Newbie Question: How Do You Use 2 Bottom Plow?

[GreenAcres]

I'm still trying to figure out what kind of plow I need for my heavy clay soil with hay growing on it. I'll bush hog the hay down before I plow.

But never having even seen plowing done before, I guess I was wondering how one hooks up and then uses a two bottom plow.

By the way, I will have draft control installed on the tractor when it arrives (hopefully later this week).

Thank you in advance for whatever you can share from your experiences.

 

[SteveM]

There are volumes of information on plowing, and you really need to do some reading before getting frustrated on your own. Do a google search, also visit ytmag and look around - the folks with vintage tractors do more plowing than over here - most compacts are better suited to a tiller.

As for hooking up, I am assuming you bought a 3 pt plow - will hook up like any other implement. But the adjustment of the top link, and setup of the plow itself is something of an art form, and results will vary widely. I have not earned my plowing 'wings' so I will cant offer a lot of help. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Wannafish]

That's a good way to gewt "frustrated"...looking up "Plowing" on Google. Unless you want to plow snow, change the search to ploughing...don't ask me how I know /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

As Steve suggested, do a search on ytmag. I got a lot of great information over there when I was looking. I'm a newbie too, but I'm having a great time-and I'm sure you will also!

There may be a lot of information on the internet, but I couldn't find much. It seems all the articles relate to "No-Till" farming. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Good luck, have fun, and God Bless.

 

[Glenn9643]

Can't determine anything about your tractor choice from the bio page, but a good place to start for information would be at your tractor dealer. They'll know generally what's used in your area and what your needs probably will be.
Sounds like you want a "turning plow" that will dig a flat bottomed furrow and turn the sod over, leaving the dirt up. I've used a "disk" type turning plow with an old Farmall SuperC and seen "half-shovel" turning plows used that did basically the same thing. These half-shovel plows are made similar to middle-busters or potato plows, except the plow sweeps are only on one side, and the soil is thrown to that side. Both types (disk or half-shovel) should leave a clean cut in the sod on the side away from where the soil was thrown. If the tractor and plow are set properly you should make repeat passes in the same direction with the rear wheel just inside the cut made on the previous trip, throwing the soil toward that previously plowed. This should result in a "flat" bottom under the soil without ridges, etc. I would start in the middle of the field with the first cut, turn and go the other direction back over the first, and then work out from the center both ways. Hope you can get some good from this... It's difficult to put in writing. Your dealer can probably help you set the plow and show you how to use it better than I can help here.

 

[theboman]

Why bushhog when you're turning it under?

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Why bushhog when you're turning it under? )</font>

I don't know for sure what his reasoning is, but I'd sure do the same thing, and can tell you why. Tall grass, weeds, vines, etc. will accumulate on a plow and before you know it, you're dragging a great big ball of vegetation. The brush hog will chop it up so it doesn't gum up the works, and then when it's turned under, it's in smaller pieces and I think it will be better distributed and will decompose quicker.

 

[pabelote]

would spray before i cut then turn it under

 

[sweettractors]

I Have done this all my life and not a day goes by that I dont help or instruct someone how to plow with a 1-2-3-4 bottom moldboard plow. Not difficult--However--hard to put in writing--Give us a call at 270-528-3323-mon-fri-8-5-cst and ask for me. I need to know the tractor HP and do you have a 12-14 or 16 inch plow and also helpful to know the size of your rear tires and the overall track width of the tractor--Ken Sweet
Sweet Farm Equipment LLC *Over 30 sets of refurbished 2 bottom plows in stock*