when to plow.

Ok just got my sleeve hitch and 10 inch moldboard plow and cultivator for my craftsman garden tractor. My question ( being this is all new to me) when do I plow under the virgin space i want to put my garden in . Now and let it sit over winter and then cultivate in spring.. or Not till spring. I live in New Jersey and plan on putting in a 40ft x25ft garden here at my house and over 2 acres at my farm property.

Any additional info wold be appreciated. I used to help my grand-dad farm when i was young but only in the summer time when i went to see him on family trips so all he in between stuff is lost now that he has passed an i am old enough to go see him when i wanted.

Thanks,
George

Ground is frozen here right now (not deep, but), will forgo the pleasure of further tillage until spring!

Either, or. I like to do it in the fall, anytime before it freezes. That way the lumps freeze and thaw and crumble nicely by spring.

If you can, do it now. A good winter of freezing and thawing will give you some real mellow soil in the spring.
AaronSEIA

If it's sod and not frozen I would plow it now. Your best way to kill the sod for your new garden.

Those of us in the north like to plow in the fall. Winter will freeze up the ground and coat it with snow. In spring the black ground warms up quicker and dries out from the spring that. The ground will be mellower & work down very nice. Weed flushes are easier to control.

Those in the south don't like to plow until spring, they have a long slow spring anyhow, and if plowed in fall their bare ground lays open for erosion all winter, as well as the sun breaking down your nutirents for all winter.

I'm not sure where you fall into between north and south on this.

Either works, in the end.

--->Paul

Fall plow now. The ground will be nice and mellow in the spring. If your soil is like the soil we have here, spring plowing will have you breaking up hard clods till you're blue in the face, especially if you plow it too wet. Most of the tiny garden seeds won't come up well if they're trapped under those mini-bolders.

If the ground is already frozen, then spring plow just as early as it thaws and is dry. If a rare winter thaw comes in January or February, get out there and plow it. When it gets cold again the freezing will make it as mellow as fall plowing. Jim

in nw alabama i am not a fan of fall plowing. i
typically have a cover crop of greens that will
stay nearly all winter plus wind and rain takes a
toll on the plowed soil. i plow in spring when
dry and then disc good. wait about a week for
surface weed seeds to sprout then disc good again,
wait another week for surface weed seeds to sprout
then disc good again. wait until ready to plant
then disc lightly to kill surface weed seeds but
not deep enough to bring up new weed seeds where
they can sprout. i quite sure your area of the
country has a totally different growing season.
2 acres with a craftsman garden tractor?

sand, spring plow

clay, fall plow

My thought too- "plow 2 acres with a Craftsman garden tractor?" Better get started NOW. (not making fun, just hope it goes well-- maybe need to have friends come help with a "mini-plow day")

You may have a problem plowing if it's sod. Hal

I'm betting you will wish you got one with a tiller attachment and a compact tractor at that.

Your way here in Ohio would not produce a crop

I have used those small plows quite a bit. They work pretty good in an extiting garden but Not new ground. You may be able to plow if you add chains and wheel weights. Bring a lunch, that 40' X 25' will take you the best part of a day with that setup.
For the first time you would be way ahead to find someone to plow or rototill for you.
Do it before it freezes and let the soil break down over the Winter.

I've found in the soils I have around here, loamy topsoil, with clay, no real heavy, but has some gravel, well drained, holds moisture etc., that fall plowing, gardens and larger food plots is that I seem to get a good kill of any grasses, and with some secondary tillage in spring, in addition to plowing in the fall, it seems I can really delay or keep weeds at bay. They'll show up eventually, but if you mulch with dry grass, (I dry it then use it like hay), shade out with whatever you are growing, it just seems better when the soil is turned over in the fall. I also think that making sure the plow is doing a neat, uniform job and turning the sod, or soil or what have you completely over, will give the best results as I stated above. If it does not do a good job, whatever is left showing will come back as if nothing was done.

For the most part the soils are similar around here, to my ground, though lower, flatter areas and fields don't seem to have all that glacial till with round rock. I mention that because, most farmers, do not fall plow here, and there is a lot of ground that is corn on corn, year after year. We have rolling hills, some steep ones, so erosion in those areas would be a concern, but flat areas it does not seem to be an issue, now if things dry out, wind could take some of the lighter soils, I've cleared areas with a nice layer of black topsoil, from years of vegetation growing, brush, small trees etc., if you turn that finer loamy top layer up, and it dries enough, you could lose some of that with wind erosion, but usually it stays wet or moist enough to stay put, then a snow pack, so there might be some risk in some conditions, just what I've observed. I noticed these soils in areas that were not used for many years, once cleared, I am careful not to go too deep and turn up clay and mix that in, have to keep an eye on the depth.


Not sure where in NJ, I am familiar with soils there from rich sandy topsoils to clay/loam like here and similar from having been a heavy equipment operator on quite a few job sites from northen NJ to ocean county, monmouth county etc.

I'd do it now if your ground's not too frozen.

If for no other reason, I'm assuming there's sod - that's going to be like big strips of carpet - better to turn it now and let it start breaking up over the winter.

Sure do not want to rain on your project but if you plow 2 acres with a craftsman you sure like work. That is not going to happen in a short time.
If it is sod and never been a garden just going to be hard any time of the year. Good luck with your garden.

Plow now so that a lot of the sod will be rotten and you won't have to deal with it in the spring planting.

Its only 40 x 25. Proabably only take an hour or so if you have enough traction.
Apparently, a lot on here haven't ever seen a garden tractor plowday. You can plow up ground pretty quickly with a garden tractor as long as the trash is not too bad. One plowday I went to had over 100 tractors in the field. We plowed around 60 acres in an afternoon.

Hate to burst your bubble, but tending two acres of garden with a Craftsman garden tractor is asking a lot! Now the plot you mention at home, even three to four times that size, no problem, and the other two acres would depend on the type soil. If it's loose loam you could probably do it, but if it has very much clay or rock, you just may need a larger tractor. I have tended small gardens myself with a 12hp Sears Suburban. I put anti-freeze in the tires, chains, and weights on the wheels, and a 50lb weight on the front end. It would pull that little plow very well. The disc never did too well. Cultivator OK. I finally bought a tiller with an 8hp Briggs on it which mounted on the back. Now that thing would throw some dirt! Either way, good luck on your venture.