Just plowed, now what?

C

Chesterbury

New member
I just plowed my first field that was covered in grass with my Farmall cub. It made a bit of a mess probably because my plow is missing the coulter to properly cut the sod so half of my rows are only partially turned over or just loose but back upright.

at this point what should I do? I don't have a disc harrow or anything to till the ground. can i just keep running over it with the plow until thing are all cut up or will that make it worse? should i just go over it with a rototiller?

thanks!
-Jasper
 
How big of an area are you plowing? What plants were there? What are you planning for the plowed area?

Herbicide the area to kill the plants. Wait a week. If the area is not to big, rototill.
 
What Eugene said, definitely need to spray and it may need to sit longer. Definitely rototill since you don’t have a disc or maybe borrow a disc.
 
Jasper,
Here is a fantastic "How to" on setting up the moldboard plow.
http://www.farmallcub.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=149&t=38411

Plowing with a Loboy is challenging because of the shorter height, you can't plow as deep. The front of the fast hitch bail will easily drag on the surface of the ground, throwing off the orientation of the plow to the ground.

Post some pictures of the tractor with the plow on it exactly how it was set up when you did the work.

Peter
 
Till it but prepare yourself for a LOT of work! Sod plowed in the spring never works! Always fall plow it if possible! --- the grass will never die and every time you till it up the grass gets thicker! lol! Spray it first ---- wait a couple weeks to see if it turns dead then till and you should be able to plant!
 
Ditto on the spraying. I don’t know what kind of tiller you have available, but if it is a walk behind, you’re in for some backbreaking work. I advise finding someone with a compact tractor and 3 point tiller to hire for the tilling. In the meantime, keep your eye out for a disk for this fall.
 
The fellers have given you good advice if you don’t mind spraying. I don’t spray, so it’s a ongoing thing for me. Knowing how large an area helps. I plow every fall and plant a cover crop. Then in spring I disc it up and plant. Anything I can do to keep the grass down. I tried plowing sod one spring and discing it up. Once. Never again. That’s hard work all summer long. If it were me, I wouldn’t touch it till after grass dies in winter then plow it. But I live in the south. You may not have that option depending on where you live. Otherwise, spray as suggested and try again
 
Looks like you’re in NY state. Good advice from all above. Be looking for a coulter for your plow. Suggest putting a wanted ad on The Vine.

You’ll find fall plowing a pleasure the following spring when the ground is easier to work.
 
Even with a coulter, Spring sod plowing is a challenge. You make a pass, look back to see half of it roll right back in. Plowing is just the first step, anyway, you always have to have a means of working the ground, after plowing.
 
Gary Dotson":2vxtlcr8 said:
Even with a coulter, Spring sod plowing is a challenge. You make a pass, look back to see half of it roll right back in. Plowing is just the first step, anyway, you always have to have a means of working the ground, after plowing.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I've done both and won't do Spring plowing again (unless necessary). Nice to do it in the Fall and let it winter over. In our Missouri clay, the dirt falls to pieces by Spring and a quick run of the disk has it ready for planting.
 
How is the Cub holding up /is it working too hard?
How much time and money and hours on the Cub are you interested in?

If you are patient and have time and fuel and maintenance money , you can plow the opposite width of the field. Then diagonally two ways. Then start all over again.
A weighted bedspring can be a drag. You'll have jumbo clods of grass and roots ect. though till it dries.
A small spring toothed harrow runs around 75 dollars in my area.
Without plowing (I mow ground short before harrowing) and over about a twenty yard area was about twenty bushels of roots and dry grass ect. to pull out of the harrow. When it got riding high on top of accumulated debris , a couple bushels was pulled out and then onward to drag some more.....

To be trying to kill growth without spraying. You'll need to drag clumps until friable. Then keep disturbing it very often or stuff will sprout again.
Then , there is what is in the soils seedbank that was dormant under the fallow field and suppressed due to lack of sun.

I don't spray. I do see the value.

Kill late fall area. Then after it'd dead , work the soil.
A week or so later spray again if stuff erupts. And stuff will.
Then work soil again.
Then add a cover crop of annual seed. Winterwheat or winter rye for example. First to suppress spring weed growth. Secondly to help build up organic material. Clover can be seeded with /after the fall rye planting. (A type suitable to your area , and IF your P.H. will support clover). The rye can be a nurse crop for the clover to take off in spring.

Buckwheat alone after all chance of frost in the spring has passed can reduce weed growth too.
 
Chesterbury":29en89a9 said:
I just plowed my first field that was covered in grass with my Farmall cub. It made a bit of a mess probably because my plow is missing the coulter to properly cut the sod so half of my rows are only partially turned over or just loose but back upright.

at this point what should I do? I don't have a disc harrow or anything to till the ground. can i just keep running over it with the plow until thing are all cut up or will that make it worse? should i just go over it with a rototiller?

thanks!
-Jasper
Click to expand...

Sounds like you plowed too deep. When plowing sod take a shallow cut. Look up "plowing sod" on the net to get a better idea.

No one knows your intentions, but it sounds like you need a disk now.

If you have a tiller or access to one that'll work too!

I am from the camp of do not spray any of the chemical garbage.

You, your family, and the wildlife will end up breathing it and eating it. Maybe you have the genes that might let you drink the stuff, or maybe you (or someone in your family) might have the genes where you'll get cancer by just one whiff of the stuff!
 
SamsFarm":2bwd3ybw said:
Chesterbury":2bwd3ybw said:
I just plowed my first field that was covered in grass with my Farmall cub. It made a bit of a mess probably because my plow is missing the coulter to properly cut the sod so half of my rows are only partially turned over or just loose but back upright.

at this point what should I do? I don't have a disc harrow or anything to till the ground. can i just keep running over it with the plow until thing are all cut up or will that make it worse? should i just go over it with a rototiller?

thanks!
-Jasper
Click to expand...

Sounds like you plowed too deep. When plowing sod take a shallow cut. Look up "plowing sod" on the net to get a better idea.

No one knows your intentions, but it sounds like you need a disk now.

If you have a tiller or access to one that'll work too!

I am from the camp of do not spray any of the chemical garbage.

You, your family, and the wildlife will end up breathing it and eating it. Maybe you have the genes that might let you drink the stuff, or maybe you (or someone in your family) might have the genes where you'll get cancer by just one whiff of the stuff!
Click to expand...
we all eat stuff or animals that have had contact or grown on ground prepped or sprayed with chemical. That is unless you buy all organic and or buy no commercial products like flower or commercial cereals or grains...again stuff that's not organic.
 
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