[Noisette]

Hello  Newbie here...sorry I haven't time to introduce myself etc but wondered if anyone has experience of the above as they relate to compact tractors and heavy soil?
I'm getting too old and rickety to plant and lift potatoes manually on my heavy clay soil, so looking to get some powered help. BUT...I wonder whether these machines actually work on heavy soil if the principle is to 'sieve' the potatoes out. Any advice or comments very gratefully received!

[rowlandwells]

as I  said in an earlier topic on potatoes this how I plant my seed spuds obviously cultivate the ground to a fine tilth I made a tool to fit my rotavator that opens the ground what I call a drill about six inches deep plant the potatoes in the row unfortunately I haven't mad a tool to fill in the drill so that's done by hand our ground is a bit on the heavy side but not clay

as for lifting the potatoes with a scuffle on the tractor you do get the odd  damage potato but nothing to be concerned because we use them first

i have to say i don't know much about compact tractors or what machinary is available for planting you will need a ridger and as for a potato digger ?

 you mite get a vintage ferguson  potato spinner and other implements to fit your compact tractor at a vintage tractor sale or on line ?  don't know what compact tractor you own and i assume  you have a three point  linkage on you compact tractor

like you i try to make life essier  by using machinery these days i bought and restored a a three row potato planter used it once and put in storage same for the tree row ridger bought a new viking rotavator with a ridger and iron wheels

hope you find what your looking for and good luck 

[Noisette]

Hello rowlandwells and thank you very much for the reply!  It's a small world..I'm from Northants originally

We have a Goldoni Euro 30 with plough and cultivator, so it makes sense to invest in a potato lifter! It's just this issue with heavy soil.....I've got visions of great clods of the stuff adhering to the tines and potatoes, so don't want to waste money if it won't work with clay. At the moment, it's difficult to imagine the soil ever being friable again.....