What is the Wonder Weeder?

The Wonder Weeder is a front mounted cultivator which allows for multi-tasking. The operator is capable of mowing, spraying, disking or any other rear operation while using the Wonder Weeder in the front. This not only improves the efficiency in the vineyard or orchard but it reduces tractor hours, eliminates labor costs and fuel consumption.

The Vineyard model features the fore and aft cultivator head arrangement as well as the five gang cultivator spiders in addition to the patented spring action ‘shear bar’.

Will the Wonder Weeder damage my trees?

NO. The Wonder Weeder uses the Lilliston-style cultivator head which derives cutting action from a rolling contact with the soil. Due to the simple rolling contact, these heads cannot throw rock or debris into the mow strip which protects mowers mounted to the rear.  Because there is no power to the heads, when the tractor stops, the heads stop moving. Their simply rolling, cultivating action means there are no hoses, motors, or valves to potentially create damage. This also dramatically reduces maintenance costs.

Why is the Wonder Weeder safer than other weed control machines on the market?

All other machines are rear mounted with the arm pointing forward. Operators can easily come into contact with trees, vines, or other obstructions causing costly damage. The Wonder Weeder is front mounted which reduces operator fatigue and provides for correct steering response. There is no risk of snagging trees, vines, trellising or sprinklers due to the cultivator head configuration. The Wonder Weeder incorporates a shallow ‘glancing’ angle on the shear bar mounting bracket to assure minimal contact without incurring damage to trees or vines.  In three years of development and 5 years of using the Wonder Weeder, Jerry hasn’t lost a single tree.

Why should I choose the Wonder Weeder for my weed control needs?

Other than minimal operating costs, easy operation, elimination of equipment hours, and safety of use, the Wonder Weeder also improves moisture absorption and nutrient assimilation. Because of the Lilliston-style heads, weeds are mulched into the soil creating beneficial green manure compost. Why create a chemical dead-zone when you can make use of weeds at little or no operating costs? The Wonder Weeder simply makes dollars/sense! 

How fast can the Wonder Weeder travel?

The Wonder Weeder is comfortably operated at ground speeds between 5-8 mph. In his own orchard, Jerry can weed 40 acres easily in one day. On demonstrations of the Wonder Weeder, Jerry shows that it can be operated at up to 15 mph if the floor of the orchard is smooth. It can be operated at much slower speeds as well and attain the same level of weed control. For example, many cherry growers choose to use the Wonder Weeder while spraying at 1-2 mph.

What parts are considered ‘consumable’ on the Wonder Weeder?

The shear bar is a consumable part on the Wonder Weeder that is generally replaced after cultivating 100 acres. Some growers cover as much as 300 acres before replacing the shear bar. Other items that are occasionally replaced are the hardened steel bushings and grade 8 bolts on the toolbar and the polyurethane bumpers.

Harris Manufacturing stocks and sells every part on the Wonder Weeder.

How is the Wonder Weeder mounted to the tractor?

The Wonder Weeder mounts on a standard front three-point. Harris Manufacturing produces the ‘ULTIMA’ model front three-point mount for use with your Wonder Weeder.

What is the ‘shear bar’ and what does it do?

The shear bar automatically takes the weeds out between the vines, trees, sprinklers, and trellising with a spring action. There are no other machines on the market that can access the weeds between obstructions in the orchard like the unique shear bar on the Wonder Weeder. There are no springs, linkage, or pivot points on the shear bar. It simply flexes when in contact with obstructions and springs back to eliminate the weeds. Even at 15 mph the shear bar will flex against a ½” PVC riser without damage.

 The driver simply drives parallel to the row and the shear bar deflects when it comes to an obstruction and then pushes back through the center removing the weeds. This is the feature that allows the Wonder Weeder to operate at speeds as high as 15 mph or as low as 1 mph.

The shallow angle, ‘glancing’ design of the shear bar mounting bracket allows contact with vines or trees without damage and creates a ‘glancing’ effect to minimize any disruption.

How are the cultivator heads attached?

Harris Manufacturing designed a rugged mounting bracket which gives ample contact to the toolbar so they never work loose or shift around. Harris Manufacturing also eliminated the linkage, coil springs, and pivot points previously associated with the Lilliston Design. Harris Manufacturing incorporates a compression spring bushing that allows the cultivator heads to float while still maintaining a rolling contact with the soil.
The cultivator heads are attached to a sleek and simple sub-toolbar. This keeps the design low and compact and eliminates any points that may potentially snag vines or limbs. The toolbar uses massive clamps which assure solid and rigid clamping attachment to the three-point.

Why is a hydraulic cylinder used for the top link?

By using a hydraulic cylinder, we have the ability to ‘roll’ the toolbar which raises or lowers the shear bar independent of the cultivator heads. This simple action gives the operator total control on the shearing action. When the shear bar is too deep, the spring cutting action is lost. When it is too high, the shear bar ‘slaps’ any obstruction. The ability to regulate this action on-the-go makes the Wonder Weeder truly a user-friendly machine. 

Where did the idea of the Wonder Weeder come from?

Jerry Harris, of Harris Manufacturing, began an organic orchard in 1998. Because of the requirements of being a certified organic orchard, the problem arose of weed control. In organic farming no herbicides can be used legally. Over the course of three years, he developed the Wonder Weeder to control the weeds in his own orchard. The ability to multi-task was a very important feature in the design of the Wonder Weeder. Because of the need to complete spraying, weeding, and mowing all in a timely manner, Jerry concluded that some of these tasks necessarily had to be completed simultaneously. The idea for front mounting the Wonder Weeder was born.

Other growers in the area saw this machine in action at his orchard and liked the ease of use, end result, and economics. At their request he built and sold a few machines. Word has spread, and now Harris manufacturing sells over 100 Wonder Weeders per year around the world. 

Who services the Wonder Weeder?

Because of the simplicity in design, consumable parts can be replaced by nearly anyone using the Wonder Weeder. Harris Manufacturing stocks and sells each and every part for the machine. Parts can be ordered and picked up from our facility or shipped directly.