Working a field, what is better?

98hd · Aug 26, 2006

I've got several small fields (2-4 acres each), that I need to work up, wondering what would work the best for me, was going to buy a disk, or maybe a plow would be better?

I have a field cultivator already, but need to break up the soil first.

Running a kubota l5030 and soil has alot of clay in it. I remember using my uncles disk and a cultivator (and tractor) years ago last time I did it, but the disk seemed to take forever.

Egon · Aug 26, 2006

Plow and then disk or cultivate.

IslandManMitch · Aug 26, 2006

What is the plan for the fields?

98hd · Aug 26, 2006

Just planting some deer plots. Might try some beets or something in a couple of the fields, I have access to a seeder for that.

Gizmo36 · Aug 26, 2006

Get a Plow after you plow then the field cultivator will work good.It will make it like powder

andrewj · Aug 26, 2006

tell us more about the shape the field is in. Is it cutover with stumps? in between? If it has been in pasture before, then you can probably just disk the grass under, wait two weeks or so, disk again, then use a rake or box blade to level it all up, then maybe cultipack it, then seed/drill it, then cultipack again.

If it is rough, or has a lot of trash (twigs, limbs, bark, etc.) then your disk may not cut through that stuff.

As far as using a bottom plow, understand you will be inverting your topsoil lto the bottom, and bringing clay or other sub soil to the top. clay is good, but it is NOT topsoil without biomass in it. If you have a deep topsoil layer like 8 or 10 i nches like inthe bottom land, you may be able to use a bottom plow. so describe the land for us.

98hd · Aug 26, 2006

andrewj said:
i disagree with everybody. no one here can tell you which plow to use till you tell us what kind of shape the field is in right now. Has it been planted before? Is it cutover with stumps? in between? If it has been in pasture before, then you can probably just disk the grass under, wait two weeks or so, disk again, then use a rake or box blade to level it all up, then maybe cultipack it, then seed/drill it, then cultipack again.

If it is rough, or has a lot of trash (twigs, limbs, bark, etc.) then your disk may not cut through that stuff.

As far as using a bottom plow, understand you will be inverting your topsoil lto the bottom, and bringing clay or other sub soil to the top. clay is good, but it is NOT topsoil without biomass in it. If you have a deep topsoil layer like 8 or 10 i nches like inthe bottom land, you may be able to use a bottom plow. so describe the land for us.

All have been worked over before, no trash or stumps or anything, I had planted clover in all of them about 4 or 5 years ago (disk and cultivator), and haven't touched them since, but now I have my own tractor. No idea how deep the topsoil is, but I can take a look at it.

I had planned on just using a disk, but they are hard to find around here used and for a decent price, however I see plows everywhere.

Egon · Aug 27, 2006

Considering all the acres of land that have turned over with a plow inverting the soil should not be a problem.

andrewj · Aug 27, 2006

Egon said:
Considering all the acres of land that have turned over with a plow inverting the soil should not be a problem.

the ph in the top two or three inches can differ from that 8 inches down. the organic matter on the top may or may not exist 8 or so inches down. Some land has a very thin layer of topsoil and folks around here use a "chisel plow" for that, also old timers call it a "tiller" which is what it was used for before they made the mechanical tiller.

so one mistake you can make is to get your ph right, then invert it with a bottom plow and realize you have bad ph all the sudden! fertilizer is expensive. so is lime. I can't afford to amend the same ground twice because of such a mistake.

The makeup of clay is obviously different than the consistency of a topsoil made up of the same clay combined with organic matter.

You will see many threads here about what to do to make clay land fertile, and after all the suggestions to add sand, someone finaly suggests to add organic matter. (clay and sand = a brick) organic matter somehow allows the clay to hold nutrients (it does well all by itself, though)

I am not a scientist, and I am not a professional farmer, but I have wasted time and money and i believe that to be my best qualification to answer your question. So I am not saying don't use the bottom plow, but I am saying only use it if the situation warrants it. I am especially committed to this suggestion since you say you will be spending hard earned money on a new one. if you had twor or three laying around, i'd say experiment. but when it comes to money for a farmer nowadays, you can only make so many mistakes before the bank forecloses. you get the idea. not knocking Egon at all, just saying the bottom plow is not always the best choice.