Plowing advice please

what is the best way to plow a triangle shaped field?

I "farm" a triangle acre that is cut off from the
rest of the field by a drainage ditch. (I think
my neighbor was glad to be done with it as he
farms with 40+ foot equipment.) Plowing this
field is a slow process. The most efficient way
would be to plow around in a circle throwing
ground out but I don't want to do that as it would
be hard to reverse the process the next year to
keep the ground level. So, I just plow straight
east and west (the direction of the long side of
the triangle), reversing the direction each year
to keep things level. One year I start in the
middle and throw ground in and the next I start on
the outside and throw ground out. Either way I
go, I end up doing a lot of empty driving along
the hypotenuse of the triangle. At the extreme, I
drive empty for nearly 300 feet only to plow for
several yards. Once I get my IH tumblebug two way
plow working this field will get a lot easier.

What are you planting there that you need to plow first?

Gordo

I have planted a variety of crops: wheat, beans, milo, oats. Basically just something to give me an excuse to get the old equipment out now and then. My neighbor gets a kick out if it. He farms with the latest and greatest and here I am with 60 year old equipment. My disk is not heavy enough to cut through stubble so I plow just about every year. It sure helps keep the weeds in check. I use no herbicides at all and my field is as clean as any around.

(quoted from post at 19:06:01 08/18/10) What are you planting there that you need to plow first?

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This was a patch of ground that I plowed last fall with intent to plant wheat. Was pasture. I was unable to plant wheat in eastern kansas due to rain so I ended up disking it and planting buckwheat this spring. well the weeds and grass took it over so I took the rotary mower to it and plan on plowing it again with intent to plant wheat this fall. Or should i roundup it first then plow? disk? anyway I am wanting to raise something to put my 1953 allcrop 66 through its paces........

so how do i plow it?

Ah - sounds like it won't matter much from past experience, you'll just be growing weeds anyhow.

Anyhow, if the triangle has 2 longer sides, one year plow down each of the long sides, throwing the dirt outward. You will end up turning around on the plowed dirt as the peak shrinks shorter & shorter, rough ride & you pack the ground back down again. But, what else do you do? This will leave a furrow down the middle of the triangle.

The next year you find that furrow, and plow starting in this depression, throwing the ground in to the middle of the field. You need to remember how you did it the 1st year, and pull the plow up long before you get to the peak of the field. Start with short rounds, and always drive a bit longer the next round to create a longer & longer peak. Basically, do a reverse of what you did the year before.

This will, over the years, keep your field level. One year you make a furrow, the next you put a ridge in the furrow, the next you get a furrow there again.

In your location, glyphosate (Roundup, etc.) and a disk might do a better job, depends on your soil.

Sounds like the glyphosate is a great idea in any case, from the mess you have. Really only chance you have of getting on top of the weed mess....

Biggest thing in farming is weed control; gotta control the weeds long before they look like a problem, once you notice them you messed up & waited too long. Lost cause then.

--->Paul

round and round, starting from the outside throwing the dirt out and working to the center making pig tail turns at each corner

Thanks guys for the replies. I probably don't have time enough now to plow it for wheat as i learned today my company is sending me out to california for a month end of september. Probably will just round up it then disk then plant wheat....

Biggest thing in farming is weed control; gotta control the weeds long before they look like a problem, once you notice them you messed up & waited too long.

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That's good advice for a lot of things in life... :wink:

es