plowing with a semi-mtd plow

[MoMike]

I have a question for those that still plow. When you have a narrow strip left in the center of your land, say 1 or 2 bottoms wide do you drop the front down and raise the rear or lower the rear and plow with the back bottome? I haven't been around plowing for over 25 years and we used a 3pt plow at that time. I plowed a patch for wheat the other day and I don't like the way the center dead furrow came out, seems awfully wide to me. Advice welcomed and thanks.
 

[rrlund]

I lower the front and raise the back. Can't raise it all the way up,but I try to get it a few inches higher than the other furrow.
 

[Dave Sherburne NY]

When I was doing a lot of plowing with a variable width plow that wasn't much of a problem . But without the variable width I would lower the front but just enough to knock the top of the strip. The secondary tillage, a disc or drag will take care of that strip and you won't wind up with the big ditch.
 

[RGMartin]

[johnpop1]

Grew up in Smyrna and going there today to bury my cousin
 

[Richard Hare]

Lower the front,... but if you cut your last furrow 'up' shallower, when you plough back 'down' a bit deeper, you won't leave much sod showing if parts get ploughed back.

hope this makes sense!
 

[Mike Aylward]

When plowing the next to the last round I like to shallow the plow some so the trench isn't as deep. Then take the front of the plow and just knock off the last bit of unplowed ground. Leaves a clean, neat dead furrow that isn't tremendously deep. I've seen many that just left their plows set the same and ended up with a 15 inch or deeper dead furrow. Absolutely no need for that. Mike
 

[paul]

Lower the front all the way, rear tends to be about 3/4 up.

If the soil allows (not too wet or too much trash in it) I plow the resulting furrow closed by making an extra round with the front bottom throwing plowed dirt back into the furrow.

--->Paul
 

[JMS/.MN]

What the others say, and especially paul"s advice about making another round. Dead furrows are a PITA- get rid of them.
 

[Dave Sherburne NY]

Maybe I'll see you there.
 

[Sid]

Paul, I have tried that plowing sod and keep making a mess. What do I need to then?

I grew up with a disc plow and thought I knew how to plow. Boy do I make a mess with a "bottom plow, when I try to plow in dead furrow.
 

[David Snipes]

Hey MoMike, are you connected with MoMike Demolition in Spokane, Wa?
 

[MoMike]

Afraid not, the closest I came to that part of the country is delivering freight and marrying a girl from the northwest.
 

[paul]

Yup, you are right, in chunky sod, or heavy cornstalk trash, or in wet conditions, plowing that deadfurrow back in can be next to impossible.

--->Paul
 

[Bobl1958]

May not be something that will work for you, but I always leave a couple of rounds, and then hit it with the offset disc, or chisel it. Saves having a dead furrow. I also do the corners that way as well. ( we plow round and round in this country, when we plow) With a good semi mount, like the other say, just raise up the rear and you can almost eliminate the dead furrow that way as well. Just takes a little practice. However, with a small 2 or 3 bottom 3 point, it will be hard to do. Bob