Can you plow criss cross?

[Bob Senti]

This is a really strange question.

If I plow in one direction on unbroken sod ground, and end up with with so-so furrows, can you plow perpendicular to those when done? Will that just not work or tear things up? I do plan on taking a disc harrow to it in late spring, but because the first pass was so rough I thot about taking another crack at it in the opposite direction. :thumbsup:

Or should I let it settle and just replow in the same direction?

Or perhaps use a few sticks of dynamite :licking::licking::licking:

Cheers,

Bob

 

[Sutol]

You have to think about which way you plough, remember that you are moving the whole top portion of the area over by the width of the furrow so if you plough the same way every year then you will eventually end up with all the top soil at the other side

 

[blunosr]

Hi Bob, I'm not an expert, but I would say discing is your best option. You will make a mess trying to cross plow.

I'm sure folks with more wisdom will show up soon.

Bye for now,

Troy

 

[kebo]

It you are talking about plowing with a moldboard plow, the answer is you can do it but it will be pretty rough. The deep furrows will make for a rough ride going against the "grain", and most likely the new furrows won't have even depth.

 

[Thomas]

I've yet to see it be done,would be interesting tho also one rough ride.

 

[Mark Page]

I've done it before I got a heavier disc harrow. Dosen't work too well and you'll likely be contantly fooling with your draft control. I sold my plow and harrow and bought a second hand 5' tiller. I can go down 6" and turn it into powder.

 

[gwdixon]

It you are talking about plowing with a moldboard plow, the answer is you can do it but it will be pretty rough. The deep furrows will make for a rough ride going against the "grain", and most likely the new furrows won't have even depth.

I'm with kebo on this one. Make an appointment with a dentist for the day after you plan to cross plow. New fillings are going to be needed.

The bucking of the tractor will make more of a mess than you started with whether the plow is drawn or attached to the 3PH. Just let it go and clean it up with the disc come Spring.

If you absolutely have to re-plow it then go the opposite direction on each pass. That is if you made a pass N-S, then go over it with a pass from S-N. That will even out the soil movement mentioned by Sutol.

Also remember, you will be turning some of the sod right side up again - probably not what you want.

 

[Ford tractor]

Sure, you "could" but it would be self defeating.

A mold board plow is turning the soil over. Green down and brown up. Plowing twice turns the green back up.

After plowing, it's time to disc (or till). Actually, i like to wait a week for the weeds to die and new weeds to sprout, then disc to kill the baby weeds.

 

[Sutol]

Usualy plough and then wait for a good frost to break it up then disc after it thaws and dries

What do you think

 

[RSKY]

I agree with Ford Tractor. When you use a molboard plow, or what the old farmers called a 'turning plow', you are turning the sod over. If it is done properly the grass stems will be on the bottom and the roots will be on top. No matter what direction you go across the field if you plow a second time you will be turning the sod right side up.

Back when I was a teenager, before no-till equipment, we broke the ground, that is plowed it. Then we disked at least twice before planting. The first pass with the disk was always in the same direction as traveled with the plow. If not you would turn some of the broke ground over. The second pass with the disk would be in any direction. We always had a drag pole chained on behind the disk to help level the field. This was a 'telephone pole' cut off about three or four feet wider than the disk and attached by chain. The chains were about four feet long. And if you turned near a fence it was guaranteed the pole would take it out.

You haven't lived until you've had to disk a forty acre plowed field on a red-belly Ford with no power steering and a 3-point disk. It requires you to hold the steering wheel with both hands and your arms tensed to absorb the shock of the skinny front tires jumping back and forth. To grip the wheel anywhere except the outside and to relax for even a second would get you a sprained wrist.

Also a turning plow can be used over time to change the elevation of a small field by slowly, year by year, piling the dirt at one end and widening the furrow in the center into a drainage ditch.