Subsoiler or Moldboard Plow

[Bpawb]

Which one of these implements would serve best for my project..... I'm trying to prepare a garden(240' x 60') for next spring..... The soil is 4" of topsoil & beneath his very compacted clay...(no oxygen and all)... I'm planning on Tilling
the whole area.... But do you think I should first use a...."Subsoiler or Moldboard Plow".... To disturb the ground below the topsoil? I do not own either implement, and I will be purchasing the one I need....


Thank you

paul

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Tough call there. A moldboard plow would work the ground to a depth of (maybe) 8 or 9 inches. It would incorperate your 4"s of top soil with the clay. In time, and with the addition of some needed ammendments (manure?) you would develope a deeper "topsoil" structure. But that takes time. And the tiller would finally achieve the same end.

Deep compaction takes deep "ripping" to relieve that problem. A subsoiler would help a great deal there.

My garden ground WAS junk. It was 3 or 4 inches of poor "top soil" with blue clay underneath. I chisel plowed it a few years ago. (to a depth of about 12") I've dumped several tons of composted manure on it every year. Every 3rd year, I turn it over with a moldboard plow to "mix" the soil better. It gets a tiller each spring.

But back to YOUR question about YOUR garden.

I'd take the subsoiler route, then the tiller next spring, giving those choices. A nickels worth of free advice. Subsoilers or deep rippers do a MUCH better job of breaking up "plow pan" or compaction if and when you use them with the soils as dry as you can drag the tool through the ground. They "fracture" soil, rather than just ripping a groove.

 

[Egon]

In some areas the subsoiler is a very commonly used implement. Takes a lot of HP to pull compared to the moldboard plow.

It will help.

Egon

 

[JerryG]

If you have a hard layer, ideally it would be the best to use a sub-soiler to help break it up and then a moldboard plow to work the top soil. The only problem with doing this would be having to purchase both implements. BTW, if you get a moldboard don't get a new one. The are made sell but not to use. Get an old Ferguson, MF, JD or Case. They do a much better job and can usually be picked up at an auction or from a local paper very inexpensively.

 

[Bpawb]

Thanks for your advice ...."Farmwithjunk".... from what I can tell the Subsoiler would be the implement of choice, but I was unsure..... I might not wait till spring though, to do my tilling,.. around my place(North Georgia) in the spring the ground is pretty wet... I figured break the ground, get it tilled and prepare this fall , then next spring , after it dries some I could re-till if necessary.

paul

 

[Bpawb]

Egon , you think 30 horsepower 4WD will do it? It's pretty heavy clay underneath.



Thanks

paul

 

[DocHeb]

If you till clay when it is moist you will get a collection of "clay-balls" about 1/2 - 3/4" in diameter. These will then dry up and remain hard, making it very difficult to plant seeds, and the top layer of soil will get very dry, very fast.

Here in Michigan I've had good luck with ripping the soil in the fall, then till the dry clay with leaves/manure/compost. Let it sit all winter. The subsoiler ripping helps the soil drain in the spring, and then I rip & till the last week in May just when I'm ready to plant - the soil has to be pretty dry.

 

[Egon]

Is 30 HP enough? It's a question of how many shanks and how deep. It may be best to ask the implement dealer on HP requirements.

Sorry I can't give a definitive answere.

Egon

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Folks used to pull single shank subsoilers with 9N,2N, 8N Fords and the like. They're less than 30 HP. The issue is as much weight/traction as it is power. HOWEVER, I THINK you'll have enough of each for a single shank.

 

[Egon]

Subsoiler
Features:

* Heavy Duty 1" Wide x 6" Shank

* 1/2" x 3" Wide x 12" Reversible Point for Longer Life

* Shear Bolt Protection on Top Link

* 15" Middlebuster Shovel will fit on Footpiece

* Grade 5 Heat-treated and Plated Fasteners

* 3 Point Hitch with Replaceable Cat. 1 Lift Arm Pins

* 20 - 35 HP Recommended

* Comes Assembled and Ready to Use

Did a Google search and this is data for a one tine subsoiler that may get almost deep enough.

Egon

 

[Egon]

This is the type of equipment I think about when talking subsoiler.

Egon

 

[Farmwithjunk]

We call that a VEE-RIPPER or deep vee-ripper in this area. Still a subsoiler, but with a modern name. That one would take some serious HP. (Probably 175 or more)

 

[JerryG]

To get the depth that you need with a sub-soiler using 30 hp, you need only one shank. Any more than one shank and you won't be able to go down deep enough to do any good.

 

[timb]

Strange local soil around here - I've got places where I've got 2" (if I'm lucky) of topsoil on top of heavy, hard, packed clay. I'm not sure if there is a 'pan' as such or a softer layer down deep. But I'm assuming that even breaking into / shattering the top of that clay layer would improve drainage/runoff - and be one step toward improving and deepening the topsoil layer.

So a question on subsoilers - I'm assuming that even with my gear JD4710 (5000 lbs as ballasted, 48 engine hp) I still don't really have enough tractor to use a 'real' two-shank unit - I'm still probably limited to a single-shank if I want to go as deep as possible. (True?)

So who makes the deepest, heaviest single-shank subsoilers? The Monroe Tufline units sound bigger and beefier (about twice the weight of a KK/TSC and available with a 28" shank) - but I haven't seen any in person.

 

[JerryG]

I think one shank will be all that you want. There are several manufactures that make good sub-soilers. I would start with your dealer and see what brands they sell. Most manufactures will not sell direct to customers and your dealer would be a good place to start. Be careful if you buy one without seeing it first, because some are made for larger heavier tractors and would also be to tall for your tractor.