Disc harrow or bush hog

[orezok]

I live in the desert and due to our continuing drought (until this year), there has been little native growth. This year due to unusual rain, the desert turned green and the weeds grew like crazy. It's like a carpet out there. Then the rain ended and the heat came and everything dried up to a nice grey color.

My main concern is wildfire. The dry brush will remain this way through the end of the year and the next rainy season. It is a disaster waiting to happen.

My question is which would be better to reduce the fuel potential, a disc harrow or a bush hog. The vast majority is light brush less than 24" high. I will be pulling either with my 30HP B7800.

 

[jd2130]

I think either one will do the trick of reducing wildfire fuel. Bush hog will take down and kill vegetation more completely, but a disc harrow will work faster. How much land are you working?

 

[Scook222]

If you want to bush hog the majority of it that would be fine. I would take a disc and grind everything down for a couple of rounds to make a fire lane. We disk around our hay and Some land that is in trees every year to make a fire lane. A few wildlife areas near us use a dozer to make a fire lane when they do controlled burns every few years and after a few weeks you would never know it was a controlled burn. It comes back just as pretty and green as it could be.

 

[MH8675309]

A brush hog seems like it would stir up a lot of sand / Dust

 

[mcfarmall]

Many places use an offset disc pulled by a dozer to create fire lanes. They pull hard but will really do a number on grass and light brush. I'd vote for the disc with notched blades.

 

[Diggin It]

Whatever you decide to use, be aware of spark potential, metal to rock.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

I guess if you can swing it, I would do both. First brush hog the whole place, then disc a couple of passes around the border of your property line.

 

[FredH]

Disk is a " No Brainer " type tool . Although some thought is required while using it , a lot less is needed versus pulling a brush hog . I have both and the disk is more like " Drop it in the ground and look were you are going to not hit anything " . The mower requires a lot of attention both looking forward and back , to avoid hitting something / running over something .

Fred H.

 

[Atchuuu]

Is it sandy soil that you will be cutting? I have always been concerned about running my BH over sand or dirt for extended periods of time thinking it would damage the bearings and ruin the blades. Maybe that isn't really a concern.

 

[bcp]

If you just bush hog the weeds, they are still there, but in a more compact form. I would disc it to bury as much as possible.

Bruce