Planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor with a two-row hiller

Planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor has proven itself not only to be an effective method but also a way for gardeners to save time and effort. Since planting potatoes is one of the most labor-intensive processes, gardeners have always sought methods to make the job easier, leveraging various advances in scientific and technological advances. For example, in a 500-square-meter garden, you can work all day with a shovel. Using specialized equipment, you can complete the task in just a couple of hours. However, despite the many models and varieties of agricultural equipment, the operating principles are essentially the same.

However, such equipment does have its drawbacks. One of them is that it can only be operated by men. Furthermore, for proper operation of such tools, it is necessary to purchase additional parts, as these will improve the equipment's performance.

How to choose the right hiller

Today, there are several types of hillers for planting with a walk-behind tractor, each of which makes planting potatoes easier. However, each model has its own unique characteristics. The least popular type is currently a fixed-width hiller. Its working width is standard, about a third of a meter, and it cannot be adjusted. It's ideal for hilling vegetables like tomatoes or cucumbers, but the distance is too small for planting potatoes.

Gardeners also use disc hillers, which are considered the most expensive. The discs, which are part of the overall design, are adjustable, meaning their angle can be changed. This significantly improves the quality of potato planting when using this model. Disc hillers simplify the process of preparing the soil for planting. Furthermore, this type of hiller is very easy to use, making it a popular choice among gardeners.

Experienced gardeners often use disc hillers because they're easy to use. Creating furrows requires little effort and can save you a significant amount of time. You can also save money, as they're quite affordable.

Cultivation of the land

Before planting potatoes, be sure to till the soil; it should be soft and loose. You can use a standard shovel, but to save time, use a rotary tiller attached to your equipment. This ensures speed and quality.

Typically, a Niva walk-behind tractor is used, which is considered the most common among gardeners. This type of equipment is characterized by its low maintenance and reliability. It can serve its user reliably for several years. In this case, cultivating should be done at second speed. Start working from the very edge of your garden plot. When you reach the end of the area, cultivate a two-meter section perpendicular to the furrows. Then repeat the same steps on the other side of the plot.

After this, we begin cultivating the area along the beds. When using rotary tillers, it's important to follow the previously made tracks on the return journey, as these create small depressions in the soil. This will ensure the soil is tilled to the depth of a spade, resulting in the highest quality tillage. If you don't follow the same tracks as the rotary tiller, the depth will be significantly reduced, making subsequent potato planting more difficult.

If you cultivate the plot along the beds, the plowing will be even. You only need to level the ground with a rake in the areas where the equipment has turned.

Preparing the walk-behind tractor

The equipment you'll use to till the soil and prepare it for planting potatoes also requires some preparation. Remove the tillers and install the lugs. You can slightly rebuild the walk-behind tractor yourself, as the entire process isn't too complicated. Insert metal pins into the machine, then install the two-row hiller. You can adjust the spacing immediately. A row spacing of 65 cm is sufficient.

Planting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor using a two-row hiller

Once you've prepared the soil, you can begin planting the potatoes. Attach metal extensions to the lugs and use them in place of the tillers. Next, remove the center stop from the walk-behind tractor and attach the hitch in its place. Next, attach and thread the metal pins, and then attach the hiller to the structure. Set the desired distance between the hillers, which will be equal to the width between adjacent beds.

Using the hitch, you can change the position of the hiller using a special handle, after which we turn around and drive back. Once this process is complete, we can begin planting the potatoes. We drop the pre-treated tubers into the cleared beds, keeping them about 40 cm apart. The tubers should be treated with special solutions against parasitic bacteria and insects to protect the plant and avoid the risk of losing the harvest. Once the potatoes are planted, they need to be covered. To do this, we widen the wings on the hiller, which the design of the machine allows for. We engage first gear and cover the potatoes with soil.

Planting potatoes using a plow

A plow is usually used before the first frost to till the soil before winter. In this case, there's no need to mark out the garden. First, we cut a furrow with one plow. After that, you'll immediately need to throw a potato into the dug space. Once you've completed this procedure, turn the cultivator. Place the outer wheel directly on the bed. Soil from the newly cut furrow will cover the potatoes placed in the beds.

In this case, the lug may accidentally catch the potatoes themselves, but this is nothing to worry about for gardeners. Gradually, we plant all the beds in this manner, one after another, at first speed. We cut one bed while simultaneously filling the adjacent one. Using this principle, the beds turn out more evenly, since the machine's wheel follows the already cut furrow.

Reviews

Different gardeners have different impressions of using a walk-behind tractor. Some claim that using a potato planter is easier and more convenient. Consumers say ease of operation is one of the top priorities for them regarding the operation of this equipment. Gardeners also place great emphasis on its versatility, as the potato planter simultaneously digs, plants, and then safely buries the potatoes. After this procedure, there is virtually no need to spend additional time leveling the soil.

Many gardeners say that even non-innovative equipment can significantly simplify potato planting. For example, even an old Neva can speed up the process and make the beds more even. This equipment is very convenient and really saves time spent on planting.