Fall plowing vs. spring plowing

ryanwheelock · Mar 12, 2010

Question as to what you guys think is better. Would I be better to moldboard plow my field in the fall and let the frost/ long winter help to kill some of the roots or just wait and plow it in the spring. If it even makes a difference.
Thanks
Ryan

wijim · Mar 12, 2010

In NE WI a poor fall plowing ALWAYS beats spring plowing! Only spring plow if you have no other choice. Jim

IaGary · Mar 12, 2010

Best reasons to fall plow is so the soil will work better in the spring and to eliminate compaction.

If your soil works well in the spring and compaction is not an issue, plow in the spring.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 12, 2010

I guess the first question what is the purpose of plowing as this is becoming a less used practice. Plowing can create a plow pan that can create a compaction level. Plowing in the fall can lead to erosion varying with soil types and slopes. And of course are you talking about a few acres or a few hunder acres? Prior to the sixties most farmers in our area plowed in the spring. In the sixties farmers started chisel plowing in the fall but this has been mostly discontinued due to erosion.

GordoSD · Mar 12, 2010

Consider NO plowing.

Gordo

omahagreg · Mar 12, 2010

Fall plowing leads to erosion called 'snirt'. It ain't pretty! Greg

jdetig1 · Mar 12, 2010

i do both. i plow about half in the fall, then spread manure over the other half during the winter, then plow that under in the spring. plowing in the fall will always help the ground work up better in the spring.

ryanwheelock · Mar 12, 2010

I know alot of people say to No-till but I LOVE to farm with the old stuff from the 1940-50s, plus cant afford the newer No-till equipment for the few acres that I do. I like to get a couple of hours each evening after work on one of the old Farmalls. Its my stress relief.

smirkey · Mar 12, 2010

some research has shown that you destroy about 20 years worth of the captured carbon and humus when you plow. we have been working hard to never plow. its hard to figure out, but worth it for fertility and CAC of your soil.

Nebraska Cowman · Mar 12, 2010

it's a regional thing. But at this time is is a moot point because you are too late for fall plowing.

paul · Mar 12, 2010

It depends on what reagion you live in.

Here in my cold, tight soiled, heavy snow load, late spring area, a fall plowing means you get the field warmed up & dried down enough to plant anything.

Spring plowing means you'll be planting in June into lumpy, weedy ground.

No plowing means you'll be planting in early June - about a month too late.

But that is 'here'.

--->Paul

thurlow · Mar 12, 2010

Sounds like you're plowing for fun, so what difference could it make? When I think of the tens of thousands of hours I've spent in a tractor seat............just shaking my head at the concept of driving a tractor for "fun".

Anonymous-0 · Mar 12, 2010

I've done both and it is much better to fall plow, if you can control erosion. The home farm had some hills so we always spring plowed and had problems with clods. The Illinois ground is flatter and we have early fall plowed wheat stubble and threw on a couple bushels of oats to help control erosion. Really worked well, soil was mellow and easy to work in the spring. The only problem would be if we got a "toad strangler" rain in the spring after working the ground before planting. Although reasonably flat you still could get some erosion.

Chester5731 · Mar 12, 2010

I am in mid MIchigan and I spring plow because I have light soil and it really blows with the spring wind. People have also told me to go notill but I have seen how compacted my mother farm has gotten from the renter notilling. Notill and spray for seven years and no insects and water standing on top. Not for me.

Anonymous-0 · Mar 12, 2010

I agree, that tractor driving doesn't come under the "fun" category. But then if you're not having fun then I sure don't know why anyone would plow. Of course if you are not having fun what's the point of farming?

Anonymous-0 · Mar 12, 2010

i always try to do fall plowing that way you have the winter to freeze the ground and loosen up the soil, if you take loamy bottom ground you can plow it almost any time however clay ground needs to have several good freezes on it, if you plow clay ground with just a little moisture in it you'll have clods all summer long. depending on the dirt you have is really how and when you can plow.

TomA in CA · Mar 12, 2010

It is definatly a localized thing.

In my area a lot of steep hill land was dryland farmed. We would plow in the fall as soon as it had enough moisture to plow right. It is mostly heavy clay soil. You wanted to plow early so the ground would soak up water. Proper plowing does not cause a plow pan. Steep land would be less subject to erosion if plowed than not. I have seen fields ruined from erosion when no longer farmed from gopher holes. The rule was plowed and harrowed down by the end of February. I wet years it was better not to work up a fine seedbed until all danger of heavy rain was over. It was good to leave the ground plowed and let the rains melt it down. This is the coastal hills of California. Your mileage may vary.

Tom

GordoSD · Mar 12, 2010

I doubt that 10% of the people who plow really know how to look for compaction. That is low water infiltration and restricred rooting.

Gordo

Stuart · Mar 12, 2010

The worst fall plowing is always better than the best spring plowing.

agpilot · Mar 12, 2010

Hi Ryan... Now you are talking... just a few hours of driving an old Farmall is a great stress reducer, for certain... I agree 2000 percent.. Another great event is hearing an old MD switch over from gas to diesel on a cold morning.. smoke out all the sparrows out of the whole yard if needed... ag

Don-Wi · Mar 12, 2010

Fall plowing helps the ground work up better and warms it up faster. In our area, no till doesn't work that great. Plenty of farmers have tried it, but our soils are full of clay and they need to be plowed, or atleast chiseled. We used a subsoiler last fall in 1 large field, we'll see how that worked this spring.

We spring plow 1 or 2 hay fields every year that we turn into corn after taking off 1st crop, and while it sometimes works up nice, it's always a bit chunkier and not quite as nice. Does the purpose though.

Donovan from Wisconsin

flying belgian · Mar 13, 2010

Or to early.

Fall plowing vs. spring plowing

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