subsoile versus middlebuster verus plow

   / subsoile versus middlebuster verus plow #1  

lewishope

New member
Joined
Feb 12, 2007
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9
Location
Prince George, VA
Tractor
farmtrac 360DTC
I'm a newbie so please ezcuse my ignorance. :eek: I was wondering what the difference was between a subsoiler, a plow and a middlebuster. Are these just regional names for similar attachments? What are they used for?:confused:

I have a 39hp Farmtrac 4x4 360dtc with FEL. It has r4 tires. Loaded. What size of these implements would I use?

Thanks in advance for any info/advice.:)
 
   / subsoile versus middlebuster verus plow #2  
Subsoiler- this is used to bust the hard pan that occurs from the natural compaction in the sub soil from the wieght of the tractor and other factors over the land. Typically you can tell when this it is time to subsoil as the land will tend to hold water more then it did. Also in some crops the root penetration into the gorund isnt there.

Middle buster- this is a subsoiler type looking atachement that has a large foot at the bottom mainly used to open rows. Some regions refer to it as a potato plow as the can be used to bring the potatos to the ground for easer harvesting


Plow- A plow is used to physically turn the soil over. THis way you are placing the vegitation under the soil so that it can rot away better while bringing soil that wasnt on top last year to the top.

All 3 are unique and are used for specific applications. I am sure there will be some picures to demonstrate the look and use to come. Hope this helps
 
   / subsoile versus middlebuster verus plow #3  
There are also two main types of plows.
Bottom plow or turning plow will roll a layer of soil over and swap the soil from 10-12" down with soil from the top. They are good at putting some organic material down and bringing up nutrients. They also promote erosion and are not the tool for most anymore.

Other type is a chisel plow. It is like a gang of subsoilers and breaks up the soil but doesn't flip it over.

I can't help you with what implement to use as you haven't told us what you want to accomplish! And don't worry, everybody was a newbe once.

jb
 
   / subsoile versus middlebuster verus plow #4  
john_bud said:
There are also two main types of plows.
Bottom plow or turning plow will roll a layer of soil over and swap the soil from 10-12" down with soil from the top. They are good at putting some organic material down and bringing up nutrients. They also promote erosion and are not the tool for most anymore.

Other type is a chisel plow. It is like a gang of subsoilers and breaks up the soil but doesn't flip it over.

I can't help you with what implement to use as you haven't told us what you want to accomplish! And don't worry, everybody was a newbe once.

jb

Thank you i had compleatly forgoten about the chissle plow even though i run one every year. aggreed with the everyone is a newbie comment:)
 
   / subsoile versus middlebuster verus plow #5  
Attached is a picture of my soil ripper, which has 7 "subsoiler" type little chisel plows on it. They're available now from King Kutter and others and are usually called "cultivators".

Some people use potato plows to make raised rows. I put opposed 20" discs onto the diamond bar that carries my soil ripper plows to do this. You can buy a rig called a Keulavator from Agri Supply that'll carry either 2 potato plows or 2 "disc hillers" like mine. The second pic attached shows my disc hillers.

The plows used to turn soil come in 3 types: 1) moldboard, which is a shaped plow share with a sharp point on it at ground level; 2) big discs to toss the soil aside (like if I had my disc hillers both turning the same direction, but with a trail wheel to hold them in place in a furrow); 3) a rotary plow, available to BCS and Gravely tractor users. I've used all 3 of these at various times in my life. They're typically only used on new ground with grass/weeds covering it, to turn over the vegetation. They're also used if you grow cover crops. These plows yield a very "rough" ground and are typically used in the fall or immediately followed by a multi-disc rig and harrow to smooth the ground. If done in the fall and left to sit, weather often smooths the ground enough to use only a harrow or cultivator type rig to prepare the ground for seeding.

Ralph
 

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  • Soil Ripper Rear.JPG
    Soil Ripper Rear.JPG
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  • Disc Hillers Rear sm.jpg
    Disc Hillers Rear sm.jpg
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   / subsoile versus middlebuster verus plow #6  
The subsoiler was already explained. The difference between the plow and the middle buster, The moldboard plow turns soil over to one side of the implement. The middle buster turns soil over on both sides of the implement.
 
   / subsoile versus middlebuster verus plow #7  
Heres an adobe of what implements are used for. A good summary..
 

Attachments

  • Implements and what they do.pdf
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   / subsoile versus middlebuster verus plow #8  
Moldboard, turning, or bottom plow. Different names for same implement.
IMG_1735.jpg


Same plow at work. This particular one is a "two bottom plow."
IMG_0031.jpg
 
 
 
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