Correct planting and cultivation is the key to a rich harvest that still needs to be harvested. The task of mechanization in this case is to facilitate harvesting. Carrying out the digging of potatoes with a walk-behind tractor is an example. But, in addition to a significant plus, the use of a mobile tool, according to reviews of gardeners who first tried it, has one drawback – inexperience. A description of the features of the walk-behind tractor, step-by-step instructions, a video of its operation will help to cope with it.
Advantages of digging potatoes with a walk-behind tractor
Due to inexperience, inability to handle equipment, some land owners do not risk purchasing such a car. Although it justifies its cost: it minimizes labor costs not only when cleaning. This is a mini tractor that can perform the functions of a hiller, a cultivator. The main thing is to have attachments and correctly set up the machine itself.
Digging potatoes with a mini tractor has many advantages. Gardeners distinguish the following:
- Simplicity of design – the potato digger is its main element, the components of which are the upper fan, the plow.
- Easy adjustment – consists in adjusting the depth of the plow, which will extract the tubers. Knowing the required parameters, even a summer resident who is not interested in technology can cope with such a simple task.
- Reducing labor costs – the gardener only needs to push the walk-behind tractor, which digs out the potatoes on its own.
- Reducing the time for collecting tubers – the plow literally “turns” the potatoes to the surface.
How to properly tune the technique
Before starting field work, the mobile device is prepared. It is not difficult to set it up, but you need to pay attention to adjusting the plow, since it is responsible for the digging process. If it sinks to the depth of the tubers, damage to the crop cannot be avoided. This will negatively affect the presentation, the keeping quality of the potatoes.
The distance the plow goes deep into the ground is equal to the height of the shovel bayonet. To adjust the depth, loosen the bolts between the lock and the attachment strut and move the plow up or down. Further, the angle of inclination of the field board is adjusted. This is done relative to the surface of the ground. For adjustment, the screw handle is unscrewed until the board is on the ground. Then the direction of rotation is changed, twisted until the rear part rises 2–5 cm above the ground.
Note!
With the correct setting of the walk-behind tractor, the vegetable grower will easily harvest from a plot of 5 acres in half an hour.
Varieties of potato diggers
They dig potatoes with different types of motoblocks, which also affects the choice of attachments. This often depends on the size of the cultivated area. Several acres in the country can be processed with homemade potato diggers. But for small farms, factory ones are suitable. They independently dig, collect, transport tubers.
Factory
Such models are more reliable. The quality is guaranteed by the manufacturer. Both simple and more complex models are produced. For the first, an element resembling a shovel with sharp teeth is responsible for harvesting potatoes with a walk-behind tractor. The latter go deeper into the ground and raise the tubers. Instances fall on the surface of the teeth, which extract them. More complex models are equipped with additional transport belts for the harvested tubers. They send them to storage.
Homemade
To dig up potatoes with a motor-cultivator, you do not have to spend money on purchasing a digger. You can make attachments yourself. The process cannot be called too complicated, although it requires skills in working with metal, a welding machine, drawing files, which can be found freely available on the Web. The list of tools that you cannot do without when making your own potato digger:
- a hammer;
- welding machine;
- puncher for working with metal sheets;
- Consumables;
- scissors for metal;
- spanner keys.
Buying Tips
In garden stores, various attachments are presented. Diggers are no exception. The success of harvesting, as well as long-term storage of tubers, depends on the quality of the latter. Going to choose a potato digger, the gardener must know the type of walk-behind tractor. For example, models “Agro”, “Zubr” are combined with light cultivators. Others may simply not be suitable due to the inability to delve into the required level.
The following potato diggers are combined with heavier and more powerful walk-behind tractors:
- KVM-3 – the equipment can deepen by 25 cm, and the possibility of installing additional knives facilitates the collection of tubers in hardened soil;
- KVM-1 is used in combination with Neva mobile devices. This model has special slots for installing a cutting tool.
Note!
When choosing a potato digger, you should take into account the difference between a multifunctional walk-behind tractor and a cultivator designed more for loosening. To use the latter for digging tubers, the attachment must act as a good weighting agent.
Digging potatoes with a walk-behind tractor: step-by-step instructions, video
Despite the many modifications of mini tractors, they have one manual for use. To start digging, you must first prepare the site by clearing it of mowed tops, weeds and other debris. This is done using a cultivator with two leavening agents, a hiller. The attachment is not deeply buried so as not to damage the tubers.
After preparing the rows, they start cleaning. Sequencing:
- Correct the trailing mechanism.
- The attachments are deepened, the first row is passed.
- They move on to the third, which allows the tubers to not be damaged by the wheels.
- Loosen the structure between the wheels for ease of handling.
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Reviews
Andrey, 35 years:
“When I bought a walk-behind tractor, it was time to dig potatoes. This was my first experience of using it. A neighbor helped to remove the first row. And then, on my own, in an hour I coped with potatoes on 7 acres ”.
Ivan, 52 years old:
“Initially I used the walk-behind tractor as a cultivator. He was afraid to use it for harvesting potatoes because of the risk of damaging the crop. It turned out in vain. By adjusting the depth as in the manual, I harvested the tubers whole and much faster. “
Motoblock is a great mobile device. With its help, harvesting potatoes will not be difficult.
