I messed up - plowed when wet

andrewj · Dec 3, 2006

OK, it wasn't really "wet" just Ihad not given it enough time to dry. So now I have a field of concrete mud ribbons. It is a mess. I had my mind on something else the whole time....

what do I do?

CurlyDave · Dec 3, 2006

andrewj said:
...So now I have a field of concrete mud ribbons. It is a mess. I had my mind on something else the whole time....

what do I do?

Last spring my house contractor gave me a present of an area about 100' x 100' just like that from running wheeled equipment over a wet area. In my case it was complicated by about an 8-10% slope.

I was amazed that I straightened it out prettty well just by backdragging with my bucket edge. Since then I have bought a box blade and I think that would be an even faster fix.

randy41 · Dec 4, 2006

i would hit it with a disc. sounds like it would be a rough ride though.

Thomas · Dec 4, 2006

Morning Andrew.
Couple good days of wind mix w/sun should be enough long as there no water setting on top of the ground for the disc as Randy mention....just go slow and watch thoses tires for build up.

Farmwithjunk · Dec 4, 2006

andrewj said:
OK, it wasn't really "wet" just Ihad not given it enough time to dry. So now I have a field of concrete mud ribbons. It is a mess. I had my mind on something else the whole time....

what do I do?

How soon do you need it worked down? If it's a spring planting you're looking for, just let the plowed ground ride out a few freeze/thaw cycles. Then in the spring, take to it with a disc.

Under ordinary circumstances, you want to disc plowed sod as soon as you can. If you disc it now, let it dry as much as possible, then disc ONE TIME. Wait a while (few days/weeks) before hitting it again to let MORE drying take place. If you try to work it to a finish while it's wet, you'll have a bunch of dirt clods when it does dry.

Gizmo36 · Dec 4, 2006

Did you all get any rain last week .we did not it is dry enough to plow in the cold here.you can plow when it is cold a little wetter .then you can when it is hot.It is going to get in the 20's the next few days if it get dry I would disc it after that.Like Farmwithjunk said let it freeze/thaw few times will help a lot.I have a big disc harrow if you need it.

andrewj · Dec 4, 2006

Gizmo36 said:
Did you all get any rain last week .we did not it is dry enough to plow in the cold here.you can plow when it is cold a little wetter .then you can when it is hot.It is going to get in the 20's the next few days if it get dry I would disc it after that.Like Farmwithjunk said let it freeze/thaw few times will help a lot.I have a big disc harrow if you need it.

that's awfully nice of you. I have a small disc I can use it is a 6 foot wide one, just takes forever to plow, and it weights only around 600 pounds or so. again, thanks for the offer....I will just wait till dry weather and hit it with a disc. I will try to come back here and update.

Gizmo36 · Dec 5, 2006

I was down your way today it did not seem to be all that wet.went down to look at a 4020JD . It was about 26 this morning. it is going to get in the low 20 the rest of the week. Before it rains again I would disc it after these cold days before it rains again.