Best time of year to Mole Plough

PN14

Lads,

Whats the best time of the year to do a bit of mole ploughing

Thinking of doing a bit here land would be very suitable for it I believe and it would definitely benefit from it. Reason I ask is I see a neighbour did a bit two weeks ago but it seems a very rough job with lots of turned up sods etc. I didn't seem him doing it but either he had a plough with no cutting disk or the ground was actually too dry, it turned out a very poor job and field would now need to be rolled or harrowed or both to level it out. It it was mine I would have stopped after first run.

We have some low lying fields and which become waterlogged over winter. Would it be better to mole plough pre-winter or wait until fields are trafficable next april/may to try the moling. If they go in now will they close over winter when ground is waterlogged and be of no benefit in spring?

Any of ye guys who have done any moling any advice. I have a local contractor here with mole plough that I could let at it.

Nekarsulm

Do it now, before it rains. Ground that needs mole ploughing, the trick bit is getting them dry enough that you are not doing more harm than good.

Greengrass1

Now is best time to mole.
Leave them open over winter to dry out the land. Roll the fields then in spring

oxjkqg

Do it now, quick before it gets any wetter. twas ideal all along to do, ground so dry and the best shattering effect is achieved.

As regards the neighbour doing a rough job, thats a case of fine adjustment and getting the disc cutting the scraw right and sure u might have stoney land where u will turn up stones but thats the joys of it.

_Brian

oxjkqg wrote: »

Do it now, quick before it gets any wetter. twas ideal all along to do, ground so dry and the best shattering effect is achieved.

As regards the neighbour doing a rough job, thats a case of fine adjustment and getting the disc cutting the scraw right and sure u might have stoney land where u will turn up stones but thats the joys of it.

Yep.
Ours can do a bit if a rough job in places. Very hard pan under some fields and disc doesn't always cut right as a result. Also good deal of stone.

Just turn back any big sods with foot and cattle walk down rest when grazing. We don't however do it on silage ground as a result.

It's still a great job on heavy ground.

PN14

Thanks guys will get contractor out to do a sample so see how he gets on. No fear of any stones is this ground reckon you'd find oil quicker.

Surprised at neighbours field to be honest couldn't see how it would be so rough afterwards from sample u'd see on utube etc. Old fella was very turned off by job to be honest.

Going to plough ahead "no pun intended" and get contractor to do a few runs to see how it goes.

ganmo

How good is it handling big rocks? We're on shallow granite here and there's one spot that gets fairly boggy that needs some form of drainage

PN14

How long do you find that moles stay open & functioning.

Reason I ask is that the fields I am proposing to do get really waterlogged. I have all drains opened around them over last few years however over the winter / flood periods the problem is that the open drains discharge to a canal which in turn discharges to the river 500m down stream. The canal operates on a flap valve system so when river rises the valve closes, the canal then fills and backs up all surrounding drains so there is effectively no drainage over winter months. I'd be afraid if I do moles now that basically the moles will fill with water when drains backup and the moles will just lose shape as they are waterlogged so that effectively they will be of no use come spring.

The canal has to operate on a flap valve system as previous to installing the valve the river used to back flood all the area during floods.

PN14

Ganmo I would have thought that rocky ground would not be suitable for mole drainage. However as you can see from my posts I have no experience of it.

_Brian

ganmo wrote: »

How good is it handling big rocks? We're on shallow granite here and there's one spot that gets fairly boggy that needs some form of drainage

We leave off stabilisers and work slowly, this allows the plough to work round some rocks. Occasionally have to back up and lift because of rock.