Scarifiers vs Disc....Which is better????

[SCDolphin]

I have a soft sandy loam type soil that I want to plant..........What would be more useful...........spring loaded scarifiers or discs??

Thanks

 

[art]

Are you calling scarifiers what might also be known as a drag? The disc might be the best bet unless the soil is loose.

 

[Timber]

I think a great deal depends on your soil conditions, Are you breaking new ground or is this an established food plot. Disking as a rule is a procedure used after plowing up a field. How big and area are you doing. I just put in a food plot and broke ground I had cleared of brush, saplings and god know what else. I used my box blade scarfs all the way down with the top link closed. I needed to pull all the root material out of the ground. I then tilled it with my walk behind troy-built tiller. Then raked the rest of the derby out. I am going to till it and plant it this weekend. To answer your question I would say we need more information. Do you have sod to remove 1st, there are several ways to deal with that. The best way is to slip your loader bucket under it and remove it. I have done it with a spade as boy. You can till it under but you will be pulling grass weeds for the rest of your life.

 

[SCDolphin]

These were fields that had been planted last about 3 years ago in corn but have grown up in weeds. I just finished bush hogging the fields. The scarifiers are spring loaded with heavy springs on both sides of each of the scarifiers. they look like they could run at least 12 to 15 inches in the soil if the tractor could pull it.
I just want to get what I need. So maybe a 2 disc bottom plow and a disc would be all I need to prepare the soil?????

Thanks again

 

[Timber]

I would thing a Plow and a Disk Harrow would be the way to go. A harrow is fairly inexpensive as far as implements go. I would look at used ones too. They don't really get a lot of use after spring and Fall. I personally like the drag behind but if you have to move them over pavement they make a racket

 

[Z-Michigan]

These were fields that had been planted last about 3 years ago in corn but have grown up in weeds. I just finished bush hogging the fields. The scarifiers are spring loaded with heavy springs on both sides of each of the scarifiers. they look like they could run at least 12 to 15 inches in the soil if the tractor could pull it.
I just want to get what I need. So maybe a 2 disc bottom plow and a disc would be all I need to prepare the soil?????

The tool you're calling a scarifier is actually a chisel plow or field cultivator. It won't run more than about 7" deep with the equipment you have, but 7" should be enough.

However, as someone who owns both a scarifier (which is made only be a few companies such as Landpride and Unverferth, but works similarly to a chisel plow) and a disc harrow, based on what you describe I think the disc would be a lot more useful. I started with the scarifier - in a field with vegetation, all it really does is loosen and disturb the soil, and leave a very rough field afterward. The disc can loosen and flip the top 3-6" of soil and smooth as it goes, so the field is ready for planting some crops right after discing. For planting grass I would level with a chain harrow before seeding, unless you are going to use a seed drill that includes a roller/cultipacker.

I don't think you will find either a scarifier or chisel plow to be useful in your sandy soil. The 2-bottom moldboard plow would work for burying the vegetation, but may not be necessary with a good disc.

Your L5240 should have the power to pull a 6' wide disc and run it at maximum angle, which will make it work a lot like a plow in burying vegetation. That's what I would choose. I bought a "Farm Force" box frame disc from TSC and have been happy with it, though it did require enormous force to get the nuts free to change the angle settings. I would avoid any light duty discs as they just don't have the weight to do much. A lot of companies make discs that look good, but unless you're going to disc tens of acres every year I think you will get good service out of an inexpensive but heavy duty type like the "Farm Force." Worksaver also makes a basic disc that would be worth looking at, though it's fixed angle rather than adjustable.

If you think the soil is compacted - and it doesn't sound like it should be - I would also buy an inexpensive subsoiler (such as the ones that TSC sells for around $100) to run before discing. But I suspect the disc alone, or maybe with a chain harrow for finish smoothing, will do what you want.

One other comment - depending how strongly you want to get your own plantings in this year, an option might be to lease the land to a nearby farmer this year, let him deal with the weeds and plant an annual crop, then next year you'll have a largely prepared field to start with. I think you would still want a disc for next year and beyond, but this would probably eliminate the need for any other plowing.