First Time Plowing an Area - recommendations and depth?

[jenkinsph]

I would recommend a small 3pt tiller for your tractor. This would be the best way to break up the ground with a light machine. I would forget the moldboard plows, too hard to use with a 1500 lb. subcut.

 

[bigtiller]

Thanks, guys - reviewing the videos now... had seen one of the previously.

Initially, I'm just putting down a small 4'x25' strip for fall vegetables... we just moved in, so this fall is just an experiment. The property has a lot of trees, so not expecting great sun through the fall and winter.

Out of curiosity, how is the plow measured/sized? I'm not sure what size I have, and that would be helpful to know.

This may sound almost like blasphemy on a tractor forum, but for a 4x25' a potato fork wouldn't be to much work even for an old coot like me.

Ames 4-Tine Forged Spading Fork-28262 - The Home Depot

 

[CCWKen]

This may sound almost like blasphemy on a tractor forum, but for a 4x25' a potato fork wouldn't be to much work even for an old coot like me.

Ames 4-Tine Forged Spading Fork-28262 - The Home Depot

:laughing:
Yeah, I said I wouldn't even start the tractor for that but apparently, the plot has gotten larger.
Better to say out of justifications to SWMBO for tools.

 

[kthompson]

Okay men, we all have looked for reason to use our tractor at times when it may have been even easier to use a spade. If it was all done what made the most sense many would have to take their tractors and implements back. Same with the boat and 4 wheel drive pickup. There is reason some call them "toys"!! NOW GET OUT THERE AND PLAY! It is good for the soul.

 

[Whawkins]

Unfortunately, it didn't go like it does in the videos. Clay was extremely dry and rock hard... making it down more than 3-4" was show stopping. So, I ended up using the plow, to some extent, more as a digging tool... once I'd get stuck, raise it up a little and break off the clay then try again. My rear tires are ballasted, and I have the R4 tires. I ran in 4wd and locking the differential... in spite of trying to get a running start, often came to a halt, either because of lack of traction or because I didn't have enough HP, and the engine would start to bog down. There could certainly be user error with the angle of the plow, etc., though it felt like I need 2000 lb more and 15 more horsepower. I do have the FEL attached... does adding some weight in it help, or only cause more problems? Sometimes the tractor started to pivot (versus go straight) due to the offset of the plow.

At this point, I've got an area that is sporadically plowed, and re-leveled it. Will go back to try to catch the spots missed, with my ghetto approach to plowing. I learned pretty quickly that all the looking back while getting jerked by the hard ground isn't the best on the neck!

Area is probably more like 6x35, and don't think this ground is going to be too friendly on a tiller.... yet.

I have dense black clay soil myself that has never been turned. No rocks or roots though! I am planning to turn the soil, add manure, till then replant pasture grass (No irrigation). Because my soil gets hard as concrete over the warm summer, I am probably only going to be able to plow in the spring, work in manure & till over the summer and plant grass in the fall so the seed will germinate with fall rains.

My JD has the typical R4 tires, 2400 lbs (without ballast) and 37 hp. I am concerned that I will have the same fight... I am looking to plow 5 acres.

 

[mo1]

I have dense black clay soil myself that has never been turned. No rocks or roots though! I am planning to turn the soil, add manure, till then replant pasture grass (No irrigation). Because my soil gets hard as concrete over the warm summer, I am probably only going to be able to plow in the spring, work in manure & till over the summer and plant grass in the fall so the seed will germinate with fall rains.

My JD has the typical R4 tires, 2400 lbs (without ballast) and 37 hp. I am concerned that I will have the same fight... I am looking to plow 5 acres.

I would suspect if you had fluid-filled ag tires, you should be able to pull a 2-12 or maybe a 2-14 plow. For reference, a Ford 8N was usually used with a 2-12 or 2-14. It had 30 HP and weighed about 2800 pounds. I don't know how unfilled industrial tires would change that, but I suspect you'd be able to pull a 1-14 fine if people with subcompacts with industrial tires can pull a 1-12. It took me roughly an hour to plow about an acre of ground that hadn't been plowed in at least 35 years recently with a 75 HP Deere and an old 3-14 Case, so that should give you a reasonable guesstimation for how long it would take you to plow your 5 acres with your machine.

 

[jyoutz]

Thanks for all the responses! I will respond when I have more time tonight, but curious if I should water or soak the ground when it is this dry and you have to plow? If so, are there any techniques to avoid over watering? I suppose the question pertains to uncut ground as well as areas where I've worked the top, but not the bottom.

You can soak the ground if you need to get it plowed before you get snow or rain. But if the soil is compacting or making ribbons it is too wet to plow. I like to plow in the fall so winter snow will go deep into the ground, then use a rototiller in the spring prior to planting.

 

[Rockbadchild]

it is very very difficult to till virgin ground without plowing first if you can’t plow it you won’t be able to till it, the tiller will bounce and get out of the ground.

 

[Egon]

Got dry Hard Clay??

Lots of horse power and a spiked tooth type cultivator attachment. More than a few passes as deep as can be done. Follow by discing, plowing, or a tiller.

On hard dry clay a rototiller will take a bad beating. If the soil is wet you end up pulling a rotating tube of clay over the surface.

Weight in the bucket will add to your traction.

Sod turning plows have a gentler longer angled mole board that inverts the sod in a continuous strip. The harder steeper mole boards are for cultivated ground an break the soil Down into smaller clods when it’s turned.

The depth the soil is worked to should be limited to viable Soil.

learning how to plow is mostly about attaching and adjusting the implement properly.

 

[Whawkins]

I would suspect if you had fluid-filled ag tires, you should be able to pull a 2-12 or maybe a 2-14 plow. For reference, a Ford 8N was usually used with a 2-12 or 2-14. It had 30 HP and weighed about 2800 pounds. I don't know how unfilled industrial tires would change that, but I suspect you'd be able to pull a 1-14 fine if people with subcompacts with industrial tires can pull a 1-12. It took me roughly an hour to plow about an acre of ground that hadn't been plowed in at least 35 years recently with a 75 HP Deere and an old 3-14 Case, so that should give you a reasonable guesstimation for how long it would take you to plow your 5 acres with your machine.

Thanks Mo1. I actually have an 8N also, and like you, I figure the 2038r and 8N are fairly similar in their abilities, but of course the 2038r will not need maintenance anything even near what the old 8N needs When it is working in the fields, the 8N needed nearly daily maintenance. I think I will get the tires filled and may even add a pair of wheel weights to the 2038r.