rice straw

[Frankmn]

My gardeners have been planting dry land rice on a couple acres of this 10 acre garden i rent out. I do the tillage with a 2 bottom plow and disc.
Been mowing it down in the fall and tilling it under in spring. The rice straw is so tough and long its a real pain to deal with. The disc i have wont cut it. I got it plowed and disced this spring but it looks like crap. The plow flips the root clumps to the top and they lay there.. The rest of the patch tilled up real nice but the rice is a pain in the butt. I found a flail mower on marketplace i will try this fall. Hopeful that it grinds the straw a bit smaller. Anyone deal with that?

 

[RBnWA]

Will fall plowing work and then till in the spring? RB

 

[Mule Meat]

Flail mower may not be the best answer.
If the stems are anything like a plant here we call iron weed. It will just wrap around the mower blades shaft until the blades can't move. It is a pain to cut free even with a fine tooth sawzalls blade.

 

[Frankmn]

Will fall plowing work and then till in the spring? RB

It might. The straw is so long, tough, and abundant that i doubt it will cover then either. They also are out there getting root crops and other items pretty late in the season and my time is limited. I usually just get it all brush hogged down before frost and snow. My rotary cutter clutch went out one year so i just disked it down and the straw wrapped around the disc axles and made balls of twine a had to cut off with a snips and a chisel. This stuff is nasty. Hoping the flail mower will chop it into smaller pieces this fall so it will plow down better. Its about a month early here for bedding plants so it may rot down a bit. I will spike harrow it before they start. Thinking about telling them no more rice.

 

[Frankmn]

Flail mower may not be the best answer.
If the stems are anything like a plant here we call iron weed. It will just wrap around the mower blades shaft until the blades can't move. It is a pain to cut free even with a fine tooth sawzalls blade.

I hope you are incorrect and it works great. I fear you may be right. Time will tell. At least the flail mower was what i consider to be the deal of the day and I snuck it home while the wife was at work. The googling I did suggested a flail would be good.

 

[Roger in Iowa]

It might. The straw is so long, tough, and abundant that i doubt it will cover then either. They also are out there getting root crops and other items pretty late in the season and my time is limited. I usually just get it all brush hogged down before frost and snow. My rotary cutter clutch went out one year so i just disked it down and the straw wrapped around the disc axles and made balls of twine a had to cut off with a snips and a chisel. This stuff is nasty. Hoping the flail mower will chop it into smaller pieces this fall so it will plow down better. Its about a month early here for bedding plants so it may rot down a bit. I will spike harrow it before they start. Thinking about telling them no more rice.

Tell them no more!

 

[dlbuck]

Is a controlled burning an option?

 

[Frankmn]

No. That would be great but this in town surrounded by homes.

 

[Frankmn]

Tell them no more!

That might be next. I don't mind the tillage but when a guy is fighting the plow plugging from the rice, The juice ain't worth the squeeze. Doing that gives me a reason to have the 135 and the hobby farm stuff.

 

[Duner Wi]

I am guessing your rotary cutter aka brush hog is the better option. I have never dealt with rice straw either.

 

[rustred]

no idea on rice straw. fall plowing is always better . plow it and leave it. then disc it in the spring once dried out. mabe get a hay rake and rake it in windrows and burn it or bale it , if its too much to deal with . then plow it under and leave it till spring .

 

[ss55]

My gardeners have been planting dry land rice on a couple acres of this 10 acre garden i rent out. I do the tillage with a 2 bottom plow and disc.
Been mowing it down in the fall and tilling it under in spring. The rice straw is so tough and long its a real pain to deal with. The disc i have wont cut it. I got it plowed and disced this spring but it looks like crap. The plow flips the root clumps to the top and they lay there.. The rest of the patch tilled up real nice but the rice is a pain in the butt. I found a flail mower on marketplace i will try this fall. Hopeful that it grinds the straw a bit smaller. Anyone deal with that?

A spike tooth combine breaks up straw better than a rasp bar. Can rice straw be used for livestock bedding like oat straw? If not is there a market for it as landscape mulch?

 

[joeysmith]

Have you tried discing it before you plow it?

 

[maqbill]

It might. The straw is so long, tough, and abundant that i doubt it will cover then either. They also are out there getting root crops and other items pretty late in the season and my time is limited. I usually just get it all brush hogged down before frost and snow. My rotary cutter clutch went out one year so i just disked it down and the straw wrapped around the disc axles and made balls of twine a had to cut off with a snips and a chisel. This stuff is nasty. Hoping the flail mower will chop it into smaller pieces this fall so it will plow down better. Its about a month early here for bedding plants so it may rot down a bit. I will spike harrow it before they start. Thinking about telling them no more rice.

I thought they burn that stuff down if their not using the straw in manufacturing.

 

[Frankmn]

A spike tooth combine breaks up straw better than a rasp bar. Can rice straw be used for livestock bedding like oat straw? If not is there a market for it as landscape mulch?

"They" claim it makes great mulch or bedding. Don't have a way to bale it and its only a couple acres of it, not worth the effort.
Yes they do burn it off where that is permitted, City would have a fit if i tried that, although it might be good humor.
When I mow it down with the rotary cutter, it lays down like a mulch> A heavier notched disc might cut it, But i just have the old Dearborn 6 footer that works great in the field after plowing but isn't heavy enough to cut through the straw after it is cut and laying there. Been looking into a heavier disc but the Massey 135 is only so big and those nice box frame disc go for pretty big money even when used. Been watching every auction.

 

[Frankmn]

These gardeners are old school and its all hand work, no combine etc. I am just trying to figure out the best, (cheapest) way to manage the straw. Hoping this old flail mower will cut it up fine enough to bury with the plow. If it doesnt work i can resell it. One thing about the old implements, if they work you don't lose money on them.

 

[Frankmn]

Have you tried discing it before you plow it?

I should have but I was trying to save a pass with the tractor. Not sure it would have cut it. The disc has been welded up a few times so i am reluctant to weight it.

 

[joeysmith]

I know nothing about rice straw but I'd trying discing it down instead of mowing it

 

[kencombs]

Two acres would be small enough for my zero turn with mulching blades. I mow about 3 acres, about half of it is pasture so gets cut high. Takes an hour and a half approx. I think it would handle rice straw it easily at 4" or so height. Maybe make a pass with the rotary cutter set real high.

 

[Frankmn]

I know nothing about rice straw but I'd trying discing it down instead of mowing it

Well the one year when i disced it down without mowing it, the crap wound around my disc axles and stopped them from turning. Had to cut it off with a tin snips and a sharp chisel. Doesn't seem like there is a good way to deal with it. I believe discing it after it is mowed but before plowing would work with a heavier disc. Still looking for the deal of the day on a heavier 6 ft disc.