How much Hp to pull a protill ?

[danny W1M]

Amazed at the job pro-tills have been doing while driving around.

How much horse power to pull a 33' or 40'? Seems they recommend speeds faster than 10 mph.

What is the downside or limitations, from those that operate one(besides the price)?

Is there a better way to mulch and chop up cattails(besides burning, either standing or swathed)?

[furrowtickler]

I would say at least 15hp per foot

[farmaholic]

Danny, a guy beside us on a half section protilled a lot of spots last fall and seeded flax into it this spring...you could basically follow the lines of where he went and the patches he did...flax didn't come up very well in those spots and ended up reseeding the whole half section....they blamed it on wire worms...I can't say, I never went to look.

[Braveheart]

Probably need as much horsepower to sc**** the topsoil out of the ditch after using a Protill.

[farmaholic]

I wonder if some people near Regina learned that lesson last year? Along with what completely burning all the residue off the land can do....

[danny W1M]

Brave, isn't that why you buy them equipped with the rubber packers rather than the open baskets? Should be a difference between the two regarding the final result, no?

furrow, your talking 500hp for the small 33' one, if 15hp/ft are required. Maybe that's why there are so many other vert till models out there, not all farms have 500-600hp.

[danny W1M]

farma, I think many farms will learn or remember more clearly the 80's, from the trouble too much tillage caused some this spring. Only has to be really dry in the top 6", before your putting your land at risk.

re the flax, did they have the packers or baskets?

[sumdumguy]

Danny, a guy beside us on a half section protilled a lot of spots last fall and seeded flax into it this spring...you could basically follow the lines of where he went and the patches he did...flax didn't come up very well in those spots and ended up reseeding the whole half section....they blamed it on wire worms...I can't say, I never went to look.

I hear you Farma. A farmer south of here deep-tilled his entire farm a few years ago. For years, the crops emerged poorly and it took a few years to recuperate. I thought it was due to the fact that it was deep gumbo and the lumps took time to melt and the seed bed firm up.

[sumdumguy]

[QUOTE=farmaholic;356411]I wonder if some people near Regina learned that lesson last year? Along with what completely burning all the residue off the land can do

One of those guys who burnt her black didn't fill a semi of lentils on a square section. But neither did his neighbour who didn't burn black, just poor emergence with NO rain.

[farmaholic]

farma, I think many farms will learn or remember more clearly the 80's, from the trouble too much tillage caused some this spring. Only has to be really dry in the top 6", before your putting your land at risk.

re the flax, did they have the packers or baskets?

Can't say for sure Danny.