chisel plowing verses mold board plowing

wally b

Member
I was wondering if anyone has experience with chisel plowing instead of moldboard plowing followed by discing for grain seed bed preparation. I only have a 2 bottom 12 inch plow (24 inch cut) verses an 8 foot chisel.

Thanks
 
That's all we use any more. Really depends on what type of ground you are plowing. It doesn't work so well with heavy corn residue or sod ground.
 
I think MB does a better job with residue but this past Spring I had so many places in the field that were "heavy" from moisture that the MB plow was a lot of trouble. No standing water. Couldn't tell looking at the surface. You would just bog down and when you looked back the soil was greasy looking. Switched to a chisel and did the whole field. Opening it up got it to dry out quite a bit and then I was able to go thru with a disk and finish for planting.
 
Yup, depends on what kind of ground you have. In sod, on heavy clay, you plow it and let the winter freeze and thaw break it up. On stubble or lighter ground you can chisel it and have good results. Even then it depends on what you want to do with it and just where it's at. In ground with a lot of ledge chisels can get busted real easy. So I don't know if there is a for sure answer.
 
When I plant small grains I like to just disk down the corn stalks in the spring and plant. Seems if I plow, spring or fall the ground gets to loose and the grain crop grows to well then falls down! Sounds backward I know but a lighter standing crop will out produce a great one that is flat on the ground.
For me I under seed alfalfa so I can't have it smothered.
 
Here in N. Md. we have a lot of stones, and a chisel is referred to as a rock finder. That's one reason I am almost 100% no-til........
 
I find moldboards distasteful to me for a couple of reasons that you all have experienced having used one.

What it does do is to flip the soil at whatever depth you are set up to flip. When you have a field full of vegetation, this is paramount in burying such, getting it out of your way, and improving humous in the process.

Having obtained my farming education at Hard Knocks U. Farming 101 thru 210 over the past 35 years, I have half a dozen implements of various types (no moldboards) to prepare soil and none of them will adequately bury vegetation to the point that a spike toothed harrow run across the field to level it out won't ball up with it. I have a heavy clay and I can take care of that but the vegetation is the main problem. Few MBs are sold here as you need a turning wheel to keep from gumming up when the stuff is wet. When dry it's like concrete.

So, in short, if you want to disturb the subsoil, run a chisel (Graham-Hayme made in Amarillo, TX., 7 shank, 2" chisels is what I have) or a Hay King subsoiler (which works better for me in this hard clay) with your one way or disc harrow behind and then the spike toothed harrow for a baby's bottom smooth field.

But if you want to cover residue, gotta go with the moldboard and all the trips and bounces afterwards to clean up the clods. So it has come down to the fact that I am going to have to get one by golly and by gum. Hopefully my last implement.

HTH,
Mark
 
Update on my comments.

First picture is what the ground looks like this time of year. If you'll notice 2 yardsticks in the pic. The welding clamp is holding onto the other one so it doesn't fall down the crack. Some I have measured over 8' deep.

Second pic is our drought. Even though we had nice "showers" this spring to produce a bumper hay first cutting, the overall scene is drought. The pool spillway elevation is that water mark under the pier platform. Water is 6' below that.

Next is my Hay King conditioner and then the disc and final the results after a spike tooth smoothing.

Then the disc I used, 6' 360# weighted

Then the results after a going over with the spike tooth harrow. This field didn't have much growth and it was not a problem but on something with half an inch or so it is a problem and the reason for finally considering a moldboard. I think my little 65 can handle a 3 bottom.
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