Chain Harrow???

[bindian]

The area around my home is mainly wooded with evergreens and a small amount of oaks. I rake and mulch the abundant tree droppings (needles, seed pods, cones, small branches, leaves, etc.) with either my bush hog or my non-tractor chipper/shredder. My goal is to integrate most of the vegetative matter back into the soil at a shallow depth. I would leave it on top to create a natural duff which supports a healthy forest but do not want to let it build up much on the surface for fire protection, living in the California mountains.

Dragging the new mulch with a chain harrow seems like it might be a good tool for this and not an expensive one. What do you think? Any better solutions?

There is not much clay in the soil so it is easy to work.

Thanks for your help.

A drag harrow would catch all the loose vegetative matter and pull it along. Sticks also. I pull mine chained to my loader bucket. I usually use it on my roads and for seeding bermuda grass. It levels out and will bury the seed. When I see stuff hanging up in it, I just lift the loader bucket up (on level ground) and pick the trash off the tines.
hugs, Brandi

 

[RidgeHiker]

A drag harrow would catch all the loose vegetative matter and pull it along. Sticks also. I pull mine chained to my loader bucket. I usually use it on my roads and for seeding bermuda grass. It levels out and will bury the seed. When I see stuff hanging up in it, I just lift the loader bucket up (on level ground) and pick the trash off the tines.
hugs, Brandi

When you say drag harrow are you referring to a chain harrow?
Thanks

 

[WM75Guy]

Thanks Randy, your direct experience is very helpful. Was the "Mule" a Kawasaki one?

Yes 4010 Trans4X4.

 

[bindian]

When you say drag harrow are you referring to a chain harrow?
Thanks

I guess it could be called a chain harrow. Around here folks call them drag harrows. It has forks linked together that can be flipped over or pulled from the other end, so it has 4 different levels of aggression. You can check mine out here........ Amazing Find.............a Drag Harrow
hugs, Brandi

 

[cqaigy2]

I guess it could be called a chain harrow. Around here folks call them drag harrows. It has forks linked together that can be flipped over or pulled from the other end, so it has 4 different levels of aggression. You can check mine out here........ Amazing Find.............a Drag Harrow
hugs, Brandi

I've heard them referred to as both, drag and chain harrows. I use one on my gravel driveway. Attached to FEL, it works fine for loosing up the gravel a bit, and popping vegetation out. I've tried it in the woods, but it filled immediately with branches, sticks etc.

 

[Creamer]

Chain harrows are different from drag harrows even though they both are drug through the field, pasture,etc. The chain harrow is made up of a chain like mesh where each link has one tooth. The drag harrow has rigid bars with rigidly held spikes where instead of moving individually, one bar all moves the same way way at the same time.

 

[SgtSluggo]

Chain harrows are different from drag harrows even though they both are drug through the field, pasture,etc. The chain harrow is made up of a chain like mesh where each link has one tooth. The drag harrow has rigid bars with rigidly held spikes where instead of moving individually, one bar all moves the same way way at the same time.

I think around here, everyone would call that a spike harrow.

 

[bindian]

Chain harrows are different from drag harrows even though they both are drug through the field, pasture,etc. The chain harrow is made up of a chain like mesh where each link has one tooth. The drag harrow has rigid bars with rigidly held spikes where instead of moving individually, one bar all moves the same way way at the same time.

I think you are referring to spike harrows. You can drag them or have them on 3PH and the angle of the dangle is adjustable.

My drag harrow has links with forks that can be flipped over or pulled from the other end. So the forked link moves around. My drag has huge links that could be called chain, but it is no mesh.

hugs, Brandi

 

[Creamer]

That is definitely what I have always heard called a chain harrow.