Questions about chain harrow capabilities.

[Greenvalleymatt]

Long story short....I've been "farming" for a few years, basically trying to reinvent the wheel with a 49 ford 8n and some old worn out equipment, fast forward to today and I upgraded to a mahindra 1626 tractor with a 5ft tiller, I've also purchased a heavy duty used chain harrow. My goal with my 7 acres of heavy weeded coastal bermuda pasture is to start rotating cover crops in fall and spring for a few years to build soil health and increase organic matter in our heavy blackland clay soil. My question is how much can I do with the chain harrow? I've basic just been mowing, then broadcasting seed for a few years, and am only having patches of crops come up each season. Tilling 7 acres seems like a very time consuming endeavor, and I'm wondering if the chain harrow would prepare soil just enough to get better seed to soil contact, then run over the pasture with the harrow once more after broadcasting seed? I don't mind tilling specific areas, but what is the harrow capable of, and would running it over the broadcast seed do a good job of drilling the seed into the soil? Any and all advise would be much appreciated, thanks, Matt.

Pics of pasture I'm working with, I've been spreading wood chips for years and have about 4 acres really coming to life with the organic matter added. Also pics of the new tractor! Already got a scratch and dent less than a week in unloading the bush hog out of the truck! I really like the tractor!

 

[sea2summit]

A chain harrow would knock most of the grass over....for a day. It's not going to prep ground for planting. They are really made to spread manure, flatten clods from tillage, maybe some cleanup in specific applications. Tilling with a tiller is as you mentioned not really an option due to the time it would take.

Have you reached out to your extension office yet? Check to see if there are any no-till drills sized appropriately for that tractor available for rent. If not from them ask around to any local hunting clubs or see if there is a local guy that does food plots and has one.

Kind of hard to know what to recommend without knowing the endstate.

 

[Greenvalleymatt]

A chain harrow would knock most of the grass over....for a day. It's not going to prep ground for planting. They are really made to spread manure, flatten clods from tillage, maybe some cleanup in specific applications. Tilling with a tiller is as you mentioned not really an option due to the time it would take.

Have you reached out to your extension office yet? Check to see if there are any no-till drills sized appropriately for that tractor available for rent. If not from them ask around to any local hunting clubs or see if there is a local guy that does food plots and has one.

Kind of hard to know what to recommend without knowing the endstate.

Ok, I was hoping with heavy chain harrow it would scrape the surface enough to just get seed to soil contact. I also have a two bottom plow and an old disc, but I didn't have any luck with it on the old ford because the hydraulics were a mess, even after rebuilding the pump and replacing seals, piston and ram sleeve I think the pressure release valve had been tapped prior to me getting it and it wasn't a straight hole, which I think was causing the plunger to push against the threads and bleed pressure, so keeping the plow at a set height was a real pain, not to mention the steering was shot. I may try my hand at plowing and discing with the new tractor.

 

[sea2summit]

Ok, I was hoping with heavy chain harrow it would scrape the surface enough to just get seed to soil contact. I also have a two bottom plow and an old disc, but I didn't have any luck with it on the old ford because the hydraulics were a mess, even after rebuilding the pump and replacing seals, piston and ram sleeve I think the pressure release valve had been tapped prior to me getting it and it wasn't a straight hole, which I think was causing the plunger to push against the threads and bleed pressure, so keeping the plow at a set height was a real pain, not to mention the steering was shot. I may try my hand at plowing and discing with the new tractor.

You can probably get an older set of disks and lightly disk it to get after that, but the grass is thick enough it's gonna be ruff to disturb it for planting without destroying the root systems you have.

 

[Greenvalleymatt]

You can probably get an older set of disks and lightly disk it to get after that, but the grass is thick enough it's gonna be ruff to disturb it for planting without destroying the root systems you have.

I don't care about the grass, I'm not currently grazing or planning anytime soon, I'd rather have cover crops than grass in this situation. But Bermuda and Johnson grass don't go easily, and spraying to kill is not something I'm interested in either.

 

[herm0016]

how about a spring tooth rake? should pull up those bare spots, or a plug aerator, seed, then harrow to mix it all up.



oh.. you are trying to get rid of all the Bermuda? good luck with out spraying and tilling.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

What are you planning to seed it with? Smaller seeds don't need as much soil prep as larger seeds. Bermuda has very small seeds and can be broadcast onto unprepared soil and be fairly successful. However, something like soybeans, or wheat, with larger seeds will need more soil tillage to be successful.

Bermuda is very difficult to kill without herbicides. The only herbicide that I've been successful with to kill bermuda is Fusilade. Glyphosate (Roundup) is not very effective for killing bermuda grass.

Where are you located?

 

[Greenvalleymatt]

how about a spring tooth rake? should pull up those bare spots, or a plug aerator, seed, then harrow to mix it all up.



oh.. you are trying to get rid of all the Bermuda? good luck with out spraying and tilling.

Yea I'm still in the market for what's available used for good prices, as far as attachments go. And I learned my lesson the hard way years ago, never think you'll be rid of Bermuda or Johnson grass, just do your best, and keep on fighting it

 

[Greenvalleymatt]

how about a spring tooth rake? should pull up those bare spots, or a plug aerator, seed, then harrow to mix it all up.



oh.. you are trying to get rid of all the Bermuda? good luck with out spraying and tilling.

I do have a little spring tooth cultivator that I can use as well, it's small, but I've considered modifying to add some width.

 

[jeff9366]

I've basic just been mowing, then broadcasting seed for a few years, and am only having patches of crops come up each season.

Get a $10 soil test. If the pH of your soil and the pH preference of your seed are not compatible you will get 0% to 15% germination, nothing more. Soil test will reveal if you need lime, gypsum or both and the quantity of amendments needed per acre.


I'm wondering if the chain harrow would prepare soil just enough to get better seed to soil contact.

The specialized tractor implement for good seed contract and moisture retention is a Cultipacker.

VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tractor+cultipacker



Tilling 7 acres seems like a very time consuming endeavor. I've been spreading wood chips for years and have about 4 acres really coming to life with the organic matter added.

Rototiller will mix your wood chips evenly through plant root zone.

Take your time but till.

If you are in the southern USA consider Sunn Hemp as a soil builder.