alternative to mole plough

El Kabong!

Hi,

I was thinking of getting a mole plough but some people have said that my MF135 will not have the power to use it. Is this true?

If so, what alternatives are there?

I am planting willow. I already did .25 acre but I did it by hand. I used a long spade to dig down 10-12 inches and stuck the willow sett in and stamped it closed a bit. It worked. There are 500 setts to a .25 acre.

Next year, I have to plant .75 acre, so I am looking for ways to speed it up a bit.

I thought of getting a mole plough to cut a slit in the ground. The willow setts are only 1-2cm in diameter so I should be able to put them in easily.

But if I can't use a mole plough, can anybody think of another quick way to do it?

reilig

El Kabong! wrote: »

Hi,

I was thinking of getting a mole plough but some people have said that my MF135 will not have the power to use it. Is this true?

If so, what alternatives are there?

I am planting willow. I already did .25 acre but I did it by hand. I used a long spade to dig down 10-12 inches and stuck the willow sett in and stamped it closed a bit. It worked. There are 500 setts to a .25 acre.

Next year, I have to plant .75 acre, so I am looking for ways to speed it up a bit.

I thought of getting a mole plough to cut a slit in the ground. The willow setts are only 1-2cm in diameter so I should be able to put them in easily.

But if I can't use a mole plough, can anybody think of another quick way to do it?

135 definitely won't pull a mole plough with a ball on the end. Sincerely doubt if it would pull a subsoiler either.

What about getting a single furrow plough and using a metal bar to make a small hole for the setts? I have seen evergreen trees planted this way and the furrow acted as drainage>.

49801

reilig wrote: »

135 definitely won't pull a mole plough with a ball on the end. Sincerely doubt if it would pull a subsoiler either.

What about getting a single furrow plough and using a metal bar to make a small hole for the setts? I have seen evergreen trees planted this way and the furrow acted as drainage>.

Heard of simuler idea where a tractor was used to pull an old 1 furrow horse drawn plough to plant hedges and they were very please with their inventiveness

El Kabong!

I experimented with hitting a metal bar into the ground when doing the .25 acres but to be honest it was back breaking! It was even harder trying to get the back out again!

El Kabong!

I have an old Ferguson 2 furrow pluugh. I wonder could I modify it to remove a furrow.

I guess this would leave the ground a bit uneven in the surrounding area.

It would also mean I would have to have them spaced a certain distance apart, probably more than I want to. I am currently space the rows at 90cm as per recommendations.

bbam

If your going to be doing a good bit ongoing I'd be thinking of a frame to carry the disc from a plough/moleplough. Bit like a mole plough without the leg. The disc should cut enough of a slit in the soil to plant the setts into and would be easily pulled by your 135.

El Kabong!

Well I guess once I will have planted up the extra .75 acres that will be it. I was hoping to pick up a mole plough and then just sell it on later, or keep it just in case, if not too expensive.

I personally don't have the ability to fabricate stuff to suit.

It is a good idea though. I will have a look at my 2 furrow plough to see if bits can be removed to do the same thing.

JohnBoy

I was just going to say that.

The disc assembly is basically held onto the plough with a U bolt.


if you had a A frame on the three point linkage, drill the horziontal with two holes suitably spaced and bolt your disc onto it.



if it cuts deep enough to satisfy your needs then you're laughing, but you wont go down 10 inches with it.

El Kabong!

Yes, that pic is exactly the plough I have.

What you suggest is beyond me TBH, and I need it to go down 10-12 inches... although if it went 6-8 it would make it a lot easier to go the extra few.

Man of Aran

Why not look for a 2nd hand post hole borer (like an auger drill ) instead of buying a mole plough ?

El Kabong!

I did not think a post hole borer would have augers that are narrow enough. The willlow setts are really only 1-2cm in diamter.

I do need to get a PTO driven earth auger with a 12inch bit for other reasons, so if I could double up that would be most excellent.

JohnBoy

All may not be lost.

A quick google images search for ferguson mole plough or ferguson subsoiler do show that they exist, shown on grey fergies so a 135 should hopefully be capable, although it will depend on the ground involved I'd imagine.


including this one for sale in a machinery dealers in the uk.

http://www.bacontractors.co.uk/Machinery.aspx (search the page for mole)

you'll get a pallet over here for a hundred or so, and unless the seller wants silly money for it then you mightnt lose too much on the transaction if you go to sell it on afterwards.

st1979

El Kabong! wrote: »

I did not think a post hole borer would have augers that are narrow enough. The willlow setts are really only 1-2cm in diamter.

I do need to get a PTO driven earth auger with a 12inch bit for other reasons, so if I could double up that would be most excellent.

What about a cordless drill with sds bit on it

El Kabong!

The ground is fine but gets a little stoney at the 1 foot mark. I am very interested in the link, thanks.

I had thought about an SDS drill too! but I wasn't sure if it would really work going into muck. Perhaps that is the easiest solution really!

bogman_bass

for the amount of land you have to do, instead of buying expensive steel why not hire somebody for an hour with a subsoiler?