Breaking Ground What to use

[alltoys]

I have 14 acres to break. It was a cattle operation with old corrals it will soon be removed. This sod has not been cultivated in years so I am not sure what type of implement to use on my 30 hp tractor any help would be appreciated.

 

[MarkLeininger]

What are you going to do with it? Pasture, crops, sod farm, build a house and put in a lawn..

 

[alltoys]

Turn it back to grass.

 

[MarkV]

Turn it back to grass.

Alltoys, welcome to the forum. If you had told me you were going to turn an acre into finish grass around the house I would have said get a tiller. With 14 acres, I would find a local with big equipment and a heavy disk to work it. Still not clear what the end goal is though. Do you want to turn it into pasture for hay or critters? If you want to make it finish grass your in for a lot of mowing. Generally your county extension agent will have the best advice for your given area and goals. You for sure want to have soil tests done before taking on 14 acres and the extension agent is where you go. With the cost of seed, fertilizer and lime these days it will be pricey.

MarkV

 

[charlz]

If by cattle operation you mean some type of confined operation I think compaction might be a big issue. If that's the case likely you would want a big tractor in there to subsoil it to start. After that you could disk, level, plant etc.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Cattle and horses can and will compact soil far worse than any wheeled equipment can. I'd subsoil it OR chisel plow, put down fertilizer/lime per soil test needs, then disc, then seed. 30hp will be marginal power to subsoil (to a proper depth) or chisel ground that's been put in the sort of condition I suspect yours will be in.

 

[Rockin' G Ranch]

The ground will be compacted and needs to be plowed with a sub-soiler, disked, cultipacked and broadcast with grass seeds.
You don't have enough tractor for sub-soiling. The sub-soiling needs to done to break the hardpan which is 6" - 12" deep. Probably need to hire that out to someone with a large (minimum 90 hp) tractor or dozer to do the sub-soiling.
You can do the disking, cultipacking and seed broadcasting with your tractor.

 

[alltoys]

How does one determine the depth of hard pan?

I picked up a chisel plow with both the chisels and 4inch shovels might be to small for this project. I have roughly 5 acres of corral fencing that has to be removed and mountains of critter crap to spread, or get rid of in one way shape or form.

This place has been run down not sure the last time the ground was turned over.

Eventually I am turning my place into a RV Trailer storage yard with a quad drag strip at the rear. That is why I want to turn it back to grass.

Thanks for all your help

 

[Rockin' G Ranch]

How does one determine the depth of hard pan?

I picked up a chisel plow with both the chisels and 4inch shovels might be to small for this project. I have roughly 5 acres of corral fencing that has to be removed and mountains of critter crap to spread, or get rid of in one way shape or form.

This place has been run down not sure the last time the ground was turned over.

Eventually I am turning my place into a RV Trailer storage yard with a quad drag strip at the rear. That is why I want to turn it back to grass.

Thanks for all your help

Huh? I thought you wanted a "grass" field for hay or aesthetics. If you want a storage yard and race track just spread the manure, disk it in and plant some grass seed.

 

[Rara Avis]

Why bother, because when you come in to install the track...you'll just dig up the area to lay to asphalt strips...

 

[alltoys]

Why bother, because when you come in to install the track...you'll just dig up the area to lay to asphalt strips...

Because for Quads most tracks are run on dirt and grass. Some on sand and clay mixture depending on soil of the region where they ride. How many quads are designed to run on asphalt.

I want all my land back to grass I have a few options now with the answers I have received.

Still how do I determine the depth of the hard pan and is it necessary to go past that depth when planting back to grass???

 

[Farmwithjunk]

A question. Where are you located? Soil structure will improve itself naturally under certain conditions. Freeze/thaw cycles cause the ground to "heave", breaking compaction. That's one of the keys to successful no-till farming. It CAN remedy your situation in time. Not so if you live in a southern climate where freezing doesn't take place often enough or hard enough to do the job.

Call your county extention agent. They can help you estimate degree and depth of compaction. They can ALSO give you more localized advice. Local conditions effect "what works best".

Grass, like ANY plant, doesn't like hard compacted soil. At the same time, grass doesn't need, nor does it like to be seeded into loose, fluffy soil. FIRM soil is best.

 

[Egon]

Ahh, don't bother getting too technical. Plow, disk and seed.

 

[MarkV]

Compacted ground may not be all that bad if you are turning it into an RV parking lot.

MarkV

 

[MarkLeininger]

Eventually I am turning my place into a RV Trailer storage yard with a quad drag strip at the rear. That is why I want to turn it back to grass.

Have the little old ladies from the local welcome wagon stopped by yet to tell you how happy they'll be to have an empty feed lot turned into a combination dragstrip and RV storage yard? I wouldn't eat any of the cookies they give you, never can tell what might be in them.

 

[alltoys]

Ahh, don't bother getting too technical. Plow, disk and seed.

Yep, you have the answer. Keep I Simple Stupid!!!! KISS.

Works every time.

For the little old Ladys. They can't hear doo doo anyway. Besides I live far enough away next person is 4 miles from my place then double that for the next. Might even break out the Tea Pot for the old Gals