Plow Pan

I've heard of it and know of one guy that had a White 100 or so HP with a 3 shank ripper of about 3'. Said he was going after Plow Pan. Recently somebody here or on a farm site said they had a field that stayed wet. Decided to rip it and it percolates normally now.....Ha think about what I just said I have a place that I bet floods because I haven't been there recently with my Hay King Pasture Renovator....not 3', only 10-12", but that might be enough. Will do it when I get my hay in and go over my hay patch while I'm at it aerating and cutting Bermuda runners.....to establish new plants and also putting in the fall nutrients.

Getting on with the story, was helping a new neighbor with a new water line. I decided to dig the hole for the post that will support the non-freezing faucet. It's right at the side of the building so had to hand do it with a post hole digger, scissor type.

Digging in brown clay was like digging in rocks. Land has been leased for grazing for at least 40 years I have lived here. Never saw steel on it of any kind....just hooves. Decided to pour water in the hole to help break things loose. Did so and the water just sat there in a puddle. Dug and dug, probably 8-10 inches, water still pooling, hard as rocks.

Then one jab with the digger and the ground was soft and the water disappeared. Poured more in and it disappeared. Huh! Hit it with the digger again and came up with a digger full of soft, moist dirt. More water and more disappearance.

For you that doubt the occurrence, it is real, big time.

Food for thought.

Mark

Here in KY we have that happen, When I put in wood fence poles I have to set the drop rate on the 3pt to very slow or the auger gets about a foot down and hits clay and will screw the auger into the ground enough to lift the front of the tractor off the ground.

That's how my dad and I do it here in central MI. River flats. If you don't rip it, it won't drain enough to get on it in the spring. Very good soil, just has a TON of stones, and a shallow water table. I guess I wouldn't call it plow pan, as we do everything we can to not pack the ground. We stay off it wet, don't run heavy equipment all over it beside the combine, don't disk it, and rip it every fall. I just think it's the combination of the looser soil with water channels, and more soil exposed from the ridges that allow the sun and wind to help it dry down.

Ross

It can get very bad here in NW SC. On gardens, I subsoil about every 2 years. Even roots can't penetrate some hard pans.
Richard

Cattle are notorious for compacting soils.