First time plowing

[FrankNOhio]

First time farmer and for the past year(s) I've been walking the property, studying the land's characteristics (run-off, soil sampling, tree shade, etc) About finished clearing brush and timber for crops. Since there isn't a flat part on the 40 acre parcel, we've decided and are in preparation for some rows of lavender, blueberries and the start of a vineyard. My Boomer 40 has been invaluable for all this work.

There's a nice rolling pasture that's supposedly been fallow for decades. I'm looking to plow, then till it, for the lavender rows. I won't be planting any of the above until next year as I amend the soil as needed for each of the crops later this fall. I'm just wanting to get acclimated to the plow and kinda mark out the areas to be cultivated.

I've cut the grass/weeds and walked the areas over and over looking for stones, stumps and anything that could cause a problem. Far enough away from all water and utility lines. I've pulled up pretty much all that I found (discovered an overgrown and buried stash of bricks 8 inches below the surface extending down about 12 feet! At least I've got bricks to use for something...first thing I pull out of the ground is a crop of bricks, :laughing.

Just wondering if there are any tips for a first time plow if/when I should hit something that I did not catch like a big stone or hidden boulder. That's my biggest worry.

Any advise is appreciated.

 

[JC-jetro]

You can use a potato plow/sub-soiler just to disturb and scratch the garden site 12" deep or so. That could expose things you did not find in the first go around. May be tilling would be a better option then than using a one or two bottom plow.

Jc,

 

[DAY]

Go to:
How To Video Demos - Implements & Attachments
And pick out a video on just about anything!
You can watch them in the privacy of your own home, and avoid embarrassment!:laughing: (spoken by someone who attempted moldboard plowing years ago- without the benefit of instruction!)

 

[vtsnowedin]

First time farmer and for the past year(s) I've been walking the property, studying the land's characteristics (run-off, soil sampling, tree shade, etc) About finished clearing brush and timber for crops. Since there isn't a flat part on the 40 acre parcel, we've decided and are in preparation for some rows of lavender, blueberries and the start of a vineyard. My Boomer 40 has been invaluable for all this work.

There's a nice rolling pasture that's supposedly been fallow for decades. I'm looking to plow, then till it, for the lavender rows. I won't be planting any of the above until next year as I amend the soil as needed for each of the crops later this fall. I'm just wanting to get acclimated to the plow and kinda mark out the areas to be cultivated.

I've cut the grass/weeds and walked the areas over and over looking for stones, stumps and anything that could cause a problem. Far enough away from all water and utility lines. I've pulled up pretty much all that I found (discovered an overgrown and buried stash of bricks 8 inches below the surface extending down about 12 feet! At least I've got bricks to use for something...first thing I pull out of the ground is a crop of bricks, :laughing.

Just wondering if there are any tips for a first time plow if/when I should hit something that I did not catch like a big stone or hidden boulder. That's my biggest worry.

Any advise is appreciated.

Compare to many on TBN I am a newbie at plowing myself but for what it is worth.:
Any chance that the property used to have a brickyard where they made bricks? If so you have clay subsoil that you don't want to plow up to the surface as it does not support good growth.
Your in Ohio which compared to VT doesn't have a rock init so most of my experience won't help you. I spent a lot of time catching on rocks ,spinning wheels and trying to break things on the 3PH and the plow.
Proper set up of your plows is crucial. After the first pass the tractor runs tilted with the right side tires in the dead furrow with the left side tires up on the old ground. To get the plow shares to run level with the ground you have to adjust up the right side lift arm to make up the eight inch difference. You can't do this in advance as they need to be level with the tractor to make the first pass.
Use the top link adjustment to get the plows pointed level with the ground ,not points tipped down catching on rocks and sucking deeper or points tilted up trying to float up out of the ground. You can get that one pretty close when you hitch on on the shop floor but it needs to be right with the plows down at your plowing depth not when it is up level with the bottom of the rear tires.
When your plowing up old ground with grass sod you need coulters to slice through the sod before the plowshares start to lift and turn it. Some debate about proper adjustment and cutting depth but for starters start with them set 3/4" to the left of the cutting face of the plow share and four inches deep to cut through most of the roots in the sod. If the sliced off furrow rolls up cleanly and completely over to bury all the grass upside down your there. Adjust as needed.
Plow as close to the contour lines of the land as is practical to minimise soil erosion. Never plow straight down a slope as you will just build a series of ditches for throwing away your topsoil to the nearest river. Leave at least eight foot wide grass strips along the bottom of the slope to catch any soil that does wash down before it gets to the ditch or stream that the field drains into.
If its flat enough (I never had this) plow to roll the ground away from the river. Otherwise roll it down hill letting gravity help you ,not fight you. You can take the sod from the first furrow with your FEL and use it to fill in the dead furrow at the top of the field making up for the amount you moved the topsoil on the field towards the river.
There that should get the conversation started.

 

[Fossil Farm]

If you have time, you may want to check at the library or the local soil and water conservation district office. They may have the old aerial photos from many years back to see what was in the pasture area you plan on plowing. May help give you a heads up of what used to be there. If there are bricks, I guess it was never strip mined for coal, or at least not very recently. Depending on the county, some libraries or offices have aerial photos back to the 1940's or so. good luck.

 

[FrankNOhio]

Fossil, that's an interesting idea. I did use Google Earth's 'back in time' function, but it only goes back about 10 -15 years in this area. From what the previous owner told me and from the 'archeological' poking around I've done on the property, it's been a homestead from way back (unearthed a couple of old and buried stone walls; various fence lines; and what seems to have been a backwoods 'chop shop'). Until the owner built this house on it, it had been a hunting plot.

Vtswowedin, the bricks seem to have been the result of a demolition of what must have been one of the old homestead homes that had been here. The bricks are mixed old 'Nelsonville' and 'Athens Block' bricks, both of which are no longer being produced now. May be able to auction them off on ebay to help pay for any mistakes I make plowing, hehe.

By the way, the soil is indeed mostly clay. Grass growth varies from front to back of property, but as mentioned, there isn't a flat line anywhere. I did figure on plowing the contours as someone had mentioned.

I am a bit curious about JC-jetro's comment about tilling. Did you mean to say try tilling instead of plowing at first? I do have a Land Pride rototiller I figured on using after plowing. But if tilling first would help 'navigate' the ground first, ... interesting.

And as for the sub soiler, I had considered getting a sub soiler from Tractor Supply, but hadn't thought to run it where I'd planned to plow. Guess it would also help in the drainage as well.

I really appreciate the time and words here. I'll think on all this and let you know what damage I do.

Thanks much.
Frank

 

[DAY]

You can look at aerial photos of "your" place, taken in various years. What I thought was a old building on my property, was not there in 1955!
NETR Online • Historic Aerials

 

[JC-jetro]

op'). Until the owner built this house on it, it had been a hunting plot.



I am a bit curious about JC-jetro's comment about tilling. Did you mean to say try tilling instead of plowing at first? I do have a Land Pride rototiller I figured on using after plowing. But if tilling first would help 'navigate' the ground first, ... interesting.

And as for the sub soiler, I had considered getting a sub soiler from Tractor Supply, but hadn't thought to run it where I'd planned to plow. Guess it would also help in the drainage as well.

I really appreciate the time and words here. I'll think on all this and let you know what damage I do.

Thanks much.
Frank

Frank,

I did mean tilling after plowing. The reason I suggested potato plow was even if you hit a the rock with it for most part it will bring the rock up safely to one side of the plow to be picked up. I though all you wanted to do was plowing only and that might not get you the best soil condition for growing. Look at the link below. My garden site was pretty good and did not have much rock.

JC,


l
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/99323-my-tomato-garden.html

 

[FrankNOhio]

JC, I understand and will consider getting a sub soiler. Like you mentioned in your linked page, after all the time and implements bought, the first crop will be the most expensive blueberries I'd ever had eaten.

You bed looks good. Where'd you get the earth fabric? Online or local?

Thanks very much for your guidance here.
F.

 

[JC-jetro]

JC, I understand and will consider getting a sub soiler. Like you mentioned in your linked page, after all the time and implements bought, the first crop will be the most expensive blueberries I'd ever had eaten.

You bed looks good. Where'd you get the earth fabric? Online or local?

Thanks very much for your guidance here.
F.

I picked up that potato plow from TSC for $120 and it can be used for several different things such as making rows shallow trenches. Yo can also attach different sweeps to go deep and narrow also. Earth Fabric is very good but is very cost prohibitive. I was able to use it for two years. On one of my jobs, the contractor was from out of town, and they ended up with a half of roll of stuff at the end of the job. They were getting ready to pitch it as I intercepted the merchandize. I told them leave it be and gave half to one of our construction techs ( a Gardner) and myself. It's great but you triple the cost of of your blue berries right away.

Weed control must be absolutely the toughest challenge for a Gardner specially going organic like myself.

JC<

 

[FrankNOhio]

JC, I'm right with you on the 'organic' route. Locals think I'm nuts. Anyway, I haven't studied so hard since high school. :confused2:

Starting with a self sufficient kitchen garden, then expanding to the berries and vineyard in hopes of little extra walkin' money.

On the weed control, an old tymer I visited a while back had gone around to various carpet stores and asked to have all their scraped carpeting (odds and ends from carpet orders). He put all those scraps down around the base of his grapevines and rasberries to keep the weeds down. Water apparently was able to seep through enough to keep the vines happy. His vineyard looked like a big quilt sewn together by drunkards, but he made some fine wine.

This same old guy used gravel as his mulch around all his fruit trees, 2 feet deep in a 5 foot diameter circle around the base of each tree.

Many things still to learn...

 

[Ultradog MN]

One thing you might do is download and read the Ferguson/Sherman Plow book.
It is available online at the link below.
Lots of good info on setting up a 3 point plow plus general info on plowing a field.

Manuals Forum Search

 

[FrankNOhio]

UltraDog, thanks! I'd found an old International Harvester's version of this plow guide (called 'Plowing at It's Best), but this Ferguson is much better and simpler to follow. Will add it to my studies.

 

[Looking4new]

Plowing is easy. Avoiding the rocks and hidden objects is a different story.

 

[vtsnowedin]

Plowing is easy. Avoiding the rocks and hidden objects is a different story.

+1
Always fun to have a plow point catch under the edge of at odd shaped rock jerking the tractor to a stop and trying to throw you against the steering wheel. Or have the rock start to pull up out of the ground and wedge between the land slides then standing up in its hole three feet high jacking the tractor up with daylight under both rear tires. It helps to have the loader on to help push yourself back off such rocks. You can roll some of the rocks into the bucket on the next pass if you have time to stop and carry them to the edge of the field as you go. Saves clattering the harrows over them later.

 

[JC-jetro]

JC, I'm right with you on the 'organic' route. Locals think I'm nuts. Anyway, I haven't studied so hard since high school. :confused2:


On the weed control, an old tymer I visited a while back had gone around to various carpet stores and asked to have all their scraped carpeting (odds and ends from carpet orders). He put all those scraps down around the base of his grapevines and rasberries to keep the weeds down. Water apparently was able to seep through enough to keep the vines happy. His vineyard looked like a big quilt sewn together by drunkards, but he made some fine wine.

This same old guy used gravel as his mulch around all his fruit trees, 2 feet deep in a 5 foot diameter circle around the base of each tree.

Many things still to learn...

I have used all kind of mulches and have heard about carpet as mulch. They do have formaldehyde and other chemical that off gas and also get absorbed by the soil and eventually the fruit. That kind of beats the purpose of going organic although you end up not using chemical. what I do as the picture below suggests is totally pain the rear end but it works. What you see below is two 1500 lb hay bails that I layer by layer by taking them apart by hand and mulched around my tomatoes at least 12 to 18" deep. There is a ton of seed in the hay but don't get to germinate and it is totally chemical free, but a huge holy pain.

JC,

h

 

[FrankNOhio]

Well, after days and days of rain, finally got a few days dry enough to firm up the soil, so I took the plow out and gave it a shot.

Neven plowed in my life before, but I gotta say, I like it! Splitting the ground is like announcing your good intentions to mother nature.

Of course, despite of all my studying and the great tips here, I still must've made pretty much every mistake in the book. But I bumbled though it and no one got hurt, so all's well.

The first patch was bound to be bungled... The wife wanted her kitchen garden on a gentle slope, and 'arced' around on the contour of this slope. In other words, a constant curved furrow. It just SOUNDED like a bad idea.

Needless to say, between the special request and my lack of experience, it looked like I was turning soil using artillery rounds! I had intended to share images of my first plowing, but the result of that 'arced' plowing is obscenely embarrassing. I stood back and took in the fiasco and just had to smile... But at least I got the 'feel' of the plow.

Next small plot was for the lavender and it was simpler (straight), but had an issue with the plowed earth not flipping all the way over. I stood back afterwards and realized a couple things: 1. I wasn't letting gravity help as I plowed 'up' on the slope instead of letting the plowed soil flip downhill; 2. Must not have had the plow angled enough. Had it level on the first plow, but didn't angle enough on the next with tire in the furrow.

Finally, I took all 2 hours of experience and did one final area for the blueberries and managed to plow a fairly respectable few rows.

I do have some questions though:

1. How to maintain depth on the plow if not using a guide wheel? On the artillery range, the plow kept digging down in deep. I'd end up raising and lowering the plow just to get through a row. Then, I'd adjust the top link a bit, but seemed to keep happening.

2. What is a good speed? The soil was actually pretty 'buttery' soft when the plow was cutting well. I had the gear in 3/1 with very little throttle and it seemed good, but slow. I upped the gear to 3/4 and that is when all the digging in occurred.

3. When some soil doesn't 'flip' over, is it just a matter of getting off the tractor and flipping it by hand/manually so the furrow is clear for the next pass, or is there some nifty tip to get that soil turned. I found on the last patch, as you can see in the image below, for the most part, the soil turned over, but one or two spots had the plowed soil flip back down in place so when I drove the next pass, the tractor rode up on those spots, resulting in the plow once again digging in.

Here are some images for chuckles... first one was where I was plowing 'uphill' so the soil would not 'flip'. The other was the last try of the day.

 

[vtsnowedin]

:laughing::laughing: It takes a man with strong character to admit his short comings publicly. It seems your progressing nicely. You'll soon get the knack of it. They didn't graduate you out of high school after just one day after all so don't expect this task that involves physics, mechanical engineering, biology and a bit of philosophy to come in a single lesson.
As to some of your new questions. Depth control? Depends on the tractor. Some old ones are either all the way up or all the way down on the three point hitch and your stuck with getting the plows to ride right with all their weight in the dirt at the angles you set with the top link. These will tend to plow through level as the tire in the dead furrow comes up over a fall back but you still end up with a sod sandwich. Next you get 3PHs that will hold at any depth you set the lever at but are manually controlled. As you go along you can raise or lower the depth of cut by adjusting the lever at your side. When you come to a fallback you can lower the lever as the tire rides up then raise it as you fall back into the furrow to keep the plow points in the ground and with practice you can get good at this and better at having fewer fall-backs to deal with. Next on most large tractors and quite a few smaller ones you have draft control where once a depth his set the tractor senses the changes in the ground and follows it without you moving the lever. How that works is above my pay grade.
As to the grass showing? As long as the sod is at least up on edge some manes of long grass will show and not be a bother. Just chop it up with your harrows or tiller later. If any long sections fall back down they really should be flipped back over either by hand or with a loader bucket or by replowing after the sod has dried out so it is breaking up on the moldboards.
If you show us some pics of your tractor with the plows attached perhaps we can see how you have it adjusted and pick up something there. I suspect that they aren't riding level when at depth.

 

[FrankNOhio]

VTSnow, thanks for the encouragement and additional tips/reminders.

I'm going back out today to plow the first row for the vineyard, so I'll send pics of the plow set up and resulting soil.

About the next step, after plowing, I read most people take the disc harrows to the plowed soil. And a few take the tiller to it. I don't have a harrow, but I do have a tiller. Is there advantages/disadvantages one way or another? And how soon after plowing is the soil ready to till or disc? Does it need to weather dry and 'crumble' before the next step?

 

[vtsnowedin]

VTSnow, thanks for the encouragement and additional tips/reminders.

I'm going back out today to plow the first row for the vineyard, so I'll send pics of the plow set up and resulting soil.

About the next step, after plowing, I read most people take the disc harrows to the plowed soil. And a few take the tiller to it. I don't have a harrow, but I do have a tiller. Is there advantages/disadvantages one way or another? And how soon after plowing is the soil ready to till or disc? Does it need to weather dry and 'crumble' before the next step?

Harrowing is the most efficient and is used almost exclusively for large fields. Rotary tilling is slower and more expensive but works really well for relatively small areas like yours and will blend in all your learning variations. Many would have just tilled it to begin with but in sod ground tilling chops the sod into a million pieces all ready to re-sprout into weeds. Plowing first lets you leave the grass upside down and you can till to break up the soil above it to bury any grass that is peaking through.
Both tilling and harrowing are best done when the soil has dried out enough so it breaks up into loose soil but not so dry that it becomes wind blown dust. With the tree screens you have I doubt that would be a problem for you. As you have a tiller in hand (3ph I hope) use that.