How to make a cultivator for inter-row tillage at home

In the garden, not only manual labor is used, but also specialized equipment that makes work on the site easier. One of these is cultivators for inter-row cultivation Soil. There are several varieties. But you can make your own. Moreover, you can find a training video with detailed instructions.

Benefits of using devices

The unit's components include a metal frame, support wheels, and cultivator parts. These units come in various types and are designed for industrial potato cultivation or small farms. Cultivating the soil with a cultivator is necessary before planting vegetable crops.

Potato cultivation is made easier with equipment, as it loosens the soil, providing it with oxygen, which is essential for plant growth and development. Cultivators also help remove weeds and facilitate soil fertilization.

Types of potato cultivators

There are many cultivators for inter-row cultivation on the market. There are rotary cultivators, paw cultivators, and cultivators for single- or multi-row cultivation. There are also motor cultivators and hand cultivators. The final decision should be influenced by the area to be cultivated and the manufacturer's recommendations.

The difference also lies in the type of working tool, weight, power, and traction force. Thus, a distinction is made between:

• chisel – a device for loosening soil to a great depth;
• Milling machines – necessary for processing dense, heavy soil;
• disc – will get rid of weeds, suitable for light soil;
• with arrow-shaped paws - needed for loosening the soil and fertilizing.

Cultivators also vary in weight and power. These parameters are important and worth considering when choosing a cultivator.

Rotary cultivators KF 2.8 and KF 3.6

This type of equipment with a milling cutter is in demand due to its ability to cultivate both potato fields and other agricultural crops. It is manufactured in Belarus. The unit will help loosen the soil and fertilize plants. For this purpose, it should be equipped with fertilizer spreaders.

Suitable for use on level, rock-free areas. The tiller penetrates to a depth of 2 to 12 cm. The tilling speed is 6-9 km/h, and the width is 2.8 m. Four rows are tilled simultaneously.

The KF 3.6 model has the same specifications, with a few exceptions. For example, this Belarusian model is 3.6 m wide and can cultivate six rows at once, provided they are spaced 90 cm apart.

USMK 5.4

This cultivator loosens the soil and immediately applies fertilizer. A single pass across the field can cultivate 30 rows at a distance of 45 cm. This model is also suitable for preparing the soil for seeding.

The UMSK-5.4 has a working width of 5.4 m, and its paws loosen the soil to a depth of 4-14 cm. The design's convenience lies in the fact that it folds down to 2.5 m when moving along the roadway.

USMK 5.4 with a feeding device

This type of cultivator is manufactured by a Belarusian plant. It is designed for cultivating row spacing with tines and simultaneously applying fertilizer to 13 rows of beets in a single tractor pass. The unit is also suitable for preparing soil for seeding.

The cultivating width is 5.4 m, but the distance between vegetable rows should be 45 cm. Loosening occurs to a depth of 4 to 12 cm, depending on the type of shares used. A fertilizer attachment can be attached to the cultivator for immediate application of fertilizer. For transport, the USMK 5.4 with the fertilizer attachment can be folded to 2.5 m.

USMK 5.4 with AVPU 12

This Belarusian-made device is used for simultaneously cultivating 12 rows of agricultural crops. It features a device for spraying herbicides, bulk and liquid mineral fertilizers. These devices are not included.

It can be used for loosening areas with any vegetable crops, with row spacing of 45 cm. When moving along a busy road, the cultivator is reduced to 2.5 m.

Mounted cultivators KRN 4.2, KRN 5.6 and KMN 8.4

The KRN 4.2 and 5.6 models cover a width of 4.2 and 5.6 meters, respectively. They can cultivate 6 or 8 rows simultaneously. Row spacing should be 60, 70, or 90 cm. This ensures thorough soil loosening and weed control. Dry and liquid mineral fertilizers and herbicides can be applied simultaneously, but this requires an additional attachment.

Hilling is done to a depth of 3-14 cm. Plants are not damaged during the process. Road travel is easy, as the cultivator can be folded to a width of 2.5 m.

The KMN 8.4 mounted cultivator completely prepares a plot for seeding in a single pass. It can simultaneously compact plowed soil, harrow, and cultivate to a depth of 3 to 10 cm. This model also levels the soil and maintains moisture. Energy consumption is reduced by 50%.

Inter-row tillage machine

An inter-row tiller is also designed for loosening between rows. It is available in one of three styles. Its reach is 0.6, 0.8, and 0.9 m—these are the differences between the different types of equipment.

The machine is popular with consumers because it is suitable for various types of field planting. The FM-3 rotary tiller, compatible with the MTZ 80 tractor, is most commonly used.

Loosening the rows of potatoes with a walk-behind tractor

Potato cultivation with a walk-behind tractor will be possible if the vegetable is planted correctly:

• there should be a distance of 0.7 m between rows;
• they should be as long as possible;
• leave space at the edges to allow the device to rotate freely.

Farmers try to combine loosening the potato rows with a walk-behind tractor and the initial hilling of the crop. This procedure is performed two weeks after planting. A hiller or disc attachments are suitable for this purpose.

In case of loosening with hillerA universal hitch must be attached to the device, onto which a plow-ridger is mounted. There can be one or more. With disc attachments, the rotation angle and distance between them must be adjusted. This can range from 40 to 70 cm and depends on the potato variety planted and the height of the bushes. The rotation angle depends on the soil density.

How to make a homemade cultivator

If you can't afford to buy a device, you can make one at home. For a homemade cultivator, you need processing potatoes In field conditions you will need:

1. Welding machine, electrodes.
2. Drill, metal drills.
3. Bulgarian.

There are many options for building a cultivator yourself. A hand-held device is easy to make. First, prepare a handle, a sturdy U-shaped bracket, and a shaft. The latter will be used to attach wheels or studded rims.

Holes need to be drilled along the edges of the bracket to attach the shaft. You can weld sharpened reinforcement over the entire surface of the disk.

Building a tractor-mounted cultivator requires some work. But if you follow the instructions, you'll be fine. Building a cultivator involves the following steps:

1. Prepare three metal disks or rings with diameters of 10, 20, and 30 cm. Using rings will make the unit lightweight.
2. Select a pipe with a diameter of 2.5 cm. The disks will be arranged on it from largest to smallest at a distance of 15 cm from each other.
3. Weld on the spikes. Metal rods are suitable for this. For one device, you'll need 40 spikes, each 12 cm long. A disc with a smaller diameter requires 5 spikes, a medium-sized one 10, and a large one 15. The remaining spikes should be distributed throughout the pipe.
4. Using bushings and fittings, secure the discs to the frame at an angle of 45°.

The final step is to mount the wheels. To do this, you'll need to make a bracket from a 70mm wide and 4mm thick metal strip. To secure the wheel guides, you'll need to drill holes in it. A couple of wheels is enough for the cultivator to function properly.

Reviews

Oleg, Taganrog

My friends and I decided to start farming, but our land was small. We wanted to buy a cultivator for quick soil cultivation, but the price wasn't right. We found a tutorial video that showed step-by-step how to make our own equipment. We decided to give it a try, especially since we had the necessary materials. We were skeptical about the project, but it worked out. Now we can both cultivate our land and get rid of weeds.

Ilya, Krasnodar

We planted 0.5 hectares of potatoes in a field. We do all the planting and care work with a walk-behind tractor. It's very quick and convenient. In the spring, we make beds, then bury the potatoes. When the time comes, we hill them. The machine also helps us get rid of unwanted vegetation on the plot. Labor costs are minimal, so buying a walk-behind tractor was the right decision.

A cultivator is a useful tool that makes fieldwork easier. You can buy one or make one yourself. If you choose the latter option, various instructional videos detailing the process can help.