Opening up land for a garden and orchard

BCrouse · Aug 25, 2016

CADplans said:
Remove the coulter blade from the plow,, the debris will just roll under the coulter, lifting the plow out of the ground.
A coulter is normally only useful when fine roots are present, like grass or wheat,,, etc.

I will try.
Might have to soak for a few days in some pb blaster....those bolts dont look like theyve been touched in 50 years.

4570Man · Aug 25, 2016

Are you planning on planting something before next spring? I'd keep it mowed a couple more times this year and let it rot over the winter.

BCrouse · Aug 26, 2016

4570Man said:
Are you planning on planting something before next spring? I'd keep it mowed a couple more times this year and let it rot over the winter.

Possible. Maybe a cover crop or the Mrs wanted to try and get some root veggies in. Might be too late though.

BCrouse · Aug 26, 2016

I primed and painted the plow. Had to paint it Ford blue.

I also got some plowing done today.

I thought i had'er set in low gear. I was plowing away. Started bogging down a bit. Ok, i thought, more throttle (was running at PTO rpm). Got about 4 rows plowed and about stalled it on the last one. Somethings gotta be up. Doh. Not in L.

After I found low, again, it plowed much more steady.

I found some grounded nested wasps too.

The plow was all shined from the claysand PA soil.

I left the coulter on. The most trouble it gave me was from getting rocks wedged between it and the plow.

flusher · Aug 26, 2016

If you're serious about planting an orchard, you should dig a narrow trench 3 to 4 feet deep and check the sides of the trench to be sure you don't have a dense clay layer (hardpan) under the topsoil. If so, you'll have to use a subsoiler to break up the hardpan so the trees can get rooted properly and so water can get to the deep roots.

When my neighbor decided to put in about 8 acres of English walnut trees, he had to get this D8 Cat with dual 4-ft rippers to break up the hardpan before planting his orchard.

Good luck.

BCrouse · Aug 26, 2016

flusher said:
If you're serious about planting an orchard, you should dig a narrow trench 3 to 4 feet deep and check the sides of the trench to be sure you don't have a dense clay layer (hardpan) under the topsoil. If so, you'll have to use a subsoiler to break up the hardpan so the trees can get rooted properly and so water can get to the deep roots.

When my neighbor decided to put in about 8 acres of English walnut trees, he had to get this D8 Cat with dual 4-ft rippers to break up the hardpan before planting his orchard.

View attachment 478751 View attachment 478752

Good luck.

Thats a nice machine for subsoiling

Im not going for 8acres. Maybe 10-15 trees. Ill clear a space and then measure out for proper clearances (20-25ft circle). Good tip on the hardpan. Thanks.

CADplans · Aug 26, 2016

BCrouse said:
Thats a nice machine for subsoiling

Im not going for 8acres. Maybe 10-15 trees. Ill clear a space and then measure out for proper clearances (20-25ft circle). Good tip on the hardpan. Thanks.

I used a post hole digger to put a 4 foot deep, 12 inch diameter hole under EVERY tree I have ever planted.
Whether it has done any good or not is open to debate.
In each hole, I always back-filled with compost.

I did the same process under grape vine plants,,,
I have NEVER had a grape survive.
Hopefully, the failure has been due to the destructive Japanese beetles, not my poor techniques..

I have even cored rows under my garden,,, out of boredom.

The garden has been heavily mulched, so, again, I have no way to know if the holes have helped.

Did I say heavily? I meant H E A V I L Y !!,,, :confused2:

I AM KINDA CRAZY WHEN IT COMES TO MULCH,,, :laughing:

kthompson · Aug 26, 2016

BC, have not seen a clear view of the point on your plow but I think you need a new point on it. They are made for the plow brand and size so you must buy for your plow. Not beating you up the moldboard (we call them bottom plows here) is not easy to get fully and properly setup. Think you can find videos on youtube doing so but yours is not there yet. You are leaving what looks like beds and when you have the tractor running right groove for the width of the tractor and plow and the plow set right it will be not 100 percent level but right near it. Can be a very pretty sight. Miss seeing it. Miss running bottom plows. kt

I think everything attachments might have video on setting up those plows also.

Sawyer Rob · Aug 26, 2016

You do realize that what you have brush hogged off, if left in place, will compost out and "build the soil" to make better soil, don't you??

Sell the plow to the scrap man, and buy a "quality" tiller! lol A tiller is MUCH better tool for incorporating green matter...

SR

BCrouse · Aug 27, 2016

kthompson said:
BC, have not seen a clear view of the point on your plow but I think you need a new point on it. They are made for the plow brand and size so you must buy for your plow. Not beating you up the moldboard (we call them bottom plows here) is not easy to get fully and properly setup. Think you can find videos on youtube doing so but yours is not there yet. You are leaving what looks like beds and when you have the tractor running right groove for the width of the tractor and plow and the plow set right it will be not 100 percent level but right near it. Can be a very pretty sight. Miss seeing it. Miss running bottom plows. kt

I think everything attachments might have video on setting up those plows also.

Ive watched Ted setup a single bottom plow and plow. I followed it as best I could. The old Ford plows don't have any left/right adjustment. Thats about the only thing I couldn't adjust. I ran the first furrow with a land level plow, then put my right tires in the furrow and adjusted the plow as flat as possible.

Can you find me a picture of a bottom plowed field? What should it look like?

Everyone I find looks very similar to what mine looks like. A freshly plowed field isn't flat. It takes some discing or a rototiller to flatten it out.