Riding Mower Converted To Garden Cultivator

Riding Mower Converted To Garden Cultivator CULTIVATORS Cultivators 58C Old riding mowers can be turned into low-cost garden cultivators says Niles McLoda Amelia Va who fitted a Murray riding mower with a high clearance cultivator McLoda removed the deck replaced the rear wheels with 31-in high wheels and extended the front spindles vertically to keep the machine level Then he added a pair of cultivator shovels in front of the rear wheels and 2 more behind them attaching the shovels to the deck s original lift linkage The front-mounted shovels mount on conventional shanks while the rear shovels are bolted to lengths of pipe I use it on potatoes and corn in my 1/3-acre garden It works great and allows me to cultivate corn up to 18 in tall without breaking it off says McLoda I use it to control weeds next to the row or to control small weeds within the row The front shovels cut a path about 4 in wide while the rear shovels cut a path about 6 in wide I can rotate the front shovels in or out When the plants are real small I point them away from the row to keep from burying the plants When the corn gets about 16 in high I turn the shovels inward so they hill up and smother weeds within the row It misses a weed now and then but if I want I can always go back and use a hoe The only limitation is that sometimes it s hard for the shovels to penetrate the ground if it s real hard To mount the big rear wheels he removed the hubs from the riding mower s original rear wheels and welded studs to them The big wheels cause the tractor to speed up but it s not a problem says McLoda When the plants are real small I put the tractor in low gear and keep the engine at idle Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Niles A McLoda 13201 Genito Rd Amelia Va 23002 ph 804 561-5777

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