Looking Help: Tillage questions

Sandoak 3 · Apr 19, 2019

Good day,

My brother and I farm about 30 acres, mainly left overs from renters and deer plots. Soil is mostly sand and rocks...

We've been mainly double-disking (IH 496) and it's been working okay for corn/soybeans...but the disk needs some work (blades, possibly bearings) and the "Boss" said we could buy a new one...but I'm thinking of different options.

We also have an IHC Vibrashank 45 FC that Dad bought at auction back in the early 90's and I think we used it one year and it's been parked in the weeds since then. I seem to remember it liked to plug up a lot in rye...hate to think what it would do in corn stalks. It also doesn't have anything on the back, so I'm wonder how rough it would be if disked then cultivated.

We've been having issues with weeds in new alfalfa/clover. We have an old McCormick MF single disk and use oats as a cover, oats come up fine, but we end up with more weeds than alfalfa/clover.

Just looking for some suggestions, save wear on the disk, best options, etc. Can't really do much in the fall, and Bro usually Bush Hogs the corn before he disks in the spring.

Thanks!

DeltaRed · Apr 19, 2019

A disk alone wont cut it. You need deeper tillage to bury weed/slow down seed. Is it too rocky to moldboard plow? You might delay planting in order to get a good flush of weeds. Then work/disk ground to kill weeds,then IMEDIATELY plant.Or you could spray roundup on the weeds instaed of disking.

fastfarmall · Apr 19, 2019

That 45 vibra shank cultivator, will never work in corn stalks, you'r lucky if you can get thru soybeans stubble, but, you should have some type of drag behind the cultivator to preserve the moisture, if you ever do use it!

Bill in IL · Apr 19, 2019

One big help may be just to look and see what the neighbors are doing around you since tillage practices change based upon soil types and climates. I
think some fall plowing could really help to bury your heavy residue but may not be appropriate everywhere due to soil needing some protection. At this
point you probably will need to stick with the disk at least for one pass before the field cultivator or second disking but you will need a harrow of some
sort to further break things down and help settle the soil.

SVcummins · Apr 20, 2019

A ih vibra shank won?t work in any kind of trash I
guess you could pull half the shanks out of it and
put 12 inch sweeps on then you could work it two
ways i guess . I have made a float out of a 2.5 inch
schedule 80 pipe and it does a pretty good job

Sandoak 3 · Apr 20, 2019

Thanks much for all the help! Unfortunately we sold the auto-reset plow after Dad passed on, thinking we won't need that anymore... We can borrow a chisel plow from one of our renters, we would just need to disk (lightly) afterwards because it's pretty rough. Would that be enough for the weeds?

Not much fall plowing in our area because of the soil. Usually, you have to put in a cover crop (rye) after some crops (potatoes, peas, etc.) or the dust will blow...

You have convinced me it's time to part ways with the "Vibrashank." I know it's a loaded question, but what's a good alternative? Chisel plow or a newer field cultivator or something else. The option would have to match an IH 1486...Boss isn't going to spring for a new tractor!

Thanks!

Looking Help: Tillage questions

Sandoak 3

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DeltaRed

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fastfarmall

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Bill in IL

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SVcummins

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Sandoak 3

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