Plowing

[Curtsat15]

So I've got a 2-12 plow now and I plan on using it to plow up about 2.5 acres at my parents' acreage for a market garden. What are your recommendations for gear selection, speed and so forth? It is virgin sod in some of the richest farmland in southern Manitoba. There are a few trees growing in there as well, all 1" trunk or less. Will this little plow do the job satisfactorily if I take the trees down first? Thanks in advance!

 

[Bruce(VA)]

What make/model tractor?

Coulters on the plow?
50 Tips

 

[Ultradog MN]

This is a question we can not adequately answer for you.
It depends on too many factors.
Your type of soil, how wet is it, has it been plowed recently, how are your tires, do you have any ballast in/on your tires, how good of shape is your engine, how good are you at steeing up your plow, how sharp are your plow points, etc, etc.
If you have the Ferguson Plow book take that and read it from cover to cover a couple of times.
Then hook up your plow and go.
You might make lumpy gravy at first but you will get the hang of it.
When you do get the hang of it you will know it.
That's about all I can say.

 

[Colin King]

Uldradog's points are good.

Generally, 2nd gear was considered the plowing gear. I have plowed in 1st gear when sod was really thick. 1st gear does not turn the furrow over very well because of the slow speed, but it does loosen the soil enough that you can run a disk over the field and then replow in 2nd a month of or so later.

Those 1" diameter stumps may stop you dead in your tracks. You may consider cutting the brush out and then disking instead. This will help break up the stumps and the sod.

Also, as one fellow market gardener to another, unless you plan on using chemical herbicides, plow that ground first and cover crop it or keep it fallow and bare for a season before planting in it. Planting on first year plowed sod will only give you massive weed headaches.

Good luck!
Colin, MN

 

[Tom Beddard]

Before farming went to reduced & no-till farming here in NC, we would break 150-200 acres every year when I was a teenager. I m 59 now. Some ground is harder than others, your tractor will let you know which gear to use. But if you ve never plowed this ground before, be careful the first time because you may find stumps even where you ve never seen a tree. We used trip beam Ford plows, so if you hit one, you just reset & went on. My uncle had one without trip-beams & once he hit one & bent it BAD, so take your time & have fun.

 

[oldtanker]

I plow in 2nd with my N. Like Colins says weed hevan unless you do as he says.

Rick

 

[Curtsat15]

The ground hasn't been plowed in about 30 years and I do plan on lettin it lay fallow until nxt year. No chemicals if I can help it! The plow is something of a hack job. It only has 1 coulter for some reason. Not sure if I'll try to find another coulter or run without them altogether, although it would be better with 2 I know. A discer is something I don't have right now, although I am looking for one.

 

[oldtanker]

Curt I plowed about 2 acres of ground last year that had been pasture then sat unused for about 15 years. I had to take the colters off because with the tall grass it would plug the plow.

Rick

 

[Ultradog MN]

A coulter is a coulter is a coulter. You could find one from any old plow - JD, IH, Oliver - and as long as the stem, that dog leg part that holds the wheel on to the plow frame was close to the same diameter and would fit into the eyebolt it would work fine. Having the coulters on especially in sod will not only make for a cleaner job but also pull easier as the plow doesn't have to tear the sod apart as it is turned over.
If you have tall grass and weeds it would be better to mow it first and then let it dry out for a day or two before plowing. Then the plow wont clog up with trash so badly.

 

[oldtanker]

Very true but with as wet as we were last spring that just didn't work out....LOL....I did mow first but it never really got as dry as I would have liked it.

Rick

 

[Ultradog MN]

I wasn't ripping on ya Rick. Just trying to give the board some info.
Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
Like if the weeds are getting in a wad and choking up your plow it better to dump the coulters than get your undies in a wad. If you know what I mean

 

[Curtsat15]

Probably will use the 2N, but my Major has the wheel weights and ballasted tires. As I said, I am gonna take out the trees first, but as for mowing, I have a 6 foot finish mower that I don't think would be appropriate for the job. Don't have access to a bush hog unfortunately. I am thinking I will probably plow 2 or 3 times this year, and plant next spring. Thanks for all of the input guys, this has been very helpful! As for the land itself, I'm in the Red River Valley in southern Manitoba and the soil is not too heavy. It was farmland up until 40 years ago and after that it was pasture for about 10 or 15 years, and has lain fallow since. It was kept mowed until about 3 years ago but now has gone a bit wild. Time to make use of it.

 

[Ultradog MN]

I thought you were plowing with an N.
A 45hp Major will just play with a 2-12.
You really don't want to plow more than once in a year.
If you are doing things correctly you are turning the sod under so it kills the plants and roots, etc. To turn it twice will flip the sod right back over and basically defeat your purpose.

 

[Hobo,NC]

I would not stick a bottom plow in new ground unless i run a Chisel plow are a sub soiler thru it the first go round... The more you till it the better,,,It would get a root rake treatment,,, let it lay awhile then see if it will tear up yer bottom plow... In your case 1st gear,,, it will go better the next time you plow it...

 

[Curtsat15]

What I was thinking was to plow very shallow first, maybe 3 or 4 inches and let it lie. Then go progressively deeper on consecutive runs. I don"t have a chisel plow or access to one, so I"m going to try what I have. Hope I don"t wreck the plow, but as I said, it"s a bit of a heap anyway.

 

[Colin King]

Sounds like you have a plan and lots of advice. Good luck, and most importantly, enjoy yourself. It's a real pleasure working with these old tractors. What you're going to do with yours is what both the N and Major were meant to do.

Colin, MN

 

[Hobo,NC]

Run one of these thangs thru it,,, If I had only one implement to plow with this would B it...

[/img]

 

[Curtsat15]

What type of implement is that Hobo? I have seen them, but do not know what they are.

 

[Terry G]

They do work good

 

[Hobo,NC]

(quoted from post at 17:53:35 04/17/12) What type of implement is that Hobo? I have seen them, but do not know what they are.

All purposes are field cultivator....

 

[Hobo,NC]

(quoted from post at 17:53:35 04/17/12) What type of implement is that Hobo? I have seen them, but do not know what they are.

[/img]

[/img]

 

[Curtsat15]

That looks great Hobo! Now I just gotta find one. Preferably cheap!

 

[Hobo,NC]

(quoted from post at 15:27:30 04/18/12) That looks great Hobo! Now I just gotta find one. Preferably cheap!

Used ones go for 300 to $500,,, I gave $650 (new) for mine new 10 years ago, its a 9 tine and I took 2 tines off... On new ground using a N I would use 3 tines then after repeated years of use a Good N will pull 5 to seven if you take your time... After 3 are 4 passes I can pert near get it all the way in the ground like in the pix posted..
It will bust up the clay base and allow for better drainage and allow the soil to soak up moisture and retain it... I spec I have loaned it out more than I have used it,,, its been thrown off a trailer one time and bent up by a friend
...

 

[Curtsat15]

That's not a bad price even for new. I will keep my eyes open for one. Thanks!

 

[Curtsat15]

Thanks guys for all the replies and advice! There are several auctions over the next few weeks within an hour of home. All retiring farmers that seem to have old 3pt implements just "lying around". I'll post back with what I find.