box blade for tillage

[Gator]

Here's the situation. I have a powerline easement that I want to plot on, it has a gravel road that runs through it as well as some gravelly spots along with some ruts. I'd like to disk it to loosen the soil as well as level it out but I don't have a disk. I may never turn the soil again so I don't want to buy a disk. Is it possible to achieve my goal using a box blade with the tines down? My concern is just trapping roots and debris while trying to turn the dirt and making it worse than it already is. Other ideas?

I've looked all over for a place that rents a tiller or disk and have been unsuccessful at that.

 

[FarmerD]

What type of soil do you have? Clay, loam, sand? The heavier the soil and I think the worst chance you'll have at success.

I'd take a soil test first and see where you stand. I know I am always disappointed when I get new ground.

Do you have a Forest Service you can call to come out and till the ground for you? In Georgia, the will come out and do it for reasonable costs.

Can you hire someone locally?

I'd spray first, then I'd apply the lime and whatever P&K a soil test recommends and get it worked into the soil. Then do another soil test in 2-3 years and you can broadcast it on the surface, just for "maintenance".

 

[Gator]

Pretty sandy loam.

 

[dogghr]

Lakn has def showed doing such in the past. Probably work i'd think. Or, I once paid a farmer fuel costs to disc my first foodplots. He was happy to do it with his 100 hp tractor. Or, you can drive up and borrow my rototiller.

 

[FarmerD]

Pretty sandy loam.

Then maybe I would give it a try. Get a soil test, Spray glyphosate. I'd wait at least 3 weeks after you've burnt it down with glyphosate, so that you have minimal residue to deal with.

 

[Gator]

Or, you can drive up and borrow my rototiller.

Haha, be right there! Still looking at some land for sale in and around your county

 

[Mennoniteman]

A Box Blade with tines sounds like an ok tool for leveling out a new plot.

 

[Jeff H]

I've done exactly what your wanting to do with a box blade and an old ford 8n. The first go round you pick up a lot of grass and such and it's time consuming to pull it free and get back underway. second go round you grab a lot of roots and have to dislodge those as well. With the old Ford it took a whole day to do it. With a modern, more powerful tractor you'll have much more comfort and a shorter day. It plum wore me out but it got done. I will say when it was done it looked pretty danged good.

 

[Gator]

I've done exactly what your wanting to do with a box blade and an old ford 8n. The first go round you pick up a lot of grass and such and it's time consuming to pull it free and get back underway. second go round you grab a lot of roots and have to dislodge those as well. With the old Ford it took a whole day to do it. With a modern, more powerful tractor you'll have much more comfort and a shorter day. It plum wore me out but it got done. I will say when it was done it looked pretty danged good.

Is it best to just rip it up using the tines a few passes and then start utilizing the actual box blade portion?

 

[Jeff H]

Is it best to just rip it up using the tines a few passes and then start utilizing the actual box blade portion?

That's what I did. If I remember right my final passes I still had the rippers down but just barely. Grew my best crop of milo ever that year. Thought I'd turned into a real farmer there for a while!

 

[Mennoniteman]

After the bulldozer is done clearing a new field in the woods, what I've found works for me, that the best tool for the next step is a 9' wide 3point blade on the back of a 75 hp tractor, or whatever size rig you have. I drag the blade in circles, collecting roots, brush and rocks, which I drag off the edge of the field once I have a nice pile, and the dirt gets leveled. Your box blade should work about the same. Like JeffH said, it's nice enough to seed after that.

 

[coolbrze0]

I'd give her a go w/ the box blade. Spray w/ Glyho 1st, wait 2-3 weeks & spray again or "till" it then wait a few weeks & spray. I use a heavy duty 8' landscape rake on my mountain plots & it works great!

 

[FarmerD]

The dead grasses and weeds, whose roots are still in the ground and shrinking, after 3 weeks, will make breaking up the soil, easier, as well.

 

[lakngolf]

I have done it and you can make it work. If you get a clog of grass and roots just head to the side of the plot, leave the clog and go back to work

 

[Gator]

I just found this.
https://fredericksburg.craigslist.org/grd/d/king-george-ferguson-7-disc/6869968920.html

Anybody have an idea if this is heavy enough to work well?

 

[FarmerD]

You can always add weight, but I think with your sandy loam soil, you'll be fine. Looking at the amount of wear that are on the disc's, I'd say that it's worked well for someone!

How many HP tractor do you have? You may or may not have to change out the hitch pins, to fit your tractor, but that's no big deal. Do you have a Category 1 or Category 2, 3 pt hitch?

 

[Gator]

You can always add weight, but I think with your sandy loam soil, you'll be fine. Looking at the amount of wear that are on the disc's, I'd say that it's worked well for someone!

How many HP tractor do you have? You may or may not have to change out the hitch pins, to fit your tractor, but that's no big deal. Do you have a Category 1 or Category 2, 3 pt hitch?

40 HP Kubota. Cat 1 pins. For the price, it's not much more than renting something

 

[FarmerD]

I'd go get it ..... worst case is you use it once and then you sell it ......

 

[coolbrze0]

Looks like a pretty good deal to me also. Don't worry I won't jump on it before you, can't use it up here in the rocky mountain soil where I'm at anyway

 

[Gator]

Don't worry I won't jump on it before you,

Somebody did!