OP
Jim57
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2005
- Messages
- 1,295
- Location
- South Carolina, Westminster - USA
- Tractor
- Shibaura SD2200 4X4
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Jim:
I appreciate what you are trying to do. I am in SC too. I am not a farmer, but I am learning to be. I will tellyou what I have learned - first step is to send off a sample to Clemson for testing. They will tell you exactly how much fertilizer to put down per acre. work your butt off with the wrong ph and you got nothing. Clemson will tell you what you need (if anything) Maybe 50 pounds, more, or less. Just because that land was fallow doesn't mean it is ready to grow crops. the next most important thing I learned this year is soil compaction. (or avoiding compaction, that is) Compaction is a farmer's enemy. jEvenafter planting, you just lightly rake loose dirt over, you don't pack it in.
We plow with a chisel plow and then harrow with disk to break up the soil, loosen it up. If you could fluff it up into a powder that would be ideal. (Obviously tillers are perfect forthis role once you have plowed the new ground). But you don't need a tiller. Your new ground will need to be chisel plowed three ways, strait, 90degrees, then 45 degrees. then disk it to break up the clods. I saw your yellow scarifier, that will be perfect.
Having said all that, i realize your chinese job laid down on you, so instead of plowing the whole field now, can you rent a walk behind tiller and till a 12 inch wide strip for the length of the field, every 12 to 24 inches? If you can do that, then if you start this weekend, you have 45 days till Oct 15 and the first frost. You can get a butload of collards in, carrots, and a handful of other fall crops that may produce for you. seeing as how beans need 60 days roughly, I can't see you producing any now. But you may still try collards and carrots. and a little bit of miracel grow. im in saluda county. )</font>
Thank you... I see from this I will need one more piece of equipment this spring... a disc.
I have taken samples to Clemson University like you said with the soil and waiting for results. I also called the County Agriculture and they came out and are going to help me decide on what kind of terraces I need. They say I am late on getting help with seed and such to do this project but could help me next year.
I am trying to find a tiller. The one I had was stolen sometime ago. This happen during the three years I was out of town working and my family and I had relocated because of my Vice President position in two companies. When those companies sold controlling interest... I was laid off and my position filled by the person buying the companies out. We moved back here and it was all grown over. I have worked really hard getting it ready and I will do everything in my power to make this work. About renting a tiller... well the funds are low for right now. But it will pick up as soon as I get back to work. My project will continue... it will just not be as productive without a tractor. Thanks for the info and please email me sometime.
This worrying about this is keeping me up at nights. That is why I am up right now on the forum. Just can't sleep for worrying. Some how I have to make this work and help people. I have given my word and I intend to keep it even if it kills me. I absolutely refuse to give up. Lives depend on what I can do with my land.
I think maybe the dirt will be dry enough to till this weekend. We got quite a bit of rain the last two days. I was walking the field and picking up roots and rock this evening from where it was cleared. Still kinda wet. But it being open and if the sun and a breeze continues... it should dry out fairly quickly.
Jim
I appreciate what you are trying to do. I am in SC too. I am not a farmer, but I am learning to be. I will tellyou what I have learned - first step is to send off a sample to Clemson for testing. They will tell you exactly how much fertilizer to put down per acre. work your butt off with the wrong ph and you got nothing. Clemson will tell you what you need (if anything) Maybe 50 pounds, more, or less. Just because that land was fallow doesn't mean it is ready to grow crops. the next most important thing I learned this year is soil compaction. (or avoiding compaction, that is) Compaction is a farmer's enemy. jEvenafter planting, you just lightly rake loose dirt over, you don't pack it in.
We plow with a chisel plow and then harrow with disk to break up the soil, loosen it up. If you could fluff it up into a powder that would be ideal. (Obviously tillers are perfect forthis role once you have plowed the new ground). But you don't need a tiller. Your new ground will need to be chisel plowed three ways, strait, 90degrees, then 45 degrees. then disk it to break up the clods. I saw your yellow scarifier, that will be perfect.
Having said all that, i realize your chinese job laid down on you, so instead of plowing the whole field now, can you rent a walk behind tiller and till a 12 inch wide strip for the length of the field, every 12 to 24 inches? If you can do that, then if you start this weekend, you have 45 days till Oct 15 and the first frost. You can get a butload of collards in, carrots, and a handful of other fall crops that may produce for you. seeing as how beans need 60 days roughly, I can't see you producing any now. But you may still try collards and carrots. and a little bit of miracel grow. im in saluda county. )</font>
Thank you... I see from this I will need one more piece of equipment this spring... a disc.
I have taken samples to Clemson University like you said with the soil and waiting for results. I also called the County Agriculture and they came out and are going to help me decide on what kind of terraces I need. They say I am late on getting help with seed and such to do this project but could help me next year.
I am trying to find a tiller. The one I had was stolen sometime ago. This happen during the three years I was out of town working and my family and I had relocated because of my Vice President position in two companies. When those companies sold controlling interest... I was laid off and my position filled by the person buying the companies out. We moved back here and it was all grown over. I have worked really hard getting it ready and I will do everything in my power to make this work. About renting a tiller... well the funds are low for right now. But it will pick up as soon as I get back to work. My project will continue... it will just not be as productive without a tractor. Thanks for the info and please email me sometime.
This worrying about this is keeping me up at nights. That is why I am up right now on the forum. Just can't sleep for worrying. Some how I have to make this work and help people. I have given my word and I intend to keep it even if it kills me. I absolutely refuse to give up. Lives depend on what I can do with my land.
I think maybe the dirt will be dry enough to till this weekend. We got quite a bit of rain the last two days. I was walking the field and picking up roots and rock this evening from where it was cleared. Still kinda wet. But it being open and if the sun and a breeze continues... it should dry out fairly quickly.
Jim
