Fixing deep ruts

[AC_IH_MF]

I have about an acre of ruts that make it a hassle to mow at really low speeds. I'm not sure if its from the prior owners mowing in the same direction while it was wet or what. I'd say that they are 4" deep and one after another.

What would be the best way to remove them? I have a two bottom plow and a soil pulverizer and have access to a very heavy box blade with ripper teeth. I have 50HP to pull the rippers so that shouldn't be a problem.

Downside with plowing it and smoothing it all out would be re-seeding all of that and $$$.

 

[paul]

I have heard careful use of a cultimulcher running at an angle to the ruts at the right time of the year and not too
much shank depth at all can really do a lot. And still save the grass hay.

The teeth very lightly knock down the highs, the rollers fruther smash the highs down towards the lows if you are in
the softer wet part of spring, and if you are careful enough grass survives to regrow and be fine again.

Paul

 

[caterpillar guy]

Paul probably has the best option unless you chisel plow it or plow it and start over. Like you said the cost and work.

 

[RobCons]

With the equipment you have on hand I would select the pulverizer. Doesnt hurt to try it. Down here no deeper than your going the grass would sprout right back.

 

[showcrop]

A disc if you could get access to one should knock a lot of the high material into the low places, then running the pulverizer over it to press it down so that the displaced sod will grow.

 

[AC_IH_MF]

(quoted from post at 08:57:27 03/03/23) With the equipment you have on hand I would select the pulverizer. Doesnt hurt to try it. Down here no deeper than your going the grass would sprout right back.

I was curious what the pulverizer would do on its on, it just puts scratches in the sod and not much else.

I was thinking the box blade's ripper teeth would be a first try, perhaps running at an angle.

It used to get mowed with a 13,000# Massey and 15' bat wing, probably didn't feel the bumps nearly as much as my little IH460.

 

[paul]

So mostly it is timing. The soil has to be the right version of soft and dampish, but not smeary wet. You wouldnt ever be able to do this in August, but now in spring you
should find the right timing. Of course we have several feet of snow on the ground still, its not time here yet.

You want to rough up the ground slightly.

Then you want to press down the ground quite firmly and evenly.

You always want to be working at an angle to the ruts.

The ripper teeth thing, and then the pulverizer. You might want to run some sort of gentle harrow or drag to move any loose dirt into the depressions between the two.
Anything like a bed spring or piece of chain link fence. You have to find the right balance of how aggressive to get, vs wanting to save the most sod.

Typically a rut is a depression, with the soil squished upwards a bit around the depression. You want to loosen up that ridge part, and get it dragged into the depression.
Making light passes in different directions helps to move any loose dirt in a high area into a low spot..

Paul

 

[AC_IH_MF]

(quoted from post at 11:55:03 03/03/23) So mostly it is timing. The soil has to be the right version of soft and dampish, but not smeary wet. You wouldnt ever be able to do this in August, but now in spring you
should find the right timing. Of course we have several feet of snow on the ground still, its not time here yet.

You want to rough up the ground slightly.

Then you want to press down the ground quite firmly and evenly.

You always want to be working at an angle to the ruts.

The ripper teeth thing, and then the pulverizer. You might want to run some sort of gentle harrow or drag to move any loose dirt into the depressions between the two.
Anything like a bed spring or piece of chain link fence. You have to find the right balance of how aggressive to get, vs wanting to save the most sod.

Typically a rut is a depression, with the soil squished upwards a bit around the depression. You want to loosen up that ridge part, and get it dragged into the depression.
Making light passes in different directions helps to move any loose dirt in a high area into a low spot..

Paul

This is the plan. I'll see how that goes, I can always go parallel with the ruts with the box blade scalping off the tops.

I mow perpendicular to the ruts so they are awful and it slows mowing way down.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Another choice is the disc in July or August if the cultimulcher doesn't work. Going over it with a lighter disc at an angle would slowly cut the dirt loose to move will with several trips level up pretty good then use the packer again to firm it up some if you need to. I disc old tracks with our smaller disc in that time frame as I have time and it smooths them up pretty good though I am driving the same direction as they are in the drives.

 

[AC_IH_MF]

(quoted from post at 13:03:27 03/03/23) Another choice is the disc in July or August if the cultimulcher doesn't work. Going over it with a lighter disc at an angle would slowly cut the dirt loose to move will with several trips level up pretty good then use the packer again to firm it up some if you need to. I disc old tracks with our smaller disc in that time frame as I have time and it smooths them up pretty good though I am driving the same direction as they are in the drives.

That would be a possibility if I had a disc or even knew where I could borrow one.

 

[RobCons]

What I think of when I hear pulverizer is a Gill pulverizer. It has a heavy I beam on the front with ripper spikes on it then a round roller with teeth on the rear. It attaches to the 3 point hitch. We may not be comparing apples to apples. If yours is just a spiked roller then try a disc first.

 

[Traditional Farmer]

Disk then cultipack

 

[AC_IH_MF]

(quoted from post at 18:04:05 03/03/23) What I think of when I hear pulverizer is a Gill pulverizer. It has a heavy I beam on the front with ripper spikes on it then a round roller with teeth on the rear. It attaches to the 3 point hitch. We may not be comparing apples to apples. If yours is just a spiked roller then try a disc first.

This is exactly what I have. Single rear roller. Teeth only cut 2-3" deep at most and are 5/8" square.

 

[Leroy]

That is something I never heard of.

 

[560Dennis]

Without seeing it I would recommend chisels plow 45 degrees to the ruts and second pass 45 degrees the other way. Should grow back . In
short while . Should smoothly to mow if ,not redo ! Now if youre going to hay it out , go the whole nine plow fit and drag harrows it smooth
and you can get it. If you ever hand stack a load of hay you thank your self ever time you go into that field .