Best Small Tractor Implements for California Homeowners

A buyer's guide for the best tractor implements for property owners in California

California is a Mediterranean climate with mild wet winters and a long, dry, and hot summer which creates a different set of challenges for property owners. If you’re looking to buy a new John Deere Compact Utility Tractor or, if you’re looking to get a new tool for your tractor, we’ve laid out a guide to walk you through the most popular implements that help California landowners maintain and protect their property. Follow along to learn more about what we have to offer. 

Must-Haves

Loader & Bucket

Perhaps the most important implement for all tractor owners, compact or full-size, is a loader. Without a loader, you will be losing out on a lot of your tractor’s potential and functionality. Front-end loaders can be used with a variety of front attachments but it is most commonly used with a bucket.

Box Blade

If your property has dirt, owning a box blade is a must. These can be used for grading and smoothing your driveway, spreading dirt, creating pads for buildings, as well as being a counterweight when you have attachments on the front.

Rotary Cutter

The Rotary Cutter is made for mowing fields and brush. It’ll make quick work of the grass that looks great when it’s green, but quickly becomes a fire hazard when it dries. Its tough design allows it to handle the harsh conditions you may encounter on your property. When equipped with a slip clutch driveline, the tractor is protected from harm if the cutter hits an obstacle that stops the blades. Option Chain Shields protect the operator and the surroundings from debris that may be thrown from the cutter.

Best Implements for Small Tractors

Mower

If you’ve got grass, you need a mower. The only question is, which type is best suited for you. The two mowers we suggest landowners look into if they are wanting a manicured finish are our grooming mowers and our mid-mount mowers. If the land you’re tending to is under an acre, your best bet is a mid-mount mower. The mid-mount mowers function very similarly to the decks on lawnmowers and give your yard the same cut. If you are tending to over 1-2 acres of open grass, a grooming mower is likely your best bet. These mowers attach to the rear of the tractor and give your yard a pristinely manicured cut.

Pallet Forks

If you’re into landscaping, you’ve likely already encountered your fair share of materials on pallets, whether that’s plants, soil, sod. With pallet forks, you can easily transport the materials without having to unload them from the pallet into a bucket or wheel barrel, which makes a huge difference. Anytime you can remove an extra step, the faster the project will be completed and the less exhausted you’ll be.

Debris Grapple

If your property has trees, it’s a good idea to invest in a debris grapple. These grapples are great for picking up and hauling limbs out of your fields so you can tend to them without them being in the way of your daily operations.

Rotary Tiller

If you plan on doing any sort of garden planting, having a rotary tiller is key. Rototillers can be used for a variety of tasks including, prepping your gardening for crops, cultivating your garden after you’ve planted, and mixing in organic compost.

Disk

Disking is a great way to turn the soil over to either prep the dirt for planting a crop or to get rid of weeds and grasses. California’s climate presents a unique challenge for disking. Our long and hot dry season can make the soil very hard which means the disk will need to be extra heavy to penetrate the soil. When choosing a disk and tractor combination for California, it’s important to choose the right size and weight for your soil and a tractor that has enough power to pull it.

Backhoe

Moving dirt or digging trenches? Adding a backhoe to your implement collection might be a good idea. Backhoe attachments are easy to use, and versatile. Take on tasks like small excavation projects, digging out stumps, and trenching water lines.

Landscape Rake

Tired of ending up with blisters after a long day of landscaping all thanks to being on raking duty? Well, say goodbye to those days, well at least to some of them. Landscaping rakes attach to the three-point arm on the rear of the tractor and pile up debris all while you enjoy the comfort of the seat on the tractor.

Post Hole Digger

Make quick work of putting in fence rows with a post hole digger. This implement can significantly decrease the amount of physical labor that goes into putting in a fence. Depending on the size of the auger, they can also be used to dig holes for planting trees. 

Wood Chipper

Wood chippers are a great way to get use out of downed tree branches. Wood chippings can be used for mulch in flower beds, animal bedding, erosion control as well as numerous other functions. Frontier Wood Chippers are iMatchTM compatible and are equipped with double-sided knives for quick and efficient chopping.

Included: John Deere’s iMatchTM Quick Hitches

All our new Compact Tractors (backhoe models excluded) come standard with an iMatch Quick Hitch. These hitches are designed to make hooking up to rear implements quick and easy. These hitches take out the stress of having to perfectly align all of the three-point arms to connect a rear implement. 

Shop Implements For Homeowners

Getting the implements you need shouldn’t be a difficult task, which is why our team at Belkorp Ag is prepared to help you pick out the ones that best suit your needs. Because we several have dealerships throughout California, our staff is very familiar with the needs of California landowners. Swing by your local Belkorp Ag dealership to learn more about what we have available for purchase!