Cover crop establishment and organic manure incorporation

[IJW]

Looking and using a Cambridge roll with straw rake tines and seeder to quickly establish cover crops and incorporate manures, has anyone used anything like this ? https://www.he-va.co.uk/he-va-products/grassland-machinery/grass-rejuvenator/
Previously used a Horsch joker for incorporation but it's moving too much soil and breaking up the natural soil structure .

 

[ConanPB]

Looks a great bit of kit, but don't you think it might block with manure ? Think it would be a good way of establishing cover crops and/or chitting black grass, a lot better than a stubble rake I would of thought

 

[GeorgeK]

I fitted the tines it has up front on the levelling boards of our rolls to use it as a straw rake but it blocks up with trash. Pretty sure those he-va rolls would block up just the same if used on arable, there's not enough rows or clearance to deal with the loose trash you get on arable

 

[IJW]

Looks a great bit of kit, but don't you think it might block with manure ? Think it would be a good way of establishing cover crops and/or chitting black grass, a lot better than a stubble rake I would of thought

We have tried a straw rake which did a good job on straw but for a stale seedbed or cover crop establishment rolling was needed too.
That was my concern, think it would ok with sewage sludge or chicken muck but as you say may struggle with straw based muck unless really well rotted.

 

[IJW]

I fitted the tines it has up front on the levelling boards of our rolls to use it as a straw rake but it blocks up with trash. Pretty sure those he-va rolls would block up just the same if used on arable, there's not enough rows or clearance to deal with the loose trash you get on arable

Thanks for your reply, interesting to hear your experience. As you say not the clearance or stagger of a straw rake unless you drop to one row of tines wide apart but then not doing enough I expect .
I was looking at using it in a no till scenario or post low disturbance subsoiled just to level get a bit of crumb and establish a cover crop quickly and cheaply behind the combine before DD into cash crop 6-8weeks after .

 

[GeorgeK]

Thanks for your reply, interesting to hear your experience. As you say not the clearance or stagger of a straw rake unless you drop to one row of tines wide apart but then not doing enough I expect .
I was looking at using it in a no till scenario or post low disturbance subsoiled just to level get a bit of crumb and establish a cover crop quickly and cheaply behind the combine before DD into cash crop 6-8weeks after .

The other thing I found is the springs are strong, so doubtless they're good for scarifying grass, but they don't flex to let trash escape under the tines until there's a big ball of it built up, last thing you want. Maybe worth looking at the Vaderstad Carrier with crosscutter disks for very shallow tillage and consolidation?

 

[IJW]

The other thing I found is the springs are strong, so doubtless they're good for scarifying grass, but they don't flex to let trash escape under the tines until there's a big ball of it built up, last thing you want. Maybe worth looking at the Vaderstad Carrier with crosscutter disks for very shallow tillage and consolidation?

That's a good point on the strength of the springs . On a straw rake they are longer so have flex I expect.
Did your conversion have 1 or two rows of tines out of interest?

 

[GeorgeK]

That's a good point on the strength of the springs . On a straw rake they are longer so have flex I expect.
Did your conversion have 1 or two rows of tines out of interest?

Only 1 row and closely spaced, so not ideal, however I think this sort of tine isn't the best for arable trash regardless. I used them this year after OSR drilling to spread the chopped straw more evenly, but you can only have very light pressure on them and you need to keep adjusting the hydraulics to stop it balling straw up. They have uses but there are much better options for arable residue imo

 

[Alistair Nelson]

Have a look at the Tillso rake and roll that’s more appropriate for your job with mores rows of tines and greater clearance also the rubber roller will allow to travel faster with out smashing rings and give the bearings less hammer plus should kick off any soil etc.