Is a subsoiler handy?

   / Is a subsoiler handy? #1  

Fuddy1952

Elite Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2018
Messages
4,297
Location
South Central Virginia
Tractor
1973 Economy and 2018 John Deere 3038E
I have a cable that I need to bury in front yard, from house out to satellite dish. Cable only needs to be buried 6" deep, about 150 ft.
Would a subsoiler work ok, I don't want to mess up the lawn more than I have to or a better attachment?
Also a couple trees in the area I'd hate to damage root system.
Thanks.
 
   / Is a subsoiler handy? #2  
I have never had good success using one for burying cable or pipe. Some people have. You can try it but maybe a middle buster would work better?
 
   / Is a subsoiler handy? #3  
My subsoiler is the most cost effective implement I ever bought. For about $100 I've used it to plant asparagus crowns, pull a couple of hundred feet of water line into place. rip tree roots encroaching on pasture. I would suggest you pull a black poly plastic water line for your cable. Merely attach the end of the poly to the back of the subsoiler. (I used wire, then cut off the end) You will need someone to feed the poly into the trench as you pull it.
 
   / Is a subsoiler handy?
  • Thread Starter
#4  
My subsoiler is the most cost effective implement I ever bought. For about $100 I've used it to plant asparagus crowns, pull a couple of hundred feet of water line into place. rip tree roots encroaching on pasture. I would suggest you pull a black poly plastic water line for your cable. Merely attach the end of the poly to the back of the subsoiler. (I used wire, then cut off the end) You will need someone to feed the poly into the trench as you pull it.
Very interesting idea! Thanks.
 
   / Is a subsoiler handy? #5  
IMO another name for a subsoiler is an "Auto-Mattock"...!
 
   / Is a subsoiler handy? #6  
Very interesting idea! Thanks.

You can buy a very solid looking sub soiler from Agri Supply.
The nearest Agri Supply store to you would seem to be in Petersburg, VA.
I just picked one up from them, for the exact same use you are contemplating.
$164.99 + tax.
 
   / Is a subsoiler handy? #7  
I use a 1" 90 degree sweep schedule 80 elbow from any big box hardware store held on with pipe clamps to feed the wire/cable. It helps to have one person drive the tractor while a helper feeds the wire/cable. I've use a middle buster without the furrow buster attached. I get about 4 to 6" depth. I would think a subsoiler would go several inches deeper.
 
   / Is a subsoiler handy? #9  
Fuddy, that’s not a subsoiler you need. We used to consider working soil to a 6 inch depth shallow cultivating.

Subsoilers are used to break hard pan at 12-18 inch depths.
 
   / Is a subsoiler handy? #10  
Make multiple passes then lay in cable, that way large roots are already broken
 
 
 
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