Subsoiling and getting ready for next season?

[shady1701]

I was wondering what most people do to there gardens during the fall at the end of the season to get ready for next season. I've seen several people do different things several large farms do several different things on same crop different fields.
Like some just finished bush hoging there corn fields some just left it after they run the collector over it. Some have tilled it smooth

So i was wondering if everyone just keeps the old crops and let the remains along, bush hog, subsoil or subsoil and till or cultivate?

Heavy clay no organic mater and did crust over during this season.

 

[Inspector507]

I used to turn the old stuff under in the fall.........the neighbor sold the tractor I used with the plow.......guess I'll till this year /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Slamfire]

I bush hogged all the crop residue, and am composting it. The commercial mulch was full of crab grass.

 

[frankv]

I used to till as much as I could back in in the fall and then plant a cover crop to overwinter and till in in the spring. Now I'm plowing and discing, but still using cover crops.

 

[fivestring]

I disc my crop residue in the fall after I add my leaves.
In the spring, I plow it all, then 2 weeks later, I disc and plant.

 

[shady1701]

well i don't have a plow or disc or bushhog maybe santa claus is reading. I only have a KK subsoiler, cultivator, 5' tiller and box and flat graders.

I subsoiled it today it's developed a 8-10" hard crust. Busting up in 1-2' square blocks. Tractor pulls better with fluid in tires.

 

[cisco]

If the tiller is heavy duty enough, it'll work fine. If not, you can use the rippers (my 6 foot box has 5 that lower to about 8 inches below the box) on your box blade to tear things up - a bit faster, if not quite as deep, as the subsoiler.

 

[PineRidge]

Once the crops are done for the season I use a 2 bottom plow and turn the ground over. I then spread and manure that I have accumed over the season and use the tiller to mix it it. I then plant a cover crop of rye or buckwheat to overwinter. Once spring arrives I again use the 2 bottom plow, wait 2 weeks, till and start planting. This system really helps the soil and makes for some great veggies. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Slamfire]

You could run the cultivator over it, and leave it black. The advantages are that it'll warm up and dry out faster in the spring. Of course some of the soil with erode during the winter. Everything is some kind of trade off.