Potatoes are one of the most popular vegetable crops among Russian summer residents. To get a bountiful harvest, you need to invest a lot of labor and time in growing. One of the ways to make labor easier is to use small-scale mechanization. This article will consider in more detail the potato digger for the MTZ walk-behind tractor.

Types of potato diggers for the MTZ walk-behind tractor

Such devices usually belong to one of two types:

  1. Rod mechanism. It consists of a metal blade that looks like a shovel bayonet. Several diverging metal rods emerge from its upper part. This blade pokes the ground lower than the tubers are located. Further, the mixture of soil, potato tubers and stones is gradually transferred to the twigs. As a result, the earth crumbles, the potatoes remain on them. Then he moves back as he moves and falls to the ground.
  2. The vibration mechanism consists of a share and a grid. The ploughshare is a horizontal knife that cuts into the ground lower than the tubers are located. Then the potatoes fall on the grate, which vibrates strongly. As a result, the earth falls to the ground, clods break and also wake up through the bars of the lattice. The potato gradually moves backwards and falls to the ground.

Vibrating Potato Digger

On a note. The second type of potato digger is more powerful and demonstrates better performance than the first.

To work with such a walk-behind tractor, the following models of attachments are needed:

  1. The KKM-1 trailed potato digger is a vibrating mechanism. This machine works well on light to medium-density soils. It weighs 40 kg and has a grip size of 37 cm. The working speed can reach 0.2 hectares per hour. The blade works at a depth not exceeding 20 cm.

Interesting. This potato digger for MTZ can be used not only for potatoes, but also for collecting onions, beets and other root crops.

  1. KVM-3 is also a screening type potato digger. Its important feature is the ability to work on dense soils. In order to use this device, you will need to attach an additional knife to it. This mechanism has a weight of 39 kg. The productivity of this model is up to 0.2 hectares per hour, the size of the capture is 37 cm.
  2. KM-1 can also be effectively used on light, medium, and heavy and dense soils. In the latter case, it is recommended to use the potato digger at second speed. In this case, the capture width is 44 cm. The maximum immersion depth in the ground is 18 cm. KM-1 weighs 38 kg.
  3. The "Poltavchanka" model is usually used for processing plots that have an area not exceeding 2 hectares. It is used on medium-heavy soils. This model provides the ability to adjust the height of the wheels. The productivity does not exceed 0.2 hectares. The grip is 39 cm. The weight of this device is 35 kg.

Potato digger KKM-1

Advantages and disadvantages of working with a potato digger

Potato digger for walk-behind tractor

Advantages of mounted potato diggers for MTZ:

  1. Their relatively high productivity can be considered the main one. If the work takes place in dry and loose soil, then the work results of such potato diggers will be at the highest level.
  2. Such models can also be used if the potatoes have to be removed from moist soil.

However, these models have some disadvantages:

  1. If the work is carried out on a sufficiently large area, the probability of breakdown increases dramatically.
  2. This is a complex setup that needs to be well understood in order for the work to be as efficient as possible.
  3. If revolutions are used during the operation of the potato digger, then the likelihood of injuring the potato increases significantly.

Digger for motoblock Neva

Homemade potato digger options

Potato digger for Agro walk-behind tractor

Self-production of a potato digger will save money, but it will require careful thought and significant effort.

Usually, in this case, a roaring potato digger is created, and not a rod one.

The DIY horizontal share is made from a strip of sheet steel of the desired thickness. It is welded to a pre-made rectangular frame measuring 80 by 100 cm. A basket with metal rods and wheel holders are also attached to it.

Connections can be made using either a welded method or using bolts and nuts.

Do-it-yourself potato digger for MTZ 80 in its design will require the correct choice of the type of wheels used.


Potato diggers for the MTZ walk-behind tractor

Potato diggers for the MTZ tractor

Roaring potato digger for walk-behind tractor

The potato digger KKM-3 is most popular when used with the MTZ mini-tractor.

When sold, this tractor unit is delivered to the consumer assembled. The drawing does not provide for the mechanism for connecting to the tractor. It must be purchased separately.

The tractor driver should take into account that the potato digger can only work on medium or light soils, the moisture content of which cannot exceed 27%. The littering with stones should not exceed 9 tons per 1 ha.

The KFT2-01 model is also used for these purposes. It is more massive than the previous version - the weight is 110 kg. The working width is 48 cm. Typical productivity of this device is from 0.15 to 0.2 ha per hour.

Potato digger for tractor t 40

Homemade options for the MTZ tractor

In this case, when making a homemade potato digger for the MTZ 80 tractor on your own, you need to take into account that use with a mini tractor implies higher strength. On the other hand, in this case, productivity should increase.

A home-made potato digger for an MTZ tractor should provide for a mechanism for connecting the device to the tractor. The bond must be not only strong, but also reliable.

The use of a potato digger greatly facilitates the work of harvesting. If financial capabilities do not allow you to purchase equipment, you can make such a device yourself. However, this can be challenging.