Need help with a plow...

[jim cancil]

I have a pasture that has not been touched other than cutting weeds for 15yrs. It"s loaded with honey suckle vine, gums and maples, etc...

I want to plow this mess under. I mowed it close and put a old plow I have had for a long time on the back of my JD-1070. I got about twenty feet - then the plow lifted because it was jammed up with a mess that looked like a backlash on an old casting reel. I"d undo the mess and get another mess .. about 20" later. Maybe you can look at the plow and tell me if the cutters in front of the moldboards are too far away? ..it seems that is where the buildup begins.

I tried different depths .. played with the fore/aft tilt a bit .. but did not get that "flipping pages in book" I was hoping for. Maybe you folks have a suggestion for me. Thanks.

Jim



 

[sammydwm]

get a wire wheel or something and shine those moldboards up good so the soil will turn over instead of sticking.
Sometimes running a disc over the stuff first will help.
 

[Larry NEIL]

All that loose trash on the surface is going to give you fits nmo matter what you do.
You might try putting a couple of wires along the molmoards to help turn that stuff under.
Larry NEIL
 

[jim cancil]

Sammy .. I was 'thinking' about how this plow has probably not seen ground in 20+ years.. It sure does not have anything smooth like the poly surface of some new snow plows.

and.. just this moring I handed a man $400 for some disks. It's what everyone around here uses - but then their ground gets worked at least two times a year.

Larry.. I was told; "Cut that mess as close as you can first.." I probably should not have sold an old windrower I had. Maybe the disk will help. Thanks guys.

Jim
 

[Frankmn]

If you could work up the outside and then burn it off that would really help.
 

[Bret4207]

That trash isn't going to want to sink under and any roots or root balls will just make it worse. You actually might have been netter off not mowing it, at least then the trash hangs with the sod. Polish the moldboards and try it, but you might have to burn it off or let it rot in before you can bury it. Unless the disc you got is really aggressive and heavy it'll probably ride on top of the trash. Sorry. If there's any way you can get it off the field or burn it that's the best thing you can do.
 

[jim cancil]

Oooo .. burning. Yeech. I've already had he VFD out once a few
years ago while burning in a clearing in my woods. They may
accept a donation for a controlled burn but my wife would blow
up like C4 at the prospect. I may simply borrow a rake.. I have
hand loaded about 5ac of grass before... Thanks all.

Jim
 

[GordoSD]

See all that green? That's weeds that will grow back faster than ever after being "replanted" by plowing.
First thing either burn with fire or Roundup. Take the wifey along to some ag discussions. Don't let her lack of knowledge and opinionated lectures dictate your actions. Educate her or you don't have a chance.
 

[retired farmer]

Get some wrenches and pull those worthless coulter blades off first. You do not need them to plow with. All they do is collect trash. I would probably have raked the field to the edge of the road first and either burned it or hauled it away. Get an angle grinder with a wire brush and some safety glasses and polish those moldboards up.
 

[jim cancil]

RF.. pulling the coulters off makes sense. It was where all the trash was. I thought perhaps they needed to be close to the nose of the plow. And I am ready for Saturday to grind away.

The way this forum is ..you have to answer to each response but I understand the fellow who says I am only re-seeding the next crop of weeds. I have to think on what's next..

Thanks all.

Jim
 

[Bret4207]

That particular coulter set up has the shank for the jointer on it. It WILL catch all the trash. In more normal conditions the coulter makes good plowing a lot easier, but with all that trash and a small plow like that it works against you.