Types Of Tillage Equipment

The right tillage equipment will help you efficiently break and turn soil. It's a valuable investment for getting your fields ready for planting, but not all models will be a good match for your needs. 

Keep reading to learn more about various tillage equipment types and which one best suits you. If you have questions or want to explore tillage equipment for sale, chat with the experts at High Plains Equipment. Our dealership offers locations in Devils Lake and Harvey, North Dakota. We also proudly serve those in Minot and Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Discs

This type of tillage equipment is also commonly called the disc harrow. It's made of rows of disc blades that are fixed on a frame. The disc blades are usually made from steel or boron.

With this style of tillage equipment, the disc is dragged across the ground. It's able to break, lift, and loosen the soil. In most cases, you will only need one pass with the disc. If you use too many passes, you could end up reducing your erosion control efforts.

The disc can also be used to apply herbicides and other surface-applied products, making it a more versatile piece of tillage equipment. But you will want to avoid using the disc harrow on wet soil. Otherwise, you'll end up compacting the soil, which can hurt root growth and reduce your yields.

Plows

This type of tillage equipment has been used throughout agricultural history. It's a classic for a reason! Plows rely on blades that are drawn through the soil, leaving behind furrows. They work best for medium-depth and deep tillage. 

For example, a chisel plow can till soil between 6 and 8 inches deep. It uses a row of staggered shanks, which can be adjusted to the ideal depth. 

Or, if you want clean-cut furrow slices, you can use a moldboard plow. This type of tillage equipment uses wing-like blades that cover the soil, leaving behind the furrow slices.

If you want even more depth, you can use subsoil plows. These models use tines that are either straight or have a bent leg. This type of tillage equipment can create slots that are between 15 and 20 inches deep. With this approach, you can plant crops directly into the tilled rows.

Rippers

Rippers are a useful type of tillage equipment that accomplishes a few different needs. They increase organic matter in the soil, allow moisture to get into the soil faster, improve drainage, manage post-harvest residue, help conserve crop-growing resources, optimize seed placement, limit compaction, and help control moisture. All of these perks lead to improved soil conditions, which can lead to improved crop yields. 

Two common types of rippers are disk rippers or in-line rippers. Both are useful at cutting, sizing, and mixing crop residue, which helps reduce soil erosion and leads to higher yields.

Cultivators

This type of tillage equipment offers a less aggressive approach. Cultivators offer a shallow tillage option, which is a great match for soil that is well-drained and medium textured. They also use less fuel, time, and labor to get the job done. In some cases, you can even use cultivators as efficient secondary tillage tools before you begin spring planting.

Cultivators come in an impressive range of sizes, making it easy to get the right amount of performance for your needs. Whether you are tending to a small garden or a massive field, you can find a cultivator to match.

Ready to shop tillage equipment for sale? The friendly staff at High Plains Equipment is happy to help. Tell us your needs and budget, then we can recommend models to match. You'll find us in Harvey and Devils Lake, North Dakota, and we also serve those in Minot and Grand Forks.