Smoothing out a bumpy feild?

[srjones]

Hi all, I'm looking for suggestions here. I don't come from a farming background, so I don't really know if this is basic stuff or not, but here goes.

Is there any way to smooth out a bumpy feild without plowing and discing? In other words, smooth it out but keep enough of the grass so that opportunistic weeds won't take over.

Right now, the ground is hard as a rock, but by Febuary, it will be mostly mush. I'm able to working the feild any time of year.

Thanks in advance,

-Steve

 

[srjones]

Oh, and the current implements I have right now (that might apply here) are a landscape rake, disc, bush hog, spike harrow and an old rusty cultivator. I also have enough skills, tools and materials to fabricate or modify other implements if needed.

 

[srjones]

After looking a little more, I found this thread which mostly answers my questions.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/85219-rutted-bumpy-pasture-fix.html

 

[CharlieTR]

In the Fall you can plow and disk it. If it has been a long time since the soil was plowed (with moldboard) it would be best to plow. This will break up the hard pan maybe 6-8 inches beow the surface and roots/water to go deeper.
Then just rough disc it after plow. In the Spring you can disc and finish disc.
For the ruts you can drag a rail tie on a chain behind disk to fill in ruts. The ground should stay fair free of weeds over Winter.

 

[Timber]

You can try to roll it when the ground is soft, I don't know what your tractor weighs but a water filled roller might take the curs out of some of the high spots and the fill the low spots and seed. How big and area are we talking about

 

[srjones]

It's about 2 acres. I think part of the 'bumpiness' is the large clumps of grass that have formed, as well as the ruts that that I put there in the winter/spring when it was soggy.

From the input here at TBN, I think I've formulated a strategy of what I'm going to do:

1. Before the next mowing, I'm going to hook up the disk and run them in paralell to try to break up the sod a little and promote good drainage.

2. The following week, mow again as short as possible.

3. Repeat steps 2 & 1 (mow then disk) again this fall when we've had enough rain to turn things green and soften things up.

4. Then in spring 07 after the 1st mowing (about March) roll with feild with water rollers. Better yet, I may just hook the rollers to the brush hog to get it done in one pass.

 

[Maxfli]

I have about 3/4 acre that is real uneven. so far I have gone over it twice with a 48" rototiller. it is much improved. I am going to till once more, then my son left 4 tires and wheels off is car out back, I think I can chain these together into something I can drag to further level the area. I have been satisfied that a tiller is a must have implement, and am looking forward to some gardening in 2007.

 

[Egon]

If you want it level and smooth there just aint no shortcuts.

Either rotatill it or plow and disk or spend a long time bumpity bump on the tractor!