TURNING ROCKY SOIL

   / TURNING ROCKY SOIL #1  

flINTLOCK

Platinum Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Messages
649
Location
PA
Tractor
NH TC40DA 2002
I have been establishing food plots for deer in very rocky soil. It's difficult to fully utilize the benefits of green manure crops because I cannot use mouldboard plow or tiller because of rocks. Are there any decent alternatives that will allow soil to be turned over in such rocky soil??
 
   / TURNING ROCKY SOIL #3  
How rocky? I've been using a middlebuster and a two bottom plow to make some food plots. I've got endless rocks in the baseball and softball range and plenty in the basketball sized range plus 'shelves' of very large rocks (but very brittle thankfully). The plow has no problem with loose rocks. When it hits the shelves of this shale type stuff it just rides over it and scrapes along. Otherwise, I'm getting good results turning the soil over.

Unfortunately we've gotten less than an inch of rain in the last two months so rocks aside, I've been wasting my time and money.
 
   / TURNING ROCKY SOIL
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Too many to count. I can get through, over and around the rocks with the spring tine harrow no problem. But that doesn't really turn it over much. Repeated discing would eventually chop it up and mix in green manure. Rocks from pebbles to 500 pounders. Does your middle buster have trip shank or is it solid. My middlebuster is solid and gets hung up quite often on bigger stuff. I worry about equipment damage without trip shank. I guess I could get wider blades for the STH which might turn it over better.
 
   / TURNING ROCKY SOIL #5  
flINTLOCK said:
Too many to count. I can get through, over and around the rocks with the spring tine harrow no problem. But that doesn't really turn it over much. Repeated discing would eventually chop it up and mix in green manure. Rocks from pebbles to 500 pounders. Does your middle buster have trip shank or is it solid. My middlebuster is solid and gets hung up quite often on bigger stuff. I worry about equipment damage without trip shank. I guess I could get wider blades for the STH which might turn it over better.

That is the rock belt of PA for you. Can't dig a hole without a pick and bar.
 
   / TURNING ROCKY SOIL #6  
flINTLOCK said:
Does your middle buster have trip shank or is it solid. My middlebuster is solid and gets hung up quite often on bigger stuff. I worry about equipment damage without trip shank.

No, the middlebuster is solid. It has also been broken and welded a number of times. I think it was used on a larger tractor in the past. It also appears bigger and heavier than the ones you see in tractor stores which I have heard are easy to bend and break.

The two bottom plow that I have does have shear bolts to prevent damage, but it has also been bent up a bit by the previous owner.

I have hit several stumps and a rock or two that have stopped the tractor without breaking the shear bolts. But I go real slow.

I have not hit any 500 pounders to my knowledge. Although these crumbly shale-like 'shelves' that we have appear to also serve as foundations for homes in China.
 
   / TURNING ROCKY SOIL #7  
I live in south central PA. I know what you mean by rocks. I envy folks who can simply plow new ground. I would recommend using a HEAVY subsoiler or single ripper shank to break up the ground first. It will take a number of passes, but should do a pretty good job at getting things going. Then try and work in some better soil if possible. Would make things easier the next go around.
 
   / TURNING ROCKY SOIL #8  
These food plots for deer don't require a complete turnover of the soil. We have had good luck here in northeast Pa with just discing. All you really need to do is tear up the sod.
There is soil here in Pa, it's just that you have to go to the store and buy it in a bag.
 
   / TURNING ROCKY SOIL
  • Thread Starter
#9  
You're right. Discing after spring tine harrowing was the drill this year. Unfortunately, does not allow efficient turnover of green manure. Thanks for the advice.
 
 
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