A few years ago it turned off really dry here. All the fields turned brown. The next year 3 of my fields came back as normal but two of them didn't. The following year...and even to this day they haven't done very good at all. The soil is still hard as a rock to this day and both fields that will not grow good anymore are hills. Is it possible that the ground got so hard that the water tends to run off rather than soak in? I've had other guys around here tell me they have fields doing the same thing. You can fertilize and all that and it makes no difference! I can't rip the fields because there is a lot of rocks in the ground. I had thought about sowing rye in the fall because I hoped it's long roots would help break the soil up. Anyone else ever have a similar situation? Any advice? Thank you for your help
- Thread starter Jason S.
- Start date
gene bender
Well-known Member
Do a soil test
Tx Jim
Well-known Member
- Location
- Coyote Flats, Texas
Rotary hoe was designed for control of very small weeds & breaking up rained on soil so crop seeds can emerge BUT NOT FOR PASTURE/hay FIELD AERATION. My Dad also used a rotary to control blowing sand in crops such as cotton that just emerged from soil
fixerupper
Well-known Member
Along with the rye, seed tillage radishes. I have never used tillage radishes but they claim they go down deep and leave a good sized hole after they die.
I have soil called 'crete loam' it layers like limestone. water has a hard time penetrating. the drought of 2012 depleted my subsoil and
am having a hard time replenishing. in my book radishes aren't the answer. rapeseed roots seem to penetrate and leaving pencil sized
runner that seem to last longer then radishes at about 10% of the price of radishes. these are JMO and always listen to multiple sources who
have tried it on soil like yours. duane beck at south dakota research farm was the one who convinced me.
am having a hard time replenishing. in my book radishes aren't the answer. rapeseed roots seem to penetrate and leaving pencil sized
runner that seem to last longer then radishes at about 10% of the price of radishes. these are JMO and always listen to multiple sources who
have tried it on soil like yours. duane beck at south dakota research farm was the one who convinced me.
Texasmark1
Well-known Member
The Rye around here is shallow rooted. My experience is to not expect to contain any sub surface moisture if you can't get it down there....tillage.
We have had 5 years of drought and last year and this spring we got reasonable/more than average water. I have volunteer Bermuda all over the
place that I didn't know I had and I've had this farm for 37 years. Bermuda IS a deep rooted plant.
We have had 5 years of drought and last year and this spring we got reasonable/more than average water. I have volunteer Bermuda all over the
place that I didn't know I had and I've had this farm for 37 years. Bermuda IS a deep rooted plant.
I would bet the ground is gotdamhardtoo!! , our county soil conservation service has a airway chisel knife ..catch that field after a I bet you could hub the air way, with no rain it mite only go in a couple 4 inches,.. at any rate the slots will allow moisture in and any lime or nutrients you apply will go where the roots need it ..
Traditional Farmer
Well-known Member
- Location
- Virginia
Around here in the Red Clay soil with a situation like yours the answer would be to deep chisel plow or subsoil and then build up the organic content with some cover crops like radishes,Crimson Clover,Buckwheat etc plus add needed minerals and lime.
I have a field that used to be like that. never had been worked, only used for pasture and hay. 2years ago tried to plow with a 2-
14 on the back of a 70hp kubota gave up after the 10 pass of squealing tires spinning on hard soil. took a 1 shank subsoiler and
cut it up like a checker board. the soil was so hard 3x3 sections of soil would spin when you cut them. waited for rain to soften
it a bit and harrowed it was rough. this year that 5 acres put out 12 900lb rolls of hay.
14 on the back of a 70hp kubota gave up after the 10 pass of squealing tires spinning on hard soil. took a 1 shank subsoiler and
cut it up like a checker board. the soil was so hard 3x3 sections of soil would spin when you cut them. waited for rain to soften
it a bit and harrowed it was rough. this year that 5 acres put out 12 900lb rolls of hay.
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