Convince me to not plough

ollie989898 · Oct 4, 2020

Bury the Trash said:
One pass with a ph is all you need, with the plan being to get right on and broadcast seed on and roll in.in the dry...but ...harder on the ph than going in to loose ploughed ground mind you .

Working up too much and too previous in the autumn is risking it not drying as quick in order to get the seed on . And roll down . Can go sticky. Depends on the weather.
All our untouched stubble s atm are well greening over with volunteers, will start ploughing tomorrow, then they will be gone.

Not everyone has a PH but I take your point. I advised people to avoid using a plough except where it was really necessary, as it was a slow option and required further passes. I'm all for cheap and easy options if the situation allows.

Bury the Trash · Oct 4, 2020

ollie989898 said:
Not everyone has a PH but I take your point. I advised people to avoid using a plough except where it was really necessary, as it was a slow option and required further passes. I'm all for cheap and easy options if the situation allows.

Well They are very common place around here on farms that do any sort of tillage. and good secondhand ones can be found . Plenty of choice available.not expensive to own .
Brassica s have a subtlety different requirement.

But Yeah,
The point for the op is Grass seed doesn't need anymore than a fine firm bit of tilth hardly any depth required .brassicas have a subtlety different requirement.

Rob Garrett · Oct 4, 2020

Bury the Trash said:
Well They are very common place around here on farms that do any sort of tillage. and good secondhand ones can be found . Plenty of choice available.not expensive to own .
Brassica s have a subtlety different requirement.

But Yeah,
The point for the op is Grass seed doesn't need anymore than a fine firm bit of tilth hardly any depth required .brassicas have a subtlety different requirement.

Power harrow would level better as well, just a bit more expensive to run maybe. So dependant on local soil/weather etc, been meaning to trial min till for the last couple of years but weather & soil conditions just not right for it so out with the plough. Min till/no till/plough are just tools in the box of tricks that folks can use, don't see why you have to be one or the other.

Bury the Trash · Oct 4, 2020

Just need one of these

Kiwi Pete · Oct 4, 2020

Bury the Trash said:
Just need one of these

I always wondered how soup was made

Bury the Trash · Oct 4, 2020

Kiwi Pete said:
I always wondered how soup was made

Could be for rice I suppose

Joking aside,if one is used shallow as a sort of knife to cut up the turf chuck seed on and roll down makes a reasonable job, spread some lime over it before seed and no glypho, some of the previous grass grows back but not for awhile. Worse thing is it's not very level. After.can be a bit humpty dumpty, could pull some harrows over it I suppose to level a bit.

What worries me then is the odd sheep might get on their back if theres a hollow here and there . Not a problem with cattle

of course.

Kiwi Pete · Oct 4, 2020

Bury the Trash said:
Could be for rice I suppose

Joking aside,if one is used shallow as a sort of knife to cut up the turf chuck seed on and roll down makes a reasonable job, spread some lime over it before seed and no glypho, some of the previous grass grows back but not for awhile. Worse thing is it's not very level. After.can be a bit humpty dumpty, could pull some harrows over it I suppose to level a bit.

What worries me then is the odd sheep might get on their back if theres a hollow here and there . Not a problem with cattle of course.

I got my peas in that way, worked pretty well TBH, the one I used just didn't like passing turf through evenly.
Great machines if you use them beside gum trees, they then resemble one of those rotary brushes the roadwork gangs use

Bury the Trash · Oct 4, 2020

Kiwi Pete said:
I got my peas in that way, worked pretty well TBH, the one I used just didn't like passing turf through evenly.
Great machines if you use them beside gum trees, they then resemble one of those rotary brushes the roadwork gangs use

Yeah can be a good tool and used in dry conditions but that's like all cultivation kit ph's etc should be dry when used in theory or else if wet soils its structure will be unduly spoilt something that gets turned a blind eye to, way too often I'm afraid.
The turf / stuff on left on the surface after can get a big acidy in heavy/ high clay content wet lying ground, ...that's when the lime topdress helps.
That's one thing that never occurs with the plough.

but I expect being arable ground the op s ground is pretty good draining so should be alright.

Derrick Hughes · Oct 6, 2020

Proof of the pud is eating it
Cultivated part in this field struggling with all this rain
Direct Drilled part looking fine and dandy
I'm chocking to death with Acid [emoji23]

Rob Garrett · Oct 6, 2020

Derrick Hughes said:
Proof of the pud is eating it
Cultivated part in this field struggling with all this rain
Direct Drilled part looking fine and dandy
I'm chocking to death with Acid [emoji23]

View attachment 912328 View attachment 912329

Has old grass been sprayed off then?

Derrick Hughes · Oct 6, 2020

Rob Garrett said:
Has old grass been sprayed off then?

Yes - still a newboy at it but 2 out of 2 now for something that the experts frowend at .[emoji23] My only failure so far is turnips into burnt off pasture

Rob Garrett · Oct 6, 2020

Derrick Hughes said:
Yes - still a newboy at it but 2 out of 2 now for something that the experts frowend at .[emoji23] My only failure so far is turnips into burnt off pasture

I learnt that one the hard way as well, sprayed off old pasture with Barclays Gallop glypho. Then it rained for two weeks, direct drilled turnips, they germinated but grass grow back & smothered them!

Would rather use the plough than the chem. can.

Derrick Hughes · Oct 13, 2020

Grass drillings just coming through - same field , the Cultivated part taking a hell of a hammering from the constant rain , the direct drilled part seem fine , hardly any puddling

Bury the Trash · Oct 13, 2020

Those drills will show for a

Derrick Hughes said:
Grass drillings just coming through - same field , the Cultivated part taking a hell of a hammering from the constant rain , the direct drilled part seem fine , hardly any puddling View attachment 913733 View attachment 913734

You'll see those plants in the drill for as long as they live.
broadcasting is the natural method of seeding.

Rob Garrett · Oct 13, 2020

Bury the Trash said:
Those drills will show for a

You'll see those plants in the drill for as long as they live.
broadcasting is the natural method of seeding.

Spray it off, graze it, chain harrow X 3, broadcast, roll, you think?

Done similar here with some IRG, bit disappointing to say the least, still won't beat a SPRING reseed behind the plough.

Bury the Trash · Oct 13, 2020

Rob Garrett said:
Spray it off, graze it, chain harrow X 3, broadcast, roll, you think?

Done similar here with some IRG, bit disappointing to say the least, still won't beat a SPRING reseed behind the plough.

As them Welsh say' I'm not going to lie '
No . Needs a fair bit of disruption, ime grass harrow passes arent even enough ime. Rotavator will do it suitably a bit better and quite well ....but that fresh clean tilth that can be got with the plough is unbeatable for grass seeds and clover well and chicory and a few other things as well .....come to think of it.

Another thing all connected to it ........ is that try testing the ph of soil, if it's been ploughed , ie oxygenated it will give a better less acid reading right from the get go, that's without any breaking down vegetation making it even more acid , which vulnerable seedlings really dont like.

Lot easier to dig in and take soil samples from ploughed ground as well

Bury the Trash · Oct 20, 2020

Well if I'm honest , ☺Iperhaps maybe over egged the acid conditions souffle,

to be fair it's more of a big problem on heavier poorer drained ground that then has fair bit of rain on it with a lot of trash breaking down ....after sowing, that's the worst case scenario anyway...

In the meantime I've become distracted by thisbeauty will have to order one for Christmas I think....
I wonder if they would qualify for a grant

Rob Garrett · Oct 21, 2020

Bury the Trash said:
Well if I'm honest , [emoji5]Iperhaps maybe over egged the acid conditions souffle, to be fair it's more of a big problem on heavier poorer drained ground that then has fair bit of rain on it with a lot of trash breaking down ....after sowing, that's the worst case scenario anyway...

In the meantime I've become distracted by thisbeauty will have to order one for Christmas I think....
I wonder if they would qualify for a grant [emoji57]

[emoji7]

Awesome [emoji106]
All in one topper, plough, rotavator. Have you posted it onto the direct drill thread?

Derrick Hughes · Oct 21, 2020

Bury the Trash said:
Well if I'm honest , [emoji5]Iperhaps maybe over egged the acid conditions souffle, to be fair it's more of a big problem on heavier poorer drained ground that then has fair bit of rain on it with a lot of trash breaking down ....after sowing, that's the worst case scenario anyway...

In the meantime I've become distracted by thisbeauty will have to order one for Christmas I think....
I wonder if they would qualify for a grant [emoji57]

[emoji7]

Have you learn nothing . Thats like take a blunt axe to cut up a side of beef [emoji23]
And sack the man on the combine he left halg the straw behind

Here is a picture of everything that's wrong in direct drilling
But done right as far as I know what's right then the avatantages are to many to mention in the time

som farmer · Oct 21, 2020

it's the 'wont work' before trying it, that's the problem. It was tried in the late 70's 80's, not overly successful, so that is what farmers remember, it's moved on, since then. Ploughing is 'frowned' apon, by the 'environmental' lobby, and therefore, will be restricted, we will all have to move towards mintil, or dd, to limit the acreage ploughed. Lot's of head shaking, after reading this. Think on, who has the 'ear' of guv ? not us, but them, and, the environment/climate change, is today's topic.

Convince me to not plough

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Attachments

Member

0 %

Up to 25%

25-50%

50-75%

75-100%

100% I’ve had enough of farming!

Share this page