73 years in the marketplace! That ought to provide peace of mind when considering investing in a Tortella Mulcher. Since 1949, these quality machines have helped maximised farm yields for thousands of customers around the world.

Based in Abruzzo, Southern Italy, the company is still run by the Tortella family who are now third generation and equally committed to innovation and helping farmers succeed. The Abruzzo region is known as “the green lung of Europe” because of its national parks and agriculture. Being immersed in this environment allows Tortella to carefully test and refine their gear - giving us further reason to trust the workmanship of this longstanding company.

T49 is the name of the new implements which have now arrived at FarmShop. Ranging from small orchard mulchers, up to large 3m wide options, plus their world-famous Spader. T is for Tortella and 49 reflects the legacy… 73 years of experience, research, technology and passion.

We review the T49 below, but first, what is grass mulching and why is it so important?

Grass mulching essentially returns the nutrients back to the field to promote thicker, healthier grass. But not all grass clippings are mulch! Quality mulched grass clippings are the result of specially designed cutting blades and a mower deck baffle system that cuts and recuts grass clippings into super-fine, decomposable particles. It’s the decomposing process where the magic happens.

What are the benefits of mulching?

1. Mulching promotes higher paying grasses
   Northland farms are typically kikuya dominant which can supress the growth of better quality grass. But with mulching and air-seeding, maximum yields can be achieved. Mulching kikuya allows higher food value grasses to take hold, especially in spring/autumn. Some farmers take the step further by sowing seed in the same pass to accelerate the presence of rye and clover, or the introduction of annual grasses such as Tama. Being highly palatable, Tama is ideal for winter feed or baleage in spring.
   
   By investing in a FarmMax AirSeeder mulching and air-seeding can be achieved in one pass for maximum yields and reduced labour. A smart way to invest is to bundle together the Tortella Mulcher with the FarmMax AirSeeder and enjoy significant savings. Or if investing as a retrofit, it will easily mount on a range of machines.
   
   The ability to mulch old grass and reproduce new grass in one pass allows farmers to re-graze cattle in the same paddock in just 4 weeks, as opposed to traditional methods which take about three months.

2. Mulching saves money
   Mulching is an easier, more cost-effective and sustainable way to achieve healthy grass. Irrigation and fertilisers are costly, but grass holds all the rich nutrients required e.g. nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus – so it makes sense to use it! When grass is mulched, the microorganisms that live on the soil bed break down the mulch and release those nutrients back into the soil, doing the job for us and creating a clever little ecosystem in the process.

3. Mulching retains moisture
   Mulching helps the soil retain water which is essential in drier summer months. The layer of mulch acts as a sun shield which helps reduce moisture evaporation and keeps the soil at a good temperature.

4. Better soil quality
   Mulch eventually becomes humus (the organic component of soil). Humus retains lots of water and nutrients like calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.

An overview of T49 machines – Enjoy Italian-made quality.

T49 Spader 3m In 1968, Tortella were the first in the world to have a patented gear box with external lever speed shift. After further modifications and refinement, today they produce “the best spading machine in the world”. Where other machines are limited, their spaders work in extreme conditions, including stones and/or very wet soil, leaving the soil soft without forming a working sole below the worked surface. They also allow excellent burying of residual substances and allow much better air and water infiltration - retaining critical water reserves (vital during hotter months).

The spader has external frame support, three-point hitch, PTO shaft with clutch, three-speed lever gear change, external depth regulating skids and a leveling tailgate.

We have welcomed several T49 Mulchers to FarmShop, ranging from 2.3m to 3m for working vineyard, orchard, cornfields, cereals, sugar cane, vegetables, green maintenance, set-aside, etc. All come with standard features (and alternatives to suit) including PTO shaft, free-wheel, knives, opening shutter, straw spreading vents, heavy duty skids, safety device, front chains etc. Plus a range of customised extras as required, including hydraulic grass cutting wheel mechanical spring movement, tractor drive grass cutting wheel return position, double drive options on larger models and more.

Give us a call at FarmShop and we can discuss the perfect T49 machine for your situation.