Tell me the pros and cons of low disturbance subsoiler.

[Drillman]

Having just got a narrow point tine drill not really with the intention of going down the reduced cultivation or DD route I’m starting to think it may be opening more options than I previously thought.

We are still running a mainly plough based system but going forwards I want to reduce passes and costs pre drilling. Current main min till device is probably the cheapest subdisc ever sold 2nd hand that doesn’t make a particular level job or incorporate and mix stubble enough so a rethink is required.

I have come up with all sorts of combinations of disc/tine/roller based ideas in my head but am starting to wonder if I’m just over complicating things and sat ploughing over the last few days (a job I don’t mind as we have a decent outfit nowadays) looking at how things were turning over I’m beginning to think again it’s probably not needed a lot of the time. Been a bit more organised with keeping straw shifting kit from running about too much is probably helping in this respect.

I do need to have a proper look at exactly how deep the drill points go in the ground as this may determine a way forwards as well. But going direct carte Blanche isn’t fully for us I don’t think without a bit of something else to lift and loosen.

So any thoughts suggestions or views on the subject will be appreciated.

 

[alomy75]

On my farm a LD subsoiler is the difference between direct drilling working and not. Especially in the spring which is not necessarily where you should be using it, but it probably gets you on land with the drill 1-2 weeks sooner than un-touched without drying it out too much. Very many options available now; but be wary of style over substance. Knife through butter finishes are a waste of time and money; need a bit of heave. 10” deep or less you really need 45cm leg spacing (many are 50).

 

[Drillman]

On my farm a LD subsoiler is the difference between direct drilling working and not. Especially in the spring which is not necessarily where you should be using it, but it probably gets you on land with the drill 1-2 weeks sooner than un-touched without drying it out too much. Very many options available now; but be wary of style over substance. Knife through butter finishes are a waste of time and money; need a bit of heave. 10” deep or less you really need 45cm leg spacing (many are 50).

I think if we went down that route I only be aiming for plough depth 6-8 inch max as anymore puts us into solid chalk so closer leg spacing be best for us.

I do have an ancient 3 leg flat lift but that’s kept solely for the few acres where sinking it in can bring a 11 ton 270hp tractor to its knees!

 

[DrWazzock]

I use a paraplow. Leaves it fairly level and ready to “direct” drill in one pass but doesn’t like chopped straw. Can work down to about 20” so good for busting the plough pan. Done a fair but this summer and glad I did now.

 

[Will 1594]

I think if we went down that route I only be aiming for plough depth 6-8 inch max as anymore puts us into solid chalk so closer leg spacing be best for us.

I do have an ancient 3 leg flat lift but that’s kept solely for the few acres where sinking it in can bring a 11 ton 270hp tractor to its knees!

mmmm your chalk and flint content . be prepared for high running costs
our sand with flint is savage in some fields , have tried various options of points , most of the ld points sing set ups don’t lAst long

best one is agricast twb ldx conversion with ferobide on leg side
expensive but getting good wear
apm stuff very good



shakerstor spaldings big numb heavy duty are best . but not very low movement

spud man when pulling up tatie land on sand gets through just over 21£k of wearing metal over 1400 acre just in subsoiler ripper combo on our type land

 

[Foxcover]

They seem to take a lot of pulling for not much heave. I was watching a 6m 12 leg one a few weeks back drilling rape and also doing a good job of raking big piles of straw left by the balers to the end of each row, they had to send manitou and muck grab in to tidy up.

 

[Western promise]

Speak to Mike at J J Metcalfe he will talk you through the subsoiler & drill . He designs most of the manufacturers points & drill points.

 

[Drillman]

mmmm your chalk and flint content . be prepared for high running costs
our sand with flint is savage in some fields , have tried various options of points , most of the ld points sing set ups don’t lAst long

best one is agricast twb ldx conversion with ferobide on leg side
expensive but getting good wear
apm stuff very good



shakerstor spaldings big numb heavy duty are best . but not very low movement

spud man when pulling up tatie land on sand gets through just over 21£k of wearing metal over 1400 acre just in subsoiler ripper combo on our type land

Wearing parts are what they are, putting anything into the ground here isn’t a cheap job.

Maybe should grass the lot.

 

[Lincsman]

Back in the 1970s subsoilers didnt do much in dampish soil so wings were added to make them high disturbance, this transformed this farm as surface water had voids to drain into at about 12" deep, away from wheat roots in the winter.

Memories fade and fashion moves on to low disturbance and DD, i now have fields farmed by tenants with 25% under water every winter, some i have taken back for NUM3 and the old subsoiler is out again and its unbelievably solid taking double the horsepower it took in 1990

 

[snipe]

You can get low disturbance and still have lift and shatter under ground. We have gone from a Tim Howard to NG metcalfe legs. Still does as good as Job but leaves the surface less disturbed. Adding a front disc would help even further.

 

[Wigeon]

The packer is as important as the leg I reckon.

I have a cousins v form, trailed, with a brocks razor/dd packer. Has quivogne legs, which come from metcalfes. It's not fancy, but it's excellent. Doesn't bring up lumps, lifts the whole thing etc.

 

[Spud]

We converted our 1979 shakerator to Metcalfe legs, put some ferobide where a bit of wear happens. 3 seasons use not put any metal on it yet. 7 legs in 3m. Doesn't take a lot of pulling, provides plenty of lift.

We also have a 4 leg flatlift with tungsten points & a row of discs which we use if we need more levelling after potatoes or something. 200hp is easily on top of the job with either machine, them blue ponies must be little uns!

 

[Wilbada]

If you’re on chalk/ flint why are you subsoiling?

 

[YELROM]

We converted our 1979 shakerator to Metcalfe legs, put some ferobide where a bit of wear happens. 3 seasons use not put any metal on it yet. 7 legs in 3m. Doesn't take a lot of pulling, provides plenty of lift.

We also have a 4 leg flatlift with tungsten points & a row of discs which we use if we need more levelling after potatoes or something. 200hp is easily on top of the job with either machine, them blue ponies must be little uns!

Which Metcalfe legs did you fit to your Shakaerator

 

[Drillman]

If you’re on chalk/ flint why are you subsoiling?

Dont need to subsoil as such but do need to loosen to plough depth as land can become very tight if we don’t especially where it’s had traffic on it.

We could plough it which in reality isn’t such a long job but then it needs a further firming up pass with something, probably a power harrow now as too wet for the big press.

Be nice to cut some of these passes out if we can.

 

[Badshot]

A large faming company subsoiled a farm on the south downs years ago.
They pulled up flints like you've never seen before.
Horrendous.
Anything that came into contact with the soil, either in it, or on it disappeared thereafter faster than you could replace, tyres included.
Absolutely wicked.

 

[mixedfmr]

Dont need to subsoil as such but do need to loosen to plough depth as land can become very tight if we don’t especially where it’s had traffic on it.

We could plough it which in reality isn’t such a long job but then it needs a further firming up pass with something, probably a power harrow now as too wet for the big press.

Be nice to cut some of these passes out if we can.

We are all striving to cut out the passes
And so I tried DD with Grange low disturbance tool bar in front, thought it would be the thing for my land
Too low disturbance, NOT again
Down a ton /acre on plough/ combi next field, expensive experiment

 

[Spud]

Which Metcalfe legs did you fit to your Shakaerator

 

[Spud]

Which Metcalfe legs did you fit to your Shakaerator

New item by Andrew Wilson

photos.app.goo.gl

 

[Will 1594]

Dont need to subsoil as such but do need to loosen to plough depth as land can become very tight if we don’t especially where it’s had traffic on it.

We could plough it which in reality isn’t such a long job but then it needs a further firming up pass with something, probably a power harrow now as too wet for the big press.

Be nice to cut some of these passes out if we can.

just use a shzkerstor spaldings heavy duty point best for west
our bean drill we made has 11 in 3.5 m does a good job moves every thing