Novice help: planting things, plow/disk or harrow?

[Laminarman]

Clueless here, sorry to post this. I have a piece of property that hasn't been plowed or planted in over a decade. Now overgrown with grass gone to seed. Poor soil conditions as well with a lot of rocks. I just acquired a NH TC40 (will take delivery next week I hope). I was planning on planting some food plots for wildlife, as well as some small scale stuff for myself such as corn, potatoes...etc. I planned on plowing with a one or two bottom plow, then disking it thoroughly and then planting (all this after applying Roundup). The guy at TSC told me to forget it, that's a waste of time. He said to simply spray a broadleaf killer, then harrow drag it to rip it up, spread seed, then drag again. The air went out of my balloons when I heard this guy suggest I give up the hours on my new CUT in order to "make it quick and dirty". Any thoughts on this? I hear people say plowing is very hard work, but am I stupid to think that sitting on a tractor is not hard work?? I need to get outside for some therapy and I hope plowing/disking/planting is fun, not just work like everyone seems to tell me. Also, if I do plow, can a TC40 pull a two bottom okay or will it "destroy the machinery" as the supposedly knowledgeable TSC dude told me?? Thanks for the help.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

The TC 40 will handle a 2 bottom plow well in any soil. A 3 bottom will push it unless you have ideal soil and conditions. As for the TSC guy, what he suggest will work for grass but if you want to plant corn or other crops you need to turn the ground over and break up the soil to allow root growth. If all you are going to do is a couple small chunks like a half acre then you can get away with a rototiller. If you plan on doing more then get a plow and disc. As for sitting on a tractor, yeah, that is the easy part. It is sitting on a tractor for 8 hours in the sun, heat and dust which is hard. If you do it for a couple hours a day then it is fine and you can enjoy it. I love working outside which is why I work construction and farm. Good luck and enjoy your self.

 

[Laminarman]

Thanks for your help Robert. I appreciate it. I'm looking forward to sitting on my tractor plowing. Also, I think I'd rather do it right if I'm going to invest a lot of money in seed (Imperial Whitetail Clover) and chemicals to make the plot last several years.

 

[Alan L.]

I haven't pulled a bottom plow, but pulling a disk is relaxing. After a while if you have lot to do it becomes tiring, but it sure beats going to the office.

 

[fractal]

Congradulations on your new toy .... err ... tool.

Might I suggest you consider a combination of what the TSC guy said and what you are proposing?

Spray with broadleaf, wait a week or so, drag the harrow and spread out a cover crop. Maybe a bit of box / blade work of the harrow doesn't smooth it out enough for you.

Green manuer as it is another name for the cover crops. Typically clovers, beans and grains. Some are quite attractive. Cut these down (some say cut, some say don't bother) in a few months and till / plow / disc in. Make sure you do it before the crop goes to seed. This will add quite a bit of organic material to the soil. It is the fastest way to build up soil short of paying a lot of money to buy compost.

 

[Laminarman]

Thanks fractal. Will this help at all with my pathetic soil Ph (5.0)?

 

[Egon]

With a PH of 5 you may have to apply lime. When choosing seeds for planting make sure they will survive in the low PH.

How many acres are you talking about?

If you till the soil in any fashion the roundup may be a waste of time as there are countless seeds just lying there awaiting their chance. It may take 3-4 years of cultivation for you to reach your desired goals. Don't plan on garden the first year.

Green manure is terrific idea.

I am working with soil of the what sounds like the same type. So far I've done an admiral job of growing rocks.

On one little test plot lime, fertilizer, clover and buckwheat were applied. Immediately adjacent I just planted the clover and buckwheat. The Deer grazed the limed/fertilized area and ignored the rest.

Egon

 

[Laminarman]

I only plan on planting about ten rows of corn, each about 100' long. Just for fun. Really I'm going to do a test plot first with pelletized lime about 1/4 acre. If all goes well then I'll plant a total of 3 acres in clover and brassicas mixture (will have lime trucked in). The future may hold a few strips of sorghum and/or other crops for wildlife. I'll start slowly mostly due to limited time. I appreciate all the help.

 

[Soundguy]

That TC 40 should have the power to pull a 3 bottom plow.. not a 2... However depending on whether he has draft control will be a different story. Without draft control, he'll have to manually modulate the position control to adjust for depth of cut and draft on the tractor.... not impossible... but those antiques were really designed for plowing.. where our newer machines are more designed for roto-tilling ( geared low ).. etc.

An 8n pulls a 2-14.. it is ~27.6 hp

A NAA pulls a 3-14.. it is ~34 hp

His TC 40 is going to be a hair bigger than my NH 1920.. which is essentially same HP as a NAA.. though 48 years newer, diesel, and 4wd.. etc.. etc.

Should be fun either way!

Soundguy

 

[cowboydoc]

The TSC guy just want to sell you alot of seed. Yes you can get by doing that but you are going to waste alot of seed. I am still from the old school where you tear everything down and build it back up. If you were closer I could show you pastures that we did what the TSC guy said and ones that we started completely over with. The same season the pastures we have plowed, disc, harrow, seed, harrow are ten times the quality what the pastures you try and interseed or overseed are. As long as runoff and erosion isn't an issue I'd do it all.

Remember what Egon said though and get your soil right. It will be very difficult to grow anything if the soil isn't right.