Delmade subsoiler proven in the field

To learn why farmers trust them and how they’ve evolved, we sat down with Delmade managing director Rohan Cunningham, the driving force behind the machine’s development.

“A subsoiler is a deep tillage tool designed to break up the hard pan under the soil,” Rohan explained. “Unlike a chisel plough, it doesn’t lift or mix the soil. Our 15 degree tine angle is enough to disturb and shatter the pan without inverting the soil..”

Farmers use subsoilers in various ways. Crop farmers might subsoil between rotations to break up compaction left by machinery or weather.

For graziers, pasture subsoiling can often be a biannual or five-year cycle and allows the water to get away, rather than pooling above the subsoil, and therefore increasing the period the pasture is available for grazing.

Delmade began building its own subsoiler in the late ‘80s after repairing many frames from other brands.

The spring tines on a Delmade subsoiler.

“We thought, ‘Can we do this better?’” Rohan said. The result was their twin spring design, which keeps the tine stable under pressure which reduces flex in the shank when facing the pressure of pulling through tightly compacted soil.

“We also pin our points on, which means you don’t lose points in the field, which was a significant problem with other brands.”

As feedback from the field rolled in, Delmade continued to refine its design.

“We moved to a 9mm frame with a welded jumper section, which has completely rectified some issues.

“Although if a customer is particularly partial to the bolt on set up or requires flexibility in the tine spacings, we can still offer this as an option.”

Delmade has also invested heavily in developing its own range of points to suit different soil types.

“Over time clients using their machines heavily or working in particularly abrasive conditions or very rocky soil looked to find ways to increase the longevity of their points.

“This led Delmade to developing a range of point options to suit different users.

“As each change was developed, they were field tested by Delmade subsoiler owners to ensure their suitability,.” Rohan said.

For Delmade, the Subsoiler is a perfect example of its motto: “Proven by Time, Refined by Experience”. Built with customer feedback and tested in real world conditions, these machines continue to help Australian farmers improve their soil productivity.