How do I disc the pastures to prep for planting

[stevenf]

I need this to be explained very simple so a city boy gone country can do it right. I have a 90HP tractor and a 3-pt 8' disc harrow. Do I just start at one end and go around and around or should I spend the time to have nice straight rows and go back and forth or? These plantings won't be harvested ever, I'll just disc them in when it time to changeout the food plot from summer to winter back and forth. I'm planting small wildlife food plots the largest will be about an acre most will be 50' x 50' or smaller. I'm planting a spring summer mix of 80% iron clay peas, 10% okra and 10% sorghum. For the winter planting it'll be grain type high protein/high energy seeding. I'll be spreading the seeds with a little hand crank seeder operated by a 12 year old boy walking in front of the tractor. Next year depending on my success I'll probably get a PTO type broadcast seeder.
Steve

 

[oliver28472]

If you are discing the whole pasture and assuming it is square or rectangle, I would lift at the corners for easier turning. When you get to the middle you will then work out the corners by making 2 to 4 swaths making a "X" on the whole rectangle. If you are only discing 50x50 plots, lift at the ends and square up the ends after you get to the middle.

 

[Whiskey]

Stevenf:

<font color="blueI\'llbespreadingtheseedswithalittlehandcrankseederoperatedbya12yearoldboywalkinginfrontofthetractor"> </font>

I know you have thought of this.....and your going to think I'm **** but, do NOT take your eyes off that little boy to look at the disk behind you FOR ANY REASION!

 

[stevenf]

Edward, That sounds like it would work great, I started plowing on sunday in the rain and since they are food plots and I get no points for pretty I disc'd in a spiral circle starting from the outside and going in of course when I got to the middle I was presented with 2 problems, 1. I couldn't disc the center very well and 2. I had to drive back across my freshly disc'd by then very muddy field. Honestly I was just playing to get the feel of the tractor with a disc behind it but I figured there had to be a right way to do it. Thanks for your reply I'll go back and square it up and use your X method that sounds like it would have worked a lot better.
Steve

 

[stevenf]

Whiskey, Thanks for your concern but I'll have him at least a row ahead of me and I may just help spread the seed and then climb back on to disc smooth. It depends on if we have a lot of birds trying to carry the seed off before I can get it covered.
Steve

 

[kensfarm]

Running the disc after seeding will probably bury the seeds too deep.. just go over w/ a cultipacker or a drag to cover the seeds.

 

[stevenf]

I called my farmer/tractor salesman buddy after a cultipacker was mentioned the other day and he said as wet as our soil has been I shouldn't have any trouble with germination if I just lightly disc back over. This said if I got a big heavy pipe and drug it sideways do you think this would be significantly better. I didn't mention I suppose that this buddy is the salesman that sold me the tractor and he as much refuses to sell me a cultipacker as he doesn't see the need for another implement for my purposes since they are only food plots and not cash crops although it would be nice to have great success so I'm listening just not convinced that I need to spend more money yet.
Steve

 

[stevenf]

Ken, my last response sounded way to argumentative lets try this again. I agree that a bunch of the folks farming on this site should have every advantage in getting the most out of their acreage, seed cost and tractor time but since I'm not trying to farm just get some stuff that deer and turkey prefer to eat to grow do you think I really need another $1,000 implement. I asked in my previous post about using a heavy pipe pulled sideways if that doesn't sound good how about my wood XB84 Box Blade's rear swing door if I lift the front edge of my box up it takes everything out of contact except the rear swing door it is reasonably heavy what if I used that to drag dirt over the seed with. Thanks to all who post to my newbie questions please feel free to spend my money if you have to but bear in mind my boss is starting to look fearful everytime she sees me on the site now I end up with a new toy.
Steve

 

[dingleberry]

A cheap and efficient way to incorporate soil with your seed is to drag and old section of chain-link fence behind your tractor. If the section were 6'X 8' that would work well, make sure the posts are still attached to the section to add weight and keep it dragging dirt. If you have any old tractor graveyards around you, you can also go try to find an old section of a spike tooth harrow. Anything will work for your purpose, even a couple of 8or 10 foot 2"X12" or 4"X4"s roped or chained together and pulled 10 or 12 feet behind your tractor.

I agree don't spend money on this type of application, the deer won't care how it looks as long as it grows. Anything to give you some seed to soil contact will improve the germination and stand of your crop.

Good Luck,
D

 

[rdln]

Steve, You have the same attitude as I about it being for the animals and your not going for the county yield record.

I get a big kick out of watching "GET in the Game" on the outdoor channel, they're trying to sell every gadget, chemical, overpriced trophy seed blend, and so on.

Go ahead try the disc and see what happens. It will probably be fine. In fact do one field with disk, one with BB scarifers down and compare during diff stages of growth.

I am lucky in my area used implements are available, I picked up an 8' brillion pulveriser (cultipacker) for $200
and a new idea pto broadcaster for $100 or vise versa, dont remember.

The chain link fence is good for grass type seed but would probably just roll the peas along.