Virgin Ground

[deereman10]

rupp seeds is a good place to get seeds.
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I get my seeds from Rupp and i'm very satisfied

 

[kattywumpus]

Good thread, I learned something today. That doesn't always happen!

 

[Spindifferent]

Hi deereman,

You may find this Soil Tillage Intensity rating scale helpful.

- Spindifferent

 

[deereman10]

On "virgin ground", how soon before planting should you work up the ground?

 

[sweettractors]

On "virgin ground", how soon before planting should you work up the ground?

Typically, you would want to turn the field in the fall or early winter, let it lay up in the rough until early spring. Then disc about every 2-3 weeks after a rain. Disc/rototill immediately before sowing/planting the seed. Ken Sweet

 

[datanull]

anyone use a disc plow? what makes it better/worse/different than a moldboard?

I have a Ferguson 2 disk plow and it digs like you wouldn't believe. It should cut most roots where a mold board might get caught. I believe it will dig much deeper than an disc harrow. You may not need to go too deep for food plots for deer.

 

[datanull]

Ken, do you know where I could get the "end cap" for a Ferguson like you are referring to. Mine didn't have it, but it didn't cost $900 either. Works OK with out but makes a nice place for wasps to nest.

 

[sweettractors]

Ken, do you know where I could get the "end cap" for a Ferguson like you are referring to. Mine didn't have it, but it didn't cost $900 either. Works OK with out but makes a nice place for wasps to nest.

I sure don't. I would cut me a round piece out of 1/8 flat stock and weld it to the end of the tube. Ken Sweet

 

[Luremaker]

i guess you are right, it's not "virgin" ground it just hasnt been farmed for 40 years. It's a 7 acre field that i want to put pumpkins in. I have been looking at tillers for my JD 2440 and i'm liking the king kutter 5' or 6' tillers. I thought about discing it but discs are mainly for leveling ground not tearing it up.

Deereman are you adding 7 more acres to the 15 you already plant with pumpkins? You are going to have one large patch.

Last summer my son and I planted corn and pumpkins on 3-1/2 acres of freshly worked ground. We started May 5th and planted the first corn on May 15th, ten days later, and then bi-weekly until late June. We planted our pumpkins and gourds around the middle of June.

This ground, like yours, has not been worked for many many years.

1. Day 1 we plowed the ground with our two bottom plow.
2. Day 3 we disced several times.
3. Day 5 we disced again.
4. Day 6 we tilled.
5. Day 9 we tilled again.
6. Day 10 we planted first 1/2 acre of corn.

For the pumpkins we added 550lbs of MAP (11-52-0) as per soil test a week or so before planting and disced it all in. We did not use any herbicides.

I can post pictures of most of the steps if you like.

 

[deereman10]

pictures would be great