Tractor Gardening Noob

I'm completely new to the tractor gardening arena. I'm getting a moldboard plow and have a set of cultivators (image below). I'm looking at disc harrows, wondering if they're needed too, but I've never worked the soil with a garden tractor before. I'll be working virgin land too, if that make a difference.

I've tried looking online and cannot seem to find a Tractor Gardening for Idiots guide anywhere. I want to know what implements to use when and for what outcome. The plow is easy, a tiller is easy.. it's the cultivators, discs, and all other items that I'm not so sure on.

I need to plant my crops in raised rows (to prevent erosion or flooding) and want everything from tomatoes to potatoes to melons.

[finsruskw]

What do you have to pull these with is the first consideration?

If you don't have ag tires or turfs w/chains plus lots of weight, you re going to be in for lots of frustration. Especially if you are dealing w/unbroken sod ground.

If you have a disc, I'd disc the crap out of it in both directions before trying to plow. You will need lots of weight to make it work though.

Once you get set up and through the first season, it gets easier.
I always fall plow and the till in the spring. Makes for perfect seed beds.

How big a garden are you planning size wise?

Good Luck!!

[J-Mech]

You should NOT disk before plowing. Plows work far better with firm soil than soft.

How can we teach you how to be a farmer in thread.....

Trial and error. If you are using raised beds or plan to plant on a ridge, that cultivator will be of no use. I'm not sure why you would need to go ridge plant and raised beds in a garden. If the area you want to garden is low.... haul dirt in and raise the area.

[drglinski]

Originally Posted by J-Mech

You should NOT disk before plowing. Plows work far better with firm soil than soft.

.

X2. Discing is for after plowing.

[J-Mech]

Originally Posted by drglinski

X2. Discing is for after plowing.

I'll be using my 122 with ag tires and wheel weights. I'm also considering loading the tires, but want to see how plowing goes before I go through that.

I'll put a photo of the main garden area below. I would say it's about an acre in this area. We have plans to do another 2-3 garden plots on the land elsewhere. They will be on sloping land. The main garden space is bordered by a creek that flows about 4' below the grade of this land. We did some small scale gardening (see photo) this summer and lost some seeds due to heavy rain and flooding/washing-out of the beds. That (plus the plan for potatoes) is why I want to raise up the planting beds some, which is semi-naturally done when using a tractor for gardening--the tires compress the non-planting areas as you drive. Hauling in dirt for raising the land is not an option.

Anywho... sounds like a plow and set of discs are the main implements. What about the cultivator set, any real use for it other than scratching ground and doing some weeding of rows? I wondered about getting a couple of discs and using the cultivator as a tool bar to hill up my rows for potatoes, etc.

I'm only new to tractor-style gardening. I've gardened in raised beds for many years.