The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Land Management => Topic started by: sandspider on August 23, 2019, 05:24:32 pm
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Hi all
I have a small paddock where I cut paths every so often with a topper, have an orchard and am working on a wild flower meadow, etc. I've never harrowed it, and it is getting a bit lumpy and thatchy in places.
I'm guessing the cheapest way to harrow it would be chain harrows, or even to drag a big log across it behind the tractor! Would these methods work? Or is it worth getting some sort of spring tine harrow and doing it properly if I'm going to do it at all?
Thanks.
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Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I can give the log a try but if I'm likely to be wasting my time I'd like to know!
Cheers
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We use a spring tine harrow for thatch and to break up dung, works great. Depending on what you mean by 'lumpy', a harrow may not do very much. If it's established pasture the harrow won't give you a level surface, a roller might be a better option for that.
Not sure a log will pull out very much thatch, more likely to either bounce over the surface or dig in and make random furrows?
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As Dan said, sandspider, depends on what you mean by lumpy.
If it's lumpy due to grass tussocks, then maybe the topper will be able to reduce them (depending on how well established the tussocks are) with routine cutting there-after. If the tussocks are very well established, topper blades likely to need some tlc afterwards.
If lumpy means rough ground under grass, then you will need something beefier/heavier than a chain or spring-tine harrow to break it up for subsequent finer grading. Of course, as Dan suggests, running a roller over lumpy soil might do the trick when soil is soft, but not too sticky. You could try dragging a log if the ground is softish, as an experiment, but Dan is almost certainly right about this option.
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Thanks both.
Mole hills and tussocks, nothing too lumpy really I suppose. The odd furrow where I've got the topper stuck and the tractor wheel has dug in. It is an established pasture.
Is it possible to hire harrows for a compact tractor? They seem quite pricey around here, even secondhand.
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running a roller over lumpy soil might do the trick when soil is soft, but not too sticky.
We have this problem in one of our fields. However, I've found that if the ground is soft enough for the roller to have any effect, I end up digging the Landy out and having to rescue the roller later. All suggestions welcome!!
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We have this problem in one of our fields. However, I've found that if the ground is soft enough for the roller to have any effect, I end up digging the Landy out and having to rescue the roller later. All suggestions welcome!!
Army-surplus tank !! ? :) :)