will till this or will the roots of the weeds and briars bind up the tines?

Darin


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## ironman172 (Nov 2, 2013)

the weeds need to be killed first ...if not they will come back 10 fold....something about weeds and tilling, they multiple....a tiller will work if you are willing but the ground almost needs stripped of weeds first....atv and harrow....I use a cultivator and disc behind mine in the woods....gotten on craigs list


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

ironman172 said:


> the weeds need to be killed first ...if not they will come back 10 fold....something about weeds and tilling, they multiple....a tiller will work if you are willing but the ground almost needs stripped of weeds first....atv and harrow....I use a cultivator and disc behind mine in the woods....gotten on craigs list


I actually sprayed the land several times last season. There is basically nothing growing in part of the lane. On the sides of the lane is dead weeds. I am thinking that I will take the tractor and cultivator and plow it again in the Spring before the weeds fire up again. I can then keep it tilled with the tiller. I plan on planting soy beans in the Spring and Winter Peas August.

I have been looking for a disc to pull with the atv but have not had any luck.

Darin


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## chriscustom (Jun 17, 2006)

make sure you cut any growth such as grass with a mower that will cut down on many problems you'd have with the tiller


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

I picked up a Cub Cadet rear tine tiller. Bought it from a guy just outside of Raleigh. It is basically brand new. A guy bought it with big plans on planting a garden. The deer appreciated it. His wife got pregnant and his gardening career was over. The paint is still on the tines. It has a Honda Motor. It was missing a nut on the guard and a screw on the belt cover. I quickly replaced them today.

When it dries up some I will test it out.

Darin


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## Farflung (Feb 3, 2004)

Finger Mullet- If it is legal in your area, a light burn before the area "greens up" in the spring will both make tilling much easier and kill some of the weed seeds. Run the tiller around the perimeter of what you wish to till up. Make sure you have enough guys to keep the fire from jumping the perimeter. Sometimes better to break up into small sections to be more controllable. Will also give you a quick blast of nitrogen if the fire is quick and cool. I have also done it by using round up first and then burning. You can do this after green-up and reduce the chance of the fire spreading. The vegetation won't "ball up" as bad around the tines. Test the soil chemistry before seeding. good luck.


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## Finger_Mullet (Aug 19, 2005)

It is a 600 acre tree farm. They would **** if I lit a section on fire. I know what you are saying because I burn my garden every year. I just can't burn this section. I run it all over with my 4 wheeler and then till the rest. I plowed it with a tractor a few years ago. The ground is not packed back down. It should till good.

Thanks!

Darin


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