Low disturbance subsoiler?

[DrWazzock]

I have just paraplowed my ex beet land. Had to break the cycle of ponding and horizontal movement of water, wheelings etc. Cheap effective tool, easy to pull. Low budget.
Not keen on combination units with rollers and discs etc as I prefer to leave the land to settle naturally and or dry between passes. All it needs now is spraying off, a quick 10 kph whizz over with the power harow to knock the ridges down and drill it. Works a treat for spring cereals after beet. Bumper yields.

 

[DrWazzock]

I think there is a need for low disturbance subsoilers in DD systems, definitely. We always end up with slumped hard areas despite all the talk of compaction sorting itself out. I do this job for profit, not as a religion.

 

[britt]

We run our shakerator without the shins on the legs which leaves a much better finish as you don’t get the sideways shatter only the upward lift which then goes back down level. I assume you have a good packer.

I had wondered about that, and hard face the legs.
It has a good packer on the back and I also have a converted furrow press which I towed behind when I planted rape with it, but it still left the ground rough for the combine.

 

[britt]

I think there is a need for low disturbance subsoilers in DD systems, definitely. We always end up with slumped hard areas despite all the talk of compaction sorting itself out. I do this job for profit, not as a religion.

I don't think we have a compaction problem as the water filtrates through ok and other crops are fine.
I think spring beans just need looser soil and wouldn't need to go too deep.

 

[DrWazzock]

I don't think we have a compaction problem as the water filtrates through ok and other crops are fine.
I think spring beans just need looser soil and wouldn't need to go too deep.

I can DD my light land with no other cultivation at all every year with just combinables.
Heavy areas are more of a challenge. Wet winters seem to compact them naturally so sometimes they need easing up a bit. This winter has been dry enough though so they are OK.
After beet it generally needs a slight loosen on heavier land, though the sand would be fine left untouched but for levelling the troughs and peaks left by the harvester.
I have to take things as I find them. I wish it would just DD without any other help but I end up with bald slumped heavy patches that get bigger every year, establish poorly and let in blackgrass.

 

[DrWazzock]

The other thing I find is that deep rooting cover crops establish poorly on heavy areas in summer where they’d do most good.
Still a work in progress but I’ve an open mind.

 

[moretimeforgolf]

Well, I had my grant application approved for the ‘swardlifter’. I’ve ordered a 3m machine with a tooth packer on the back… my first implement from Grange Machinery. I’ve found that some of my recently acquired fields don’t like going cold turkey into direct drilling having previously being pummelled . I hope this helps ease them into the system.

 

[jondear]

Well, I had my grant application approved for the ‘swardlifter’. I’ve ordered a 3m machine with a tooth packer on the back… my first implement from Grange Machinery. I’ve found that some of my recently acquired fields don’t like going cold turkey into direct drilling having previously being pummelled . I hope this helps ease them into the system.

Can I ask did you apply for anything else on Grant ?As ours was turned down as not enough points apparently!

 

[moretimeforgolf]

Can I ask did you apply for anything else on Grant ?As ours was turned down as not enough points apparently!

Sorry to hear that, I can’t see why because you would be over the minimum threshold. I did also have a chlorophyll meter on my application … this wouldn’t have been enough on its own.

 

[alomy75]

Can I ask did you apply for anything else on Grant ?As ours was turned down as not enough points apparently!

Same here. Swardlifter only; turned down

 

[wurzell1976]

Is there any need for a low disturbance subsoiler in a no-till situation?

I have a 'high' disturbance machine which I rarely use because it then requires further cultivation to level off afterwards. The reason for the question is that I've applied for a grant under the latest scheme - £2804 towards a grassland sward lifter. As I still need approximately £10k to fund a 3m machine, I'm wondering whether to bother. Is the whole job just 'recreational'? ... and an expensive waste of diesel?

What's the general consensus?

I bought a Phillip Watkins 4 leg auto reset 2 years ago,and it seems to work well.Being on a new and previously abused farm where there is stone i needed something on hand after muck spreader and before dd.Whilst i was at it i got a front mounted crimper roller on the grant scheme which works really well.

 

[alomy75]

Picked this up today; combine hasn’t sunk at all this year on most of my fields apart from the blacker stuff so will try it out on those. In two minds whether to do the headlands of the medium stuff; combine didn’t sink and they have some fantastic cracks…but it (hopefully) won’t be this dry at drilling so will my drill paddling headlands down do more or less damage following a pass with the subsoiler? I’d go once the cracks join up again and limit it to just the headlands…

 

[Karlis]

Picked this up today; combine hasn’t sunk at all this year on most of my fields apart from the blacker stuff so will try it out on those. In two minds whether to do the headlands of the medium stuff; combine didn’t sink and they have some fantastic cracks…but it (hopefully) won’t be this dry at drilling so will my drill paddling headlands down do more or less damage following a pass with the subsoiler? I’d go once the cracks join up again and limit it to just the headlands…

Are these Ultralite tines ?

 

[alomy75]

Are these Ultralite tines ?

Correct