Subsoiler or Middlebuster for for new wildlife food plot

[bhh]

Middlebuster vs Subsoiler.

I've got an excavator and a 12" chipper reserved next week to clear 1 acre of woods for a new food plot.
Per the soils test, I've got 2.5 tons of pelletized lime lime and 250lbs of 19-19-19 stored in the barn.
Fall planting will be winter rye as it is cold hardy and pH tolerant while the lime does its thing followed up probably by buckwheat next summer also as a soil conditioner. I hope to rotate into perennial clover with a winter rye nurse crop the following fall once the soil gets into better shape. I will be no-till/throw and growing so I am reluctant to shell out a lot of cash for a new implement (chisel plow or disc harrow) that is only going to get used occasionally. The disc I may break down and buy at some point but I can't swing it now.

I can however pick up a TSC County Line (yellow grade) middle buster or a subsoiler to help breakup the soil and incorporate this initial liming and fertilizer. I also have Land Pride Box blade with scarifiers but they only get down a couple of inches and a York Rake I will use for trash cleanup and final seedbed prep. I'll cultipack with my tractor tires, or the york rake flipped around backwards, or the box blade with the toplink lengthened all the way so it doesn't dig in.

Would you guys go with the Middle Buster or the Subsoiler? Both? The ground is very high in OM and not compacted so there should not be a layer of hardpan but there are roots and rocks. I know the middle buster will do a better job incorporating the lime and fertilizer but don't know if it will have problems with the roots on the initial pass. I can also mix in some forage radishes as well if I need some additional "deep tillage". Thanks for the help as I need to buy one of these things tomorrow!

 

[jeff9366]

Re: Subsolier or milldlebuster for for new wildlife food plot

I use a Disc Harrow for my food plots.

Rather than the two choices you are offering, consider a $540 row cultivator with a center sweep. The surface will be more uniformly broken up and you will need fewer passes over the land. King Kutter (brand) Row Cultivators are robust.

Row cultivator will be a good match to L3800, I would pull in 2-WD until you encounter a specific situation that requires 4-WD, as a 'fuse' against bending tines against underground obstructions. (Note: Individual arms and sweeps are replaceable.)

Everything Attachments Field/Garden Cultivator with Option for Furrowing and Bedding Attachments | Buy Garden Cultivators Online With Free Shipping From Everything Attachments

TSC sells Countyline row cultivators, manufactured by Tarter in Kentucky.

I can't give you an opinion from experience with Tarter/Countyline equipment.

 

[bhh]

Re: Subsolier or milldlebuster for for new wildlife food plot

Go to ADVANCED and you can edit title in title box for a short time.

Lol, thanks!

 

[jeff9366]

I will be no-till/throw and growing so I am reluctant to shell out a lot of cash for a new implement (chisel plow or disc harrow) that is only going to get used occasionally. The disc I may break down and buy at some point but I can't swing it now.

Get a Disc Harrow with 20" diameter, notched discs, to pull behind your L3800.

Disc Harrow Selection LINK:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachments/308251-disc-harrow-selection-18-45-a.html?highlight=

 

[bhh]

Jeff, Thanks. That is a fine write up on the disc harrows! Between the $2200 excavator rental, $1100 chipper rental, 2.5 tons of pelletized lime, and many other assorted expenses associated with this, my wife is already about to castrate me. "What! Just to shoot deer!" A disc is really on the list but I just can't pull it off now and have any chance of protecting my manhood. I can swing the $180 or so for the implements I listed however as I'm sure she can find a pair of shoes or something to make it all better Rye will germinate easy enough with little more than scratching up the ground so I'm really just looking for something to help incorporate the lime and fert a bit better at this point. I'm working with 4.8 pH soil with 5.0% OM. I can add the disc next year but I'd be worried about pulling a cultivator through virgin ground.

 

[AaronS]

If you're looking to save money now, I'd use your box blade with the scarifiers all the way down. The plants you're going to use have shallow roots and the lime and fertilizer only need to be incorporated into the first few inches of soil. Broadcast your winter rye ahead of a good rain and you'll be set.

 

[jeff9366]

"What! Just to shoot deer!"

It is so hard to get THEM to understand.

To a certain extent, and over time, lime dissolves in rain and perks down through the soil.

 

[bhh]

It is so hard to get THEM to understand.

Haha, no kidding! Thanks Aaron - that was my original thought but I've started second guessing myself and thought the $160 middlebuster would be cheap insurance to help get the lime down 6-8" right away. The soil test actually called for 3.5 tons so I'll be following up next year with an additional 2,000 lbs of top-dressed lime unless I get the disk before that.

 

[clemsonfor]

I would also use a box blade with the teeth all the way down and it angled forward. I have done this before to break up the ground and it works. I do have a disk though. Bit of your spending that much already I would just find a disk for $500 and not buy the middle busted as you will never use it really. Your only talking g a few hundred more after spending g thousands!!!

I was going to ask about stumps bit I guess the track hoe is for that?

 

[jeff9366]

If you achieve very rich 5% organic matter hitting an exact pH will not be important. I doubt you will find the final 2,000 pounds of lime nearly as important to plant growth as the first 5,000 lime application, pound for pound.

What are you neutralizing? Oak leaves?

Average size Oak stumps (18") rot out in warm, humid Florida in 3-4 years. What trees are you dealing with and what is your average stump rot-to-grade period?