Rutted/bumpy pasture.....the fix?

[MotorSeven]

I just finished hogging 2 of my 3 pastures for the first time-about 12 acres. Half of the west pasture and part of the middle were really rough, i mean rutted. I was mowing in mid range, but had to back off the throttle alot and crawl over the bad areas to keep from losing a kidney and the occasional vertebrae. Where it was smoth i could run at full mid range speed. You could not tell the surface was rutted because the grass hid them well.
I suspect that the previous hay-ers have been in the fields when they were wet. Also, the creek floods a couple of times a year putting the pastures under anywhere from 0 to 3' of water, would this cause a rough pasture surface?
So what is the fix? What attachments are designed to smooth out an established pasture, or do i have to rip everything up and start over?
Sorry if the question is silly, i have hogged a bunch of pasture in my day, but never experienced this much of a ruff ride!
RD

 

[5030tinkerer]

I've had good luck just filling in the low spots and using rollers, but that could be incredibly time consuming on a parcel that size.

 

[Soundguy]

For the bad spots, I'd disc it to powder, then drag, seed.. etc..

Soundguy

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I just finished hogging 2 of my 3 pastures for the first time-about 12 acres. Half of the west pasture and part of the middle were really rough, i mean rutted. I was mowing in mid range, but had to back off the throttle alot and crawl over the bad areas to keep from losing a kidney and the occasional vertebrae. Where it was smoth i could run at full mid range speed. You could not tell the surface was rutted because the grass hid them well.
I suspect that the previous hay-ers have been in the fields when they were wet. Also, the creek floods a couple of times a year putting the pastures under anywhere from 0 to 3' of water, would this cause a rough pasture surface?
So what is the fix? What attachments are designed to smooth out an established pasture, or do i have to rip everything up and start over?
Sorry if the question is silly, i have hogged a bunch of pasture in my day, but never experienced this much of a ruff ride!
RD

If your appraisal is correct, and the prior owner did "hay" the ground when wet, there are other issues besides the roughness. Traffic on wet ground will compact most any soil. Plowing and/or discing may level it, but those steps don't do much to remedy the compaction. That takes a different approach. Maybe a chisel plow or a deep ripper or maybe a subsoiler. Also, there's a specialized tool called a pasture renovator. Those are horsepower eating beast's, one and all. The subsoiler is probably the least demanding of the 4.

After the ground is broken up, then a disc or better yet, a field cultivator can prep the ground for seeding. This is also a great time to incorperate lime (if needed) and fertilizer (as needed).

All the above is "in a perfect world" scenario stuff. Do a combination of these steps and you'll have some prime pasture land. There are many shortcuts that will get you "level", but why not get it right on the first try?

If you have rock only inches under the surface like some ground we have here in Kentucky, get used to bouncing along. Hard to "un-compact" solid limestone.

 

[CDsdad]

I had a similar problem, except mine was rough from watermelons having been planted and trucks in and out of field. I did what Soundguy said with one difference. I turned it over with a 2 bottom plow first, waited a couple of days for grass to die, disc to powder, dragged it smooth. I don't have to seed anything, coastal bermuda and bahai grass never go away.

 

[have_blue]

I had the same problem on 7 acres, and I appreciate your problem! Mowing can be pretty boring, and that's bad enough without having to endure spine-crushing ruts. Ruts can also cause your tractor to bounce, and that can't be good for the drive train.

Here's the coward's way out, which I naturally took. If there are only ruts and no ridges, just dump a little sand in them. No need to smooth it, just dump close to the proper amount. Sand packs immediately, and after a rain or 2, the sand will self-level. No need to wait or pack it as you would with dirt. The down side is, you can mow again immediately as long as the ground is firm. So no excuses for not mowing right away.

If you have ridges and ruts, you can box or back blade lightly, and shave the ridges off flush. That often partially fills the ruts, and it may be enough to save your internal organs. If not, a little sand will finish it.

I think it took 20 yards of sand to fix my ruts, and surface a narrow 400' lane. There are other (and cheaper) ways to do the job that I won't mention, because they involve too much work for a man with missing vertebrae.

Good luck!

 

[Highbeam]

I have some clay type soils that I will assume you also have since you are near that creek and in a gentle sloped valley bottom. I had some not so smooth ground which wasn't too bad in the spring but when the summer weather dried out the clay it seems to make the bumps way worse. Maybe the ruts receed faster than the ridges as the clay shrinks. I was bouncing all over the place to get the fileds mowed.

It seems logical that we could wait until the ground is somewhat wet again and roll or drag the ridges into the ruts. Maybe just a nice spike harrow to knock off the tops. If you want it smooth like asphalt then I think Soundguy's pasture rennovation method is the best course.

Farmwithjunk: I have compacted my fileds by working when they were wet. Will a single shank subsoiler destroy the sod? Can I run a SS through the ground every few feet in rows to encourage drainage without completely tilling everything up? I am hoping for nice slots to be cut with maybe a surface bulge but still allowing the sod to survive.

 

[sandman2234]

I don't have the answer, but thought of an idea that might work, might not.
Since the field was probably rutted during a wet spell, why not wait till it gets wet again, and level it? While waiting on the rains, you have time to locate and purchase a very large, very heavy roller, or better yet, time to build one. Just make sure it is heavy enough to roll out the ruts, wide enough to cover the tractors (hopefully 4wd) tracks, and large enough in diameter not to want to sink into the gound as it is being pulled.
Now, will somebody correct me, as it couldn't be this simple?
David from jax

 

[MotorSeven]

Thanks for the ideas, I don't have a disc or a plow, just the heavy BB, so it sounds like more implements are in my future .

Farmw/junk,
All of my pastures are bottom land, so i have no rocks at all, however, the west pasture(8-9ac) had an old sawmill operation on it and some very interesting things got buried over the years. 2 years before i bought the place i watched a dozer work the old piles of saw dust into the pasture over a 100x50yd area. He did a pretty good job covering most of it, but there is a 50x50' area that even bone dry, it is like a dry quicksand requiring me to raise the hog and hit 4x4 and the diff lock. No bumps in that area though ! I also have to admit i have done zero research on compaction issues, so i guess i need to start googling.

Soundguy,Cdsdad,
I was fortunate enough to get a local guy to start haying the whole place. He promised to spray for weeds if i could get everything hogged, so it is done. He did hay the middle pasture(9 or so ac) and took 44 wheels off of it. The other two pastures had gone several years fallow, so they need some attention to start producing better grass. Btw, it is all johnson and fescue grass, so attempting to seed anytheng else would take a huge amount of time and money. I understand that it would all be for naught the first time the creelk flooded and re-spread the hardy J & F. I talked to a local wildlife biologist who said getting attempting to eradicate fescue may cause insanity !

HB,Sandman,Haveblue,5030,
I like the roller idea and the sand leveling, but i have to look into the compaction thing first so i don't compound the problem.

Thank goodness my neighbor has a "big" tractor so i can attempt to ignore the little voice saying, "You need a bigger tractor" Here are acouple of pasture pic's:

RD

 

[jazzbiker]

I have the same problem only on just 3 acres. I've had parts dozed 2x just to have the loose dirt rained on right away and harden'ed so the ground was as bad or worse than before.

A neighbor (farmer) suggested a roller for the minor problem areas and spreading some manure he has over the badly pitted areas. This would be done now while it's dry (and not so smelly..) and then in the spring when the ground is moist, go thru it with a drag to even it out.

Anyone know the correct term for the drag implement in question? (He reffered to somthing like a horse drag)

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Doc_Bob]

So what is the fix? What attachments are designed to smooth out an established pasture, or do i have to rip everything up and start over? RD

My eight acres were very rough. And full of weeds. I chose to have a local farmer plant it in corn and alternate with soy beans. The ground is looking very good! Smoother and weed free. He pays me 75 dollars an acre. Without him I would have spent hundred of hours to do the same thing. He gets the corn and of course, the beans.

The farmer wants 4 years to be able to work the land before and if I take it back. No contract, simply a hand shake. No problem for me!

Now,my plans are probebly different from yours. I am going to slowly plant prairie flowers and grass. It will be one giant restoration project. But I will do it 1/2 to 1 acre a year. So my friend the farmer will have years of planting. We both win. I need the farmer to prep the soil. Prairie restoration requires very clean and weed free ground to be successful. The farmer is doing 90% of the work. If I stop my restoration project for a year, no harm. He plants crops for another year, I get paid and the soil gets better every year for restoration.

Hope this helps.
Bob

Bob

 

[Soundguy]

A chain harrow is a flexible drag used to bust maneuer clods, among other things..

Soundguy

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I have some clay type soils that I will assume you also have since you are near that creek and in a gentle sloped valley bottom. I had some not so smooth ground which wasn't too bad in the spring but when the summer weather dried out the clay it seems to make the bumps way worse. Maybe the ruts receed faster than the ridges as the clay shrinks. I was bouncing all over the place to get the fileds mowed.

It seems logical that we could wait until the ground is somewhat wet again and roll or drag the ridges into the ruts. Maybe just a nice spike harrow to knock off the tops. If you want it smooth like asphalt then I think Soundguy's pasture rennovation method is the best course.

Farmwithjunk: I have compacted my fileds by working when they were wet. Will a single shank subsoiler destroy the sod? Can I run a SS through the ground every few feet in rows to encourage drainage without completely tilling everything up? I am hoping for nice slots to be cut with maybe a surface bulge but still allowing the sod to survive.

A subsoiler will leave a fair amount of surface "destruction" but you'll still have a good bit of the sod left. By your description, I'd opt for a "pasture renovator" over the subsoiler. They don't work quite as deep, which may not completely address your problem though.

With 99% of this type of issues, I'd recommend having a "county agent" pay you a visit for their LOCALIZED advice. WHat works in Florida or Oregon or Kentucky or New York might now apply to YOUR case. Soils are different. Climate is different. Even the grass you grow can be different. Take as an example, if you just disc the surface in our clay soils here, you further the compaction problem actually making things WORSE. Years ago, that was the accepted way to deal with surface compaction because A.) a disc (and a plow) was all most farmers had to deal with the problem, B.) They just didn't know better yet. Nowdays, compaction is dealt with by breaking up the subsoil far deeper than a plow could ever get to. Subsoilers have been around for a long time. Chisel plows came into popularity in the late 40's (out west) and Really hit the "corn belt" in the late 50's/early 60's. Deep ripping didn't come into vogue until there were tractors big enough to horse them around. (80's/90's)

There's OK, good, better, and best. There's also "what works with the tractor you have on hand". That may well be limited to a subsoiler. If so, THAT becomes your best route.

Consider subsoiling north/south with rows 3 to 4 ' apart one year, east/west in another year to lessen the damage to your turf. Surface damage will PROBABLY be less when subsoiling in damp-to-wet ground, and more "shattering" accomplished when the ground is dry. (Any sort of ground prep done on wet soils will further compound compaction in most cases though.)

 

[Mike120]

I expect he's referring to a chain harrow which some people also call a drag harrow

 

[Highbeam]

Thank you farmwithjunk for taking the time on that reply. I hope to acquire a subsoiler soon for this. I have some unique requirements in that I need thick sod as soon as possible and I also would benefit from improved drainage.

 

[MotorSeven]

HB,
Ya gonna pull that sub-soiler with a CK? or the dozer?

 

[Highbeam]

I sold the dozer but I did visit it on Sunday. A good family friend and I can always find some loose bolts for him to tighten. The dozer had hydraulic ripper shanks on the rear that would have made quick work of a subsoiling job.

I hope to pull it with the CK. I found that the nice subsoiler from Howse on northern tool site only costs 125$ but costs 154$ to ship it. Doh! I will be researching local shops now.

 

[N80]

I don't know anything about pasture prep but I have cleared several acres of brush an trees. It was very rough. I have managed to get it quite smooth using my box blade. I set the teeth on the lowest setting and tilted the box so that only the teeth engage when the 3pt is on float. This digs down about 3-5 inches. Once I've busted everything up, I tilt the box back down (wish I had a hydraulic top link) so that both the teeth and the blade engage and then I just run back and forth over the rough areas a few times and now it is smooth sailing when I mow it.

My problem is rocks. Running those teeth through that rocky clay soil makes rocks pop up like magic.

I'd hate to do 12 acres that way, but its worked for my 3 or 4.

 

[nobaddays]

if you can run more than one sub-soiler shank, i would run one behind and in-line with each of your rear tires.

 

[ctroyp]

If your appraisal is correct, and the prior owner did "hay" the ground when wet, there are other issues besides the roughness. Traffic on wet ground will compact most any soil. Plowing and/or discing may level it, but those steps don't do much to remedy the compaction. That takes a different approach. Maybe a chisel plow or a deep ripper or maybe a subsoiler. Also, there's a specialized tool called a pasture renovator. Those are horsepower eating beast's, one and all. The subsoiler is probably the least demanding of the 4.

After the ground is broken up, then a disc or better yet, a field cultivator can prep the ground for seeding. This is also a great time to incorperate lime (if needed) and fertilizer (as needed).

All the above is "in a perfect world" scenario stuff. Do a combination of these steps and you'll have some prime pasture land. There are many shortcuts that will get you "level", but why not get it right on the first try?

If you have rock only inches under the surface like some ground we have here in Kentucky, get used to bouncing along. Hard to "un-compact" solid limestone.

FWJ, hello neighbor! I am in MTW too. I have about 10-12 acres that I mow every 2 weeks with either a 72" Scag or my 4300 with 72" Woods. More than anything, for now the field serves as a place for recreation and to observe wildlife. Eventually it will serve as an over-glorified large back yard when we build the house in early-next spring.

In any event, I am dealing with a nicely sloped piece, but is has enough sporadic bumps (if anything just really hard spots) under the grass that will cause my hat to lift off about 2 inches when I hit it. I know it is hard on my equipment - especially the Scag.

Now, having you know our area here in MTW, there are many subsurface/shallow rocks - mostly in random areas, but they exist. I can mostly identify where most of these are. In any event, what method would you recommend that I use to provide a smoother mowing experience? Also, I will soon plant a couple acres of crops and/or food plots.

I welcome and appreciate your input!