Food plot implement choice

[jeff9366]

I plan to grade 30 acres with it later. Also has stumps below grade. I'm giving that area time to rot though, like atleast a few years.

Not a reasonble expectaton for a tractor, even a large, heavy tractor. For thirty acres hire a bulldozer and operator.

 

[rbtjr]

Aha. I just mowed the plot with the rotary mower, but I didn't mow very close to the ground. Any thoughts about that--i.e., in order to let the clover flourish, do I need to mow the plot low? Thanks.

 

[mx1alex]

You just want to clip the tops of the clover. It will knock down the weeds and encourage more growth from the clover thus out-competing the weeds.

 

[rbtjr]

Makes sense. Thanks.

 

[bushhog28]

Not a reasonble expectaton for a tractor, even a large, heavy tractor. For thirty acres hire a bulldozer and operator.

It will be years before i take my disk or whatever i buy to it. Stumps are 3 years old, might try a disk when they are 7 years old. So you think the ETA xtreme disk is the way to go with a cultipacker.

 

[jeff9366]

I do not think a Disc Harrow will do anything to ameliorate stumps in less than 20 years unless the stump is soft and very porous wood.

Pine, Oak, Hickory, Gum, Bay will take longer than 20 years.

Disc Harrows are a form of tiller, for mixing soil. Incidentally to mixing, a Disc Harrow will level plow furrows. A Disc Harrow will not level dips, hills nor swales in ground.

For removing stumps or leveling thirty acres of uneven ground you need a bulldozer. Time is money. Make the land productive.

 

[jeff9366]

So you think the ETA xtreme disk is the way to go with a cultipacker.

I think buying from ETA most of the markup due a retail outlet/middle tier is eliminated. Freight on a heavy Disc Harrow from Ohio (Brown) or Mississippi (Monroe Tufline) to North Carolina could easily be $700, which would then be marked up as part of retail outlet's cost.

ETA is located in North Carolina. Freight from ETA is pretty low and included in price. ETA is a volume shipper.

 

[bushhog28]

Forgot to mention, i have clay soil.

So what implements would you use to prep soil if there wernt stumps? Chisel plow and cultivator?

 

[jeff9366]

Forgot to mention, i have clay soil.

So what implements would you use to prep soil if there were NO stumps? Chisel plow and cultivator?

A Chisel Plow is a heavy duty Field Cultivator, more or less. It is a conservation plow. Not best for clay.

In most parts of North Carolina a moldboard (turning) plow would be used to "break" soil/sod mixture the first time, then a heavy Disc Harrow would be used for secondary tillage, with winter in between the two stages. Late winter/spring freeze thaw cycles help to break up clay. Disc Harrow reduces clods further. Disc Harrow with 9" pan spacing better for cutting. Disc Harrow with 7" spacing better for smoothing. For food plots, 9" spacing. This for commercial crops. Not required for food plots.

If field is tilled with a HEAVY Disc Harrow twice per year it may only require plowing once. In Florida, where two crops are normal and some get three crops of hay, Disc Harrows with 22" - 24" -26" pan diameter are the norm. Turning plows are around but seldom seen working. NOTE: Most of Florida has sandy-loam.

 

[bushhog28]

So in clay,
Commercial No stumps... Plow, disk, cultipack

Food plot with stumps, disk, cultipack

I bet a plow would survive first pass better than a disc. Might just take me to first stump though.