Bull88
New member
- Joined
- May 11, 2007
- Messages
- 19
I've got about fourteen acres, and each year I work on planting around my perimeter to create a private oasis from the outside world. I'm planting lots of pines, arbor vitaes, and forsythia in my first "phase" of beautification.
The soil here is very dense, thick clay. When dry it is like mortar, and when wet it is like gooey play-doh. For each tree or shrub that I plant, I have a routine that is good exercise, but makes for slow progress. I use the wide blade of a cutter mattock to peel off the sod in a circular area larger than the tree. I then use the mattock to soften the soil and break it up, because it starts as clumps. I then use a shovel to turn the soil over and break it up some more. Then, I can finally dig the hole.
I am looking for an implement to help me with this. I have a 19hp diesel tractor. I have spent some time reading on this site, and am wondering if a sub-soiler would help? I don't have the budget for a good tiller, but I see the fairly cheap sub-soilers are supposed to loosen the soil. But, do they just break it up into large clumps that I would still have to bust apart by hand?
Sorry for the long post, thanks for any help.
The soil here is very dense, thick clay. When dry it is like mortar, and when wet it is like gooey play-doh. For each tree or shrub that I plant, I have a routine that is good exercise, but makes for slow progress. I use the wide blade of a cutter mattock to peel off the sod in a circular area larger than the tree. I then use the mattock to soften the soil and break it up, because it starts as clumps. I then use a shovel to turn the soil over and break it up some more. Then, I can finally dig the hole.
I am looking for an implement to help me with this. I have a 19hp diesel tractor. I have spent some time reading on this site, and am wondering if a sub-soiler would help? I don't have the budget for a good tiller, but I see the fairly cheap sub-soilers are supposed to loosen the soil. But, do they just break it up into large clumps that I would still have to bust apart by hand?
Sorry for the long post, thanks for any help.