Gardening with a ford 601 workmaster question.

641Dave · Jan 14, 2013

A few weeks ago I ripped up a spot for a garden that had never been turned as far as I know. I used my single tined subsoiler and it did a good job.

This past weekend I got my two bottom mold board plow after it and it did a fine job of turning over the soil. Albeit the ground was a little wet and now it's pretty clodded up.

My question is, and this stems from me not knowing about plows and which is best for what, is there a plow that I can use right before I plant to get a good leveled out soil?

Should I go ahead and start looking for a disc plow or what?

Thanks!

Zachary Hoyt · Jan 14, 2013

Sounds like you need a disk harrow or something like one.
Zach

Pitch · Jan 14, 2013

Yes you are going to need a disc,at the very least a drag harrow. Don"t mess with it until it dries out or you will have a big mess.

Frankmn · Jan 14, 2013

The old way was, first you plow, then you disk, then you drag. Makes a nice seed bed.

JD Seller · Jan 14, 2013

You will need a disk but like the others have stated you need to let it dry out first. Also where are you located??? If there is a chance that you will still get freezing weather then let the ground alone. IF it freezes a few times the clods will break up by them selves.

Like many have stated before. Any plowing job in the fall will beat a great plowing job in the spring.

Also remember you can over work ground. I see guys that have a little spot do this too many times. You cause compaction to be back in the ground every time you work it. The depth of the compaction may not be much with your little Ford 641 but you still cause some. Plus the ground does not need to be beat up into a power to raise a good crop. If it is too fine it actually can crust much worse and make for a bad stand.

evilboweivel · Jan 14, 2013

if you live where the ground will freeze this year
then leave it lay, then in the spring when the soil warms up then use a disk on it every 7-10 days. each time working just a little bit higher to keep the weeds down. the weeds will sprout and you will disk them out. also bringing more weed seed to the top, which is why you always want to raise up just a little bit each time. planning on working 2" - 2 1/2" last pass.
GOOD LUCK

farmall100 · Jan 14, 2013

this a little off the subject, but you may want to do a soil sample to see if your new garden needs lime,etc.

Eric in IL · Jan 14, 2013

Ouch ! Plowing too wet has never been a good thing for me.
Need to get clods broken up before they bake into concrete
ASAP.

Some people say a disc-harrow is the most effective compaction
tool ever invented. Compaction is not your friend.

If it were me, I'd get in there with the tiller. Not going to be fun,
especially the first time over. Taking half-width passes would
ease the pain.

8N'r--WI · Jan 14, 2013

I have prepped ground for crops using plow, disc, and cultivator.....if you are doing gardens, or seed prep for lawns, etc. I might consider one of these. Having not ever used one, maybe someone that has will chime in.

Tim
Spike Tooth Harrow

8N'r--WI · Jan 14, 2013

This could work, too.
Drag Harrow

641Dave · Jan 14, 2013

I'm over here in Eureka, Tx on fine sandy loam. The soil is a little on the acidic side judging by my ph test kit but I have yet to send off a soil sample. I will do so though.

The soil looks pretty good, just a little "heavy" from the sand but it looks pretty good.

The place I just plowed is a small section of what will become about an acre and a half garden some day. I still have mesquite stumps and roots to deal with on the rest of the plot.

I'm just fired up about finally getting a garden in the ground and trying to get my ducks in a row considering this is my first garden of this size and the first time to use a tractor to do so.

paul · Jan 14, 2013

Plowing in January? You must be in a mild climate.

So, my experiences won't match where you are....

In general, you want to do heavy tillage (plow, disk-plow, chisel plow, ripper, etc.).

Let a rain or winter mellow the ground a bit.

Follow with a disk (finishing disk, disk-harrow, light disk....) or field cultivator to level the ground.

Then after another light rain, harrow the ground to kill the spring weed flush and leave a very smooth seedbed.

Plowing when it's wet leaves ugly clods, hard to deal with. We've all had to do it, but try to avoid it if you can. Will make a poorer seedbed all year....

Do not, not! work the ground wet with a disk. That leaves pavement behind you. If you have wet clay soils, you'd be better off with a field cultivator rather than a disk. If your soil has some sand in it, then the disk will be fine. Not a disk-plow, that is a big heavy thing, you are looking for a light finishing disk, called a disk-harrow in some areas.

--->Paul

showcrop · Jan 14, 2013

Your calling it a "spot" makes it sound to me like it may be a little small to use a disc effectively. And saying the ground is wet makes it sound like you may not be in the frozen north. Good detective work eh? Any way it sounds like you are expecting the ground to dry out before long. So if your plot is less than 1/8 acre I think that you would be a lot happier if you hired some one to rototi it.

HughB · Jan 14, 2013

Like several others have said plow disc drag.
Not when the ground is wet.

Dean · Jan 14, 2013

Plow, disc, drag or roto-till.

If you choose the roto-till option you will need to change tractors as the ground speed of your 641 is much too fast.

Dean

Rick Kr · Jan 14, 2013

Dave,
Didnt see where you said if you had a lot of sod/grass where you started this garden. You may need a couple discings to cut up all the sod clumps and let dry off. In my case, its plow, disc, disc, disc, level, plant.

Now I have a 6 foot tiller, I still break up the soil, but now the tiller leaves the seed bed perfect for planting. I have small chains attached to the back, marks my rows as I go.

Rick

old · Jan 14, 2013

Well at this point the next machine you need to use is a Disk. A disk will cut up the large chunks and level it out some. After disking if you want it real flat you need a drag harrow. I would say a tiller would do the job but not with that tractor first gear is about 3 times to fast. Now if you had a Howard rotivavtor aux transmission then yes your 641 would do it but to find one of those is not easy or cheap

El Toro · Jan 14, 2013

I would keep out of the garden until the ground is ready for plowing. Take a round point shovel
and dig several spots over the garden. Pick up a handful and squeeze it. If you have a ball its too wet. I plowed our garden last Feb since we didn't get any snow and not much rain. I also had rye planted for a cover crop and I wanted to plow it under. I didn't plant anything until late April. I went over the garden with a Troy Bilt tiller when I was ready to plant. Hal
PS: If your soil is ready your plow shares should be clean when you make a pass across the garden.

Paul from MI · Jan 14, 2013

You need to go over your plowed ground with a disc harrow to cut up the clods and level it. You've already learned your first lesson if you have any clay at all in your soil. Don't plow it too wet, it will be impossible to work it afterwards. Make a ball of dirt in your hand, drop it to the ground. If it doesn't break up on hitting the ground it's too wet. A drag harrow, either spike tooth or spring tooth, will do a good job of leveling your garden. I plow, disc 2-3 times, then one pass with a spring tooth harrow on mine. which has quite a bit of clay.
P.S. Don't forget to paint your plowshare to make it easier to get to scour next year.

Gardening with a ford 601 workmaster question.

641Dave

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Zachary Hoyt

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Pitch

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Frankmn

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JD Seller

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evilboweivel

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farmall100

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Eric in IL

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8N'r--WI

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8N'r--WI

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641Dave

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HughB

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old

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Paul from MI

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