Converting Corn Field to Grass

ddivinia · Sep 22, 2005

I am not sure which forum to post this question, so let me know if I need to move it. I have a 38 acre corn field that I want to convert to grass. Overall the field is flat, but it has the corn rows. I have mowed the corn stuble down. I bought a 6'4" disc harrow (man, I wish I had a wider one) and I have gone over it once with the rows. It busted them up, but it is still pretty rough. I just got done with the first run over them, and there is a good rain coming (hurricane Rita). What can I do to smooth it out more? Just keep discing it in different directions? Some people have recommended running over it with chainlink fence to break it up some. I would appreciate some words of wisdom.

Thanks,
D.

beenthere · Sep 22, 2005

I am assuming this is a tandem disc harrow.
The best I have found with discing corn rows is to travel at about a 15° angle to the direction of the rows. That will level the rows, especially if you cover it about three times. Then let the grass roots dry out, and disc it again. After that, try the drag harrow to make a seedbed for the seeds. Either drill or broadcast the seed (followed by light dragging if broadcast).

If it's been several years since it was corn, then likely it will need to be plowed first, or at least sub-soiled to work it up before discing.

One other thing, before discing at 15°, go several passes on top of the dead furrows to pull them in a bit. Practice a bit to see what seems to work the best with the disc set-up that you have. The more the soil is worked up, the easier it will be to move the loose dirt around to become level.

You will see a lot of farm fields worked up at that 15° angle to the 'length' of the field. There is a good reason, and leveling is one of them.

ddivinia · Sep 23, 2005

It is a Frontier DH1176. I am not sure which kind it is...

D.

ddivinia · Sep 23, 2005

Excuse my ignorance, what is a drag harrow.

They cut the corn off 6 weeks ago.

I went parallel with the rows this time, it is busting it up. The grass is coming in. Rain is coming this weekend from Rita. I guess I will hit it again after it dries up some and try at 15 degrees.

Did I screw up and buy the wrong disk?

Thanks,
D.

ddivinia · Sep 23, 2005

OK, I found a drag harrow online

Shortened Long URL

I think I need a bigger harrow and a bigger disk!

D.

MikePA: Cleaned up long URL. Please review your message before posting it. It's simple not to do this. Just insert a descriptive word or two between the {url=http://whatever}<font color="red">Enter words here</font>{/url} instead of the entire URL. Replace parentheses {} with square brackets in previous example.

Alternatively, if you use the Instant Markup language URL link, the first prompt is for the URL. The second prompt is for a description. Do not simply paste in the URL again. Type a short description of the link.

ddivinia · Sep 23, 2005

OK, another stupid question. How do I properly setup up this disk. Shoudl the disk be 100% level? What angle should I run the disks at?

I have read the manual, and it is not much help.

Thanks for all the help.

D.