I got a small field ~20ac I need to turn - pasture ground, not particularly hard ground but hard enough the disk won't do more than scratch it. The disk is a nicer box frame TUF LINE heavy duty 8 foot, works really nice and all the tractor wants to pull if running deep soft soil; but even with the notched disks it won't break sod. I do not own a plow at this time, but considering other options for single or double pass seed bed prep. Time is what kills me, I get a few hours to sit on the tractor then rush off to my real job I'm considering getting a big rototiller over a plow, I've got a small tiller now designed for a compact tractors up to 35hp. I used it to touch up some soddy areas in another field I planted this spring and got the idea for a 8 foot tiller would sure save me some time. Those bigger tillers work ok for primary tillage? or should I go find me a plow then disk it, disk it again, disk it again, drag, drag, drag, roll, plant?Another question is plow size, I wonder if a 4 bottom would be feasible for the tractor in my sig or find a cheaper 3 bottom since the acreage isn't all that much. One more question is I do have some round river rocks in the field in one section, softball sized and a few football sized but most are softball sized or smaller - tiller wouldn't like that huh.
Primary tillage
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bjr
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Yes, the 3 bottom plow, then disc and disc. bjr
Bigfoot62
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If you feel that you must break it up, then I agree with bjr.
But that brings up the question: Do you have to turn it over? What's the purpose? Once you plow it up, it will take some doing to get it back level again. (as you said: "disc, disc, disc, drag, drag, drag)
A Hay King renovator plow will fracture the hardpan and loosen the topsoil without turning the sod over.
But that brings up the question: Do you have to turn it over? What's the purpose? Once you plow it up, it will take some doing to get it back level again. (as you said: "disc, disc, disc, drag, drag, drag)
A Hay King renovator plow will fracture the hardpan and loosen the topsoil without turning the sod over.
jeff9366
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For twenty acres a moldboard plow / disc harrow succession will be more efficient than an eight foot rotary tiller.
How deep do you want to turn the earth? Moldboard (Turning) Plows turn earth over a narrow, inflexible range.
12" plow will turn 5" - 7"
14" plow will turn 6" - 8"
16" plow will turn 7" - 9"
A three bottom 12" plow, properly adjusted, will plow three touching furrows totaling 36" wide and 5" to 7" deep.
A three bottom 16" plow, properly adjusted, will plow three touching furrows totaling 48" wide, and 7" to 9" deep, but requires a great deal more power and traction to pull.
Used three bottom plows are not hard to find.
I rarely encounter four bottom plows used; new four bottom plows are VERY expensive.
If you plow after your first hard freeze in the Fall, letting freeze/thaw break down the furrows during Winter, then disc harrow in the Spring two-three weeks before last frost, you should not have to disc more than twice; maybe once. You will need to drag, but you can tow a drag behind your Disc Harrow.
MORE:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...oard-plow-wisdom-farmwithjunk.html?highlight=
BIGFOOT62, above, makes good points.
How deep do you want to turn the earth? Moldboard (Turning) Plows turn earth over a narrow, inflexible range.
12" plow will turn 5" - 7"
14" plow will turn 6" - 8"
16" plow will turn 7" - 9"
A three bottom 12" plow, properly adjusted, will plow three touching furrows totaling 36" wide and 5" to 7" deep.
A three bottom 16" plow, properly adjusted, will plow three touching furrows totaling 48" wide, and 7" to 9" deep, but requires a great deal more power and traction to pull.
Used three bottom plows are not hard to find.
I rarely encounter four bottom plows used; new four bottom plows are VERY expensive.
If you plow after your first hard freeze in the Fall, letting freeze/thaw break down the furrows during Winter, then disc harrow in the Spring two-three weeks before last frost, you should not have to disc more than twice; maybe once. You will need to drag, but you can tow a drag behind your Disc Harrow.
MORE:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...oard-plow-wisdom-farmwithjunk.html?highlight=
BIGFOOT62, above, makes good points.
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fantastic thread you linked too thanks
I've done a lot of plowing in my youth but didn't know all that. I made them pull flat and level and made sure they were flopping over the dirt correctly but that guy was the plow guru.
I'd love to follow him around a while and learn a thing or two
I've done a lot of plowing in my youth but didn't know all that. I made them pull flat and level and made sure they were flopping over the dirt correctly but that guy was the plow guru.
I'd love to follow him around a while and learn a thing or two
jeff9366
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What is the objective of working your pasture? Your objective is not clear and it is hard to offer specific advice until your objective is understood.
Are you trying to renew existing pasture which will remain pasture?
Are you focused on turning the existing pasture so you can plant a crop(s)? What crop(s)?
Have you had your pasture soil tested?
Are you trying to renew existing pasture which will remain pasture?
Are you focused on turning the existing pasture so you can plant a crop(s)? What crop(s)?
Have you had your pasture soil tested?
Last edited:
flusher
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You only need to plow it once to break through the crust. The $200 solution is a combo middle buster plow/subsoiler. You'll log a bit of seat time doing 20 acres this way, but from then on your 8-ft disc should work OK. Why pay big bucks for a 3-bottom plow that you'll probably never use again?
My primary tillage is done with an old 7-ft wide Towner offset disc (a present from a neighbor). I add about 500 lb of concrete weight to get it digging properly.
Good luck.
My primary tillage is done with an old 7-ft wide Towner offset disc (a present from a neighbor). I add about 500 lb of concrete weight to get it digging properly.
Good luck.
Ed of all trades
Elite Member
If you are going to plant it back in grass I would not plow, I would just disk it 2 or 3 times just to ruff it up a little. Broadcast your seed and drag it with a harrow, tires hooked together or whatever you have and let it grow. If you have areas that are hard packed from your stock till them with your small tiller. But most imp. is get your fertility and ph right. I had pasture that had not seen a plow in 40 or more years, My dad had them before me, and they produced very well. all about feeding the crop and keeping ph right.
The field is an old alfalfa field that was plowed 10 years or so ago and planted in pasture mix grasses, so it's not virgin soil. I soil tested the field next to it and will do the same to this one. My plan was to break it up this fall and plant in the spring which is what we've always done. I don't recall doing a lot of plowing in the spring months.
The field next to it (also 20 ac) was put in alfalfa with oats for a nurse crop. Probably do the same. That field wasn't planted in pasture grasses though, just sat fallow for 10+ years so the disk did great there. It won't till this one though so I was checking out the latest and greatest in primary tillage since I been out of it for a while.
I'll probably just pick up and old plow for a few hundred bucks and make do with it, since it's such a small job.
The field next to it (also 20 ac) was put in alfalfa with oats for a nurse crop. Probably do the same. That field wasn't planted in pasture grasses though, just sat fallow for 10+ years so the disk did great there. It won't till this one though so I was checking out the latest and greatest in primary tillage since I been out of it for a while.
I'll probably just pick up and old plow for a few hundred bucks and make do with it, since it's such a small job.
