rice straw

[joeysmith]

the one year when i disced it down without mowing it, the crap wound around my disc axles

Ahhh
I missed that part

Could always tell the fire department the tractor backfired
Most of it would be burnt by the time they got there

 

[Frankmn]

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.

Yes I believe that would work. The zero turn i have has the mulch kit on it but i mow a bunch of apartment buildings with that and would hate to break it playing in the field. The garden isn't what i would call silky smooth with with these rice clumps growing in it. I am hoping to achieve that result with his flail mower. I mean hey its a six footer and it works, even came with some new extra knives for 350 bucks.

 

[Frankmn]

Ahhh
I missed that part

Could always tell the fire department the tractor backfired
Most of it would be burnt by the time they got there

EASIER TO BEG FORGIVENESS than ask permission

 

[used red MN]

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

Fall plowing is alway best in most cases. Maybe you need to get a different plow, Oliver plows have pretty good trash clearance, see link. Oliver 2 bottom on auction You can attach 8 foot lengths of 9 wire to the rolling cutter frame and that will tuck residue down in the furrow for the rolled over soil to cover. If the straw is still a problem you might have to disc it first, not necessarily to cut the straw up but rather just to flatten it. Unless your trying to do this organic a light application of nitrogen or UAN fertilizer will accelerate decomposition of the plant residue that you plow under.

 

[rustred]

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.

you dont want to be discing before plowing, you will be plugging the plow. disc after once its dried out.

 

[Frankmn]

you dont want to be discing before plowing, you will be plugging the plow. disc after once its dried out.

Yes this year i have plowed it.,waited a couple days, disced it at a slight angle to the plowing. After a couple warm dry days coming up I will disc it crossways to the first time and then drag it with a spike drag. At that point it is what it is I guess. I didn't put the rice there, they did. Just don't like having it not be super nice. I agree with a better plow as well. The one i have i did spend the money on new shares from ploworx and it works well for what it is.

 

[joeysmith]

you dont want to be discing before plowing, you will be plugging the plow. disc after once its dried out.

Different areas i guess
That was precisely why we disced before plowing
To break down the stubble somewhat so the plow wouldn't plug

 

[rrman61]

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?

Been there done that.we farmed 250 acres of rice when i worked on my old bosses farm.burning is best followed by smashing it down with a heavy pipe drag especially when it’s wet.then discing when it dries.the longer you let it sit/rot the better as in months.it can be mowed with a disc mower and baled but is not nutritious for cattle.when it chokes up your disc reverse with the disc down to clear it.after smashing it say north to south,disc it east to west that will cut it up without clogging your disc as much

 

[37chief]

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.

Just make sure it is real dry. Stan

 

[cjunrau]

I know nothing about rice straw to start with. If it is anything like flax I know if very dry you can chop it finer.
Seems to me a good plow should be able to plow 8 inches and bury it, then in spring only work 4 inches deep. By the next fall it should be rotted down enough to not cause problems.

 

[Frankmn]

I know nothing about rice straw to start with. If it is anything like flax I know if very dry you can chop it finer.
Seems to me a good plow should be able to plow 8 inches and bury it, then in spring only work 4 inches deep. By the next fall it should be rotted down enough to not cause problems.

It rots down over the course of the year. I am concluding that this year if they plant it again i will shred it with the flail and them try to get it plowed down in the fall. I get maybe 80 percent fully buried and if the stems were cut half as long they wouldn't stick so far out of the furrow.