Pasture preparation after Clearing

WhiteRock · Jan 25, 2005

I have been clearing my property with plans to establish pasture. There is a lot of over growth bushes up to 3". I have mowed all this down. I would now like to prepare the soil for planting grass seed.

I now have roots, rocks, and small stumps. The soil is probably pretty hard. Should I use a chisel plow or ripper to tear it up?

What attachments do you think would be best to prepare the soil?

KiotiJohn · Jan 26, 2005

I recommend a good strong boxblade with rippers. You can rip the roots out, and use the back blace to drag it all into piles. This requires changing the pitch of the box occasionally, but it's easy to do usng the top link. The leveling afterward can also be achieved with the boxblade.
Also, a good landscape rake can help you a lot with the cleanup, but they're not so great for really getting the roots out, but great for making piles to haul off or burn. John

cowboydoc · Jan 26, 2005

Before you can run a chisel plow you're going to have to get the "mess" cleaned up. It's very difficult, if not impossible, to run a chisel plow through a mess like that. John gave some good suggestions there.

At the same time you are cleaning up run some soil samples. Depending on what the soil is like you may have to do some soil prep like lime, fertilizer, etc. to bring your soil condition up to the conditions for the grass you want to plant. Once you know your soil sample it will be $ ahead to plant something that will grow in that soil type. Certain grasses do better in one soil type over another.

Once you get it cleaned up then yes a chisel plow would be great to start out with. I would follow that up with a disc and then a good harrow. Then you can use a three point broadcaster or a good pasture seeder. Usually you can rent the good seeders from your local coop. A good broadcaster followed by a light harrowing will do an adequate job too.

WhiteRock · Jan 26, 2005

Would a hydraulic top link make the box blade work more productive? Or would I not have to change the pitch very much?

Also, if I hit a stump or rock with the box blade rippers, do I have to worry about damaging the box blade?

I had been looking at a chisel plow with spring releases on each chisel is the reason I ask. If I hit something with one prong, its a lot of force. I have no idea how it will hold up.

Cowboydoc, when you say difficult, do you mean to pull or stress on the chisel plow?

Thanks guys for your help.

Holzster · Jan 26, 2005

How big are most of the stumps?

WVBartMan · Jan 26, 2005

White Rock: The hydraulic top link really makes production increase with a box blade. By shortening the length of the top link and having your scarfiers (rippers) at the lowest position, you can really clean up the sub-soil of small stumps, roots, rocks and other debris. Once the ground has been opened and the debris carried to the surface, you can then use a Rock Rake to help gather the material for disposal.

The only issue would be larger stumps, they may require a backhoe or in the old days, a little dynamite. If you purchase a hydraulic top link, you may as well purchase the whole top and tilt kit. This will allow you to tilt the implement as well to create slopes or angled cuts.

WhiteRock · Jan 26, 2005

The stumps vary in size from 4 " to maybe 10". These are from previous clearing. I do all my clearing by just ripping the tree out by the roots. No stumps, just holes. So far I haven't encountered a stump that I can rip out with the loader. Sometimes when I find one that only has a couple inches sticking up, its a little harder. I find if I bump it a little, I can see the ground break at its root ball. I just stick the bucket in the ground there an rip it out. Its usually a one pass effort.

I just don't know what happens when I hit one with a 3pt implement with a little speed. I guess I will start looking for a really heavy duty box blade and find out. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I don't have a backhoe, sounds nice.

WhiteRock · Jan 26, 2005

Looks like you have some high HP tractors, do you have top N tilt for a CATII? I tried to do a search on the forum, but didn't find any CATII info. I'm probably not a proficient searcher... I'll try google.

I assume I need 2 hydraulic services for top and tilt?

WVBartMan · Jan 26, 2005

White Rock: Yes, you do need two hydraulic services/spool valves for the top and tilt kit. I have the top and tilt kit on my Kubota L5030, CAT II three point hitch. I bought it from the dealer, it came with everything including the spool valves for $1,200.

You made a very wise comment when you said the words "heavy duty box blade". I had a medium duty 6' box blade that only lasted about 6 weeks until I got tired of welding it back together. The heavy duty 7' footer I have weighs about 1,400 lbs and has no cracks or damage and has been in operation for 2 years now. I even pull it behind the NH TS135A.

KiotiJohn · Jan 26, 2005

( Would a hydraulic top link make the box blade work more productive? Or would I not have to change the pitch very much? )
As others have already said, the hydraulic top link will increase productivity. Being able to change the angle of the rippers/blades quickly without having to get off the tractor an manually do it saves a lot of time. I don't yet have it, but having done so much manually, I can see the great advantage. I've been putting it off because of other needs, but it's coming soon.
You do need two circuits for top and tilt, but just adding the top is going to help you greatly.
I have a standard duty boxblade and haven't had any issues so far with breakages, but then I have a backhoe that I get the bigger stuff out with first. A HD box will probably be in your best interest, but a medium duty may do if you don't go so fast. I'm not an advocate of doing much of anything with a tractor too fast. Brush cutting is about the only thing I do with any real speed. John

Mark4510 · Jan 26, 2005

I dont have a backhoe.....wish I did.....but I do have a heavy duty box blade with TopNTilt.

This set up works well for me. I can use the rippers to get most of the smaller roots and turn the dirt over. Then I use the box blade to smooth the dirt and work in composted manure/shavings. The last time I seeded I just threw it around and then drug a long chain link fence section to cover the seeds.

That seemed to work pretty well especially with TopNTilt.
Mark

KiotiJohn · Jan 26, 2005

( I dont have a backhoe.....wish I did.....but I do have a heavy duty box blade with TopNTilt. )
Do find it any problem to get the rippers up high enough to be out of the way so that you can rip and then blade? If I have the rippers all the way down and then angle them up out of the way, it's difficult to get them out of action. If they're in one of the higher settings, it's not a problem. Probably wouldn't be any different if I had hydro link. John

JimMorrissey · Jan 26, 2005

( Should I use a chisel plow or ripper to tear it up? What attachments do you think would be best to prepare the soil?)

I believe this attachment would do an excellent job preparing your soil for seed (once you get the major stumps pulled). I had my soil prepared with one on 40hp CUT with excellent results in nasty conditions. At the time, my little BX would not handle it. That's the only reason I hired it out.

Just make sure there isn't a lot of wire, wire mesh or nylon rope hanging around. Harley Rakes don't like that stuff wrapped up in the edge seals.

You can rent these at most large rental facilities. Excellent Attachment, but large $$ to buy one. They're made for commercial use and are extremely productive.

http://www.glenmac.com/tractortech.htm

cowboydoc · Jan 26, 2005

It's going to be stressful to both your tractor and the chisel plow when you hit anything. A true chisel plow is also VERY hard to pull in the ground. I have a couple of them. My 8' one is a serious job for my 6415 to pull. I'm not sure what size tractor or chisel plow you have but you need plently of horses to pull one.

I don't have the tip n tilt on my boxblade and have done alot of clearing. You definitely could get by without one. But having one would make it easier. If I was short on money that would be the last thing on my list.

WhiteRock · Jan 26, 2005

Looks like from the specs, the 6415 may be a little more tractor than my M9000. So it sounds like a work out. Does your Chisel plow have the spring trips? Do they work?

Will the draft control help if you hit something? (having it set of course.)

How about an offset disk, would that work? Don't they cut and roll the dirt? I know they take a lot of HP, but I don't know how much.

KiotiJohn · Jan 26, 2005

( How about an offset disk, would that work? Don't they cut and roll the dirt? I know they take a lot of HP, but I don't know how much. )
Most discs are really only good in soil that has been cleaned previously. Otherwise, they'll bounce up over any obstacles generally. The soild really needs to be rooted/stoned and raked before using discs. John

cowboydoc · Jan 26, 2005

Yes the spring tips work but if you hit rocks or something they will break. Draft control only helps with controlling depth. If you are going along and hit a rock it won't do anything to help you.

If you have an old offset disc that is already torn up I'd say go ahead and do it. If you have that much junk out there it's going to tear it up but it will help to do the job. If it was me I'd want the area completely cleaned up before I started to do anything.

gabby · Jan 26, 2005

My tool of choice for work like this is the rollover blade. They're beefy and they have three positions selected by lever from the seat. Scrape forward, rip, scrape backward. Practically indestructible. Use it to rip out the roots and small stumps, then roll it over to scrape forward position and smooth the dirt after cleaning up all the chunks.
Gabby

ThistleKop · Jan 26, 2005

There is an implement that in TN is called by various names, bog disc, chopper, etc. It is a heavy, rough and tumble single gang disc. One of the better ones is made by Athens. They are practically indestructable and work very well on projects such as yours. They can be bought quite reasonably at used equip auctions. Go over the area you're working in one direction, when finished, cross disc in the other direction. If you work the ground before it's too dry it will really tear it up and jerk out many of the small stumps and roots. Your tractor will handle a 7-8' bog disc easily.

TK