Tractor-mounted rippers for soil tillage, also known as rippers, are machines often used in agriculture as an alternative to a hoe for its remarkable ability to break up soil when it is particularly compact and dry.
This saves a lot of energy, halving the time needed to till the soil and preserving its organic substances and micro-organisms.
Tractor-mounted rippers for soil tillage, once connected to the tractor 3-point hitch, allows what is known as soil tillage (or scarifying).
This procedure consists of breaking up its compact layers, which also allows making more useful space for roots.
These rippers consists of a sturdy support frame and 7 tines, shaped and angled forward to facilitate effective soil penetration due to the tractor fast forward motion.
Soil tillage is generally performed in areas remained uncultivated for a long time, or never been affected by planting.
Before carrying out this operation, the area must be cleared of bushes and other weeds.
The ultimate aim of this operation is to decompact the soil and loosen it to promote aeration.
Tilling the soil at the right time will have a significant influence on the final result.
It is usually recommended to start tilling in autumn or winter, so that the soil can be enriched with oxygen and nutrients.
This will create an ideal environment for future plants.
It is important to avoid tilling when it rains or immediately afterwards, because very wet soil will be difficult to work. However, as very dry soil is difficult to work too, the ideal would be to use the ripper when the soil is moist and soft.