Plough v Power harrow

50HX

have ~10 acres sprayed off and had planned on going ploughing it

have my soil test results back

weather aint the best at the moment - besides that i was thinking today should i not bother and do the following

Lime, harrow x 2, seed fertilize and roll

would this be the right order of doing it

i was only going to plough so that i could level it a bit but to be honest it aint that bad and is going to be kept for silage ground only

Willfarman

50HX wrote: »

have ~10 acres sprayed off and had planned on going ploughing it

have my soil test results back

weather aint the best at the moment - besides that i was thinking today should i not bother and do the following

Lime, harrow x 2, seed fertilize and roll

would this be the right order of doing it

i was only going to plough so that i could level it a bit but to be honest it aint that bad and is going to be kept for silage ground only

I think it would be better if you can get sway without ploughing but will thrash dead grass impede new seeding?

Willfarman

50HX wrote: »

have ~10 acres sprayed off and had planned on going ploughing it

have my soil test results back

weather aint the best at the moment - besides that i was thinking today should i not bother and do the following

Lime, harrow x 2, seed fertilize and roll

would this be the right order of doing it

i was only going to plough so that i could level it a bit but to be honest it aint that bad and is going to be kept for silage ground only

I think it would be better if you can get sway without ploughing but will thrash dead grass impede new seeding?

twin_beacon

as long as the dead grass isnt too long it will be fine. Thats how we have reseeded over the last few years, with great results.

Timmaay

Don't want to ever let a plough in the gate here again unless it's utterly unavoidable.

White Clover

Timmaay wrote: »

Don't want to ever let a plough in the gate here again unless it's utterly unavoidable.

Burying the most fertile soil too deep?

Lady lou

Timmaay wrote: »

Don't want to ever let a plough in the gate here again unless it's utterly unavoidable.

Why?

Timmaay

White Clover wrote: »

Burying the most fertile soil too deep?

No comparison between the fields that got ploughed against ones either powerharrowed or DD'd here the last few years, the ploughed fields will usually strike earlier and better but will grow less grass the few following years than the other methods. I don't know the exact science to it but would assume the above, whether that's low pH or p and k in the soil you rise up. Aside from that the work and cost of ploughing, rolling, destoning etc etc.

ZETOR_IS_BETTER

My guess is Stones, stones and more stones!

Timmaay

ZETOR_IS_BETTER wrote: »

My guess is Stones, stones and more stones!

I'll put my hands up and admit I'm extremely lucky on that front ha, last time we ploughed I ended up with only about 2 tractor buckets of stones from 10acres. Still involved 1/2 a day driving around the fields.

Waffletraktor

50HX wrote: »

have ~10 acres sprayed off and had planned on going ploughing it

have my soil test results back

weather aint the best at the moment - besides that i was thinking today should i not bother and do the following

Lime, harrow x 2, seed fertilize and roll

would this be the right order of doing it

i was only going to plough so that i could level it a bit but to be honest it aint that bad and is going to be kept for silage ground only

If you think it needs some deeper cultivation if someone has a grasland esq subsoiler then a quickblast of a powerharrow when its dry. As it silage ground may need some action if notice water sits around a bit

farawaygrass

Timmaay wrote: »

I'll put my hands up and admit I'm extremely lucky on that front ha, last time we ploughed I ended up with only about 2 tractor buckets of stones from 10acres. Still involved 1/2 a day driving around the fields.

2 buckets? I wouldnt have to even move the tractor to get that!

50HX

thanks folks

there's nearly too much of a covering at the moment so i am going to mo it as bare as i can 2mor and bale i up so that i've limited trash after

just wondering is a good job to run it with the roller with spikes on it before power harrow (would it make it easier to harrow?)

most of it is land on a slope that free draining as it is

was going to run a ripper on it alright on the bottom half just to help it along

Robson99

Timmaay wrote: »

Don't want to ever let a plough in the gate here again unless it's utterly unavoidable.

What method do you use now Timmaay? 2 runs of PHarrow, fert lime and one pass with seed?
Have done it this way before and find it much better than ploughing

Water John

After a run of the harrow, I would use a leveller. Does a really good job. You can get it to a very level finish for mowing.

ELP

How would that system on a dry hill that got tramped last winter. Would it level it enough or would I be better to plough?
Even with rolling in spring still a lot of poach mark's.

Water John

I know two guys who reseed with the leveller. Needs tight grazing. With the poaching, the leveller will get enough soil. Will need a number of runs. Wagtail spread and and roll.

Timmaay

Robson99 wrote: »

What method do you use now Timmaay? 2 runs of PHarrow, fert lime and one pass with seed?
Have done it this way before and find it much better than ploughing

DD'ed for the 1st time ever late last Sept. 2bh I was full sure it was a failure, didn't strike proper until March this year, and one paddock was patchy, so needed some hay seed with the wagtail. I wouldn't reseed using it in the autumn again, less risk of likes of frit fly etc in the spring. In fairness them 2 paddocks have grown like crazy since. Direct drilling is by far the cheapest and least hassle method, spray the paddock off, contractor in 10days later for afew hours and job done, so I will certainly use it again. Powerharrow for likes of a rough field or one that got drainage work done etc. Only thing is the power Harrow doesn't work as effectively if the ground is very hard, and ya still gotta destone and roll with it, and the sod tends to be very soft so ya really got to mind it 1st 2 grazing, esp if they are in the spring, with direct drilling the cows can be in on it no bother 1st grazing.

Robson99

Timmaay wrote: »

DD'ed for the 1st time ever late last Sept. 2bh I was full sure it was a failure, didn't strike proper until March this year, and one paddock was patchy, so needed some hay seed with the wagtail. I wouldn't reseed using it in the autumn again, less risk of likes of frit fly etc in the spring. In fairness them 2 paddocks have grown like crazy since. Direct drilling is by far the cheapest and least hassle method, spray the paddock off, contractor in 10days later for afew hours and job done, so I will certainly use it again. Powerharrow for likes of a rough field or one that got drainage work done etc. Only thing is the power Harrow doesn't work as effectively if the ground is very hard, and ya still gotta destone and roll with it, and the sod tends to be very soft so ya really got to mind it 1st 2 grazing, esp if they are in the spring, with direct drilling the cows can be in on it no bother 1st grazing.

See guy down the road DD a field this spring. Seemed very slow for first 4 weeks but amazing the way it has thickned up in the lat 3 r 4 weeks