Planning your Plot: Kolpin DirtWorks vs. The Plotmaster
Apr 12th 2018
The Tools of the Trade
At a minimum, you’ll need a way to break up the soil and till it, spread your seeds, and then cover them with an adequate amount of soil. Depending on the soil you’re working with, you’ll need either a disc for softer soils or a chisel plow for harder soils. After you’ve broken up the soil, you’ll need to adequately scatter your chosen seeds, and then cover them so they don’t blow away. Packing the soil down after covering the seeds ensures they remain in place.
Really, the best way to get the entire process done quickly and efficiently is to find a system you can hook up to your UTV, truck, or tractor. For smaller plots, a UTV is the best way to go. You’re still able to work over a large area of land, but you can maneuver a lot easier—and damage less of what you’ve already planted—if you’re running a UTV.
Two of the best systems out there are The Plotmaster and Kolpin’s DirtWorks series. Let’s take a closer look at each package and compare what they’ve got to offer.
Kolpin DirtWorks System
Keeping in mind that we need to till, seed, spread, and pack the soil, the DirtWorks System by Kolpin offers an all-in-one implements package that has you covered. The package includes a chisel plow to break down harder soils, and a disc plow to manage the smaller chunks. The accessory toolbar allows you to attach things like the landscape rake, which will even out your planting surface to make sure you’re able to lay your seeds down relatively uniformly. All accessories attach to a 3-point hitch.
Pros
The best thing about the Kolpin system is the price. For less than $2,000, you’re able to hitch up the system to your UTV and go. If you’re looking to cultivate a smaller piece of land, this might be a good option for you. You get the basics of what you need to begin, without having to break the bank.
Cons
As you might have already figured out, the DirtWorks system by Kolpin does not include a seeder. While you may be able to convince your kids to follow behind you for an hour or so, dropping seeds as they go, we doubt the promise of a UTV ride is going to get you much. The other issue is that you’ll need to switch out each attachment. That means making one pass with the chisel plow if necessary, at least one with the disc plow, and then one with the landscape rake. That’s not to mention spreading your seeds by hand, covering them as you go, and packing the soil down to ensure proper placement.
Kolpin certainly cuts your overall time in half, but the added grief of unmounting and mounting particular accessories can get pretty time-consuming. Still, if you’ve got a small operation, or are just starting out, this might be the package for you. However, if you’re the proud owner of a sizable plot, we think The Plotmaster might be your best purchase. Let’s take a look at why that might be.
The Plotmaster
Known as the “Ultimate Planting Machine,” The Plotmaster is your quintessential all-in-one towable trooper. Available with either a 1-point or 3-point hitch system, The Plotmaster hooks up to your UTV just like the Kolpin DirtWorks System does, and can be attached to a truck or tractor as well.
Here’s where The Plotmaster really excels. Rather than carrying around a bunch of attachments, this single-trailer system is made up of an assembly-line-like array of accessories. First, you’ve got your interchangeable plow system: you can hook in either a disc plow or a chisel plow. Next, you’ve got your patent-pending seeder system that spreads your chosen crop in an optimal pattern. For tamping down your seedlings, you’ve got a range of attachments to choose from for the latter section, which can include a cultipacker and a chain harrow. All in one trailer!
Pros
By far, the one-stop shop Plotmaster setup is hard to beat. You’ve only got one trailer to two and no attachments to remove constantly. The process of cultivating your land happens in one pass, and depending on your UTV model, you’re able to hitch it up with 1 or 3 points.
Cons
It’s been said that time is money, which is very much true in the case of The Plotmaster. You’ll pay a pretty penny for the efficiency afforded in this all-in-one machine, but when it’s man-hours versus the mighty machine, we think you’d rather drive your UTV a bit farther than break your back over a few plants. The Plotmaster will certainly pay itself off within the first few seasons, but the cost could be quite steep for some.
At the end of it all, it comes down to preference—and your wallet. Kolpin’s DirtWorks System is probably the best choice for those small-time farmers just starting out, but for all your production workers out there, check out The Plotmaster. Who’d have thought planting could be so much fun?