Breaking HARD ground

Curtis B · #1 04/14/11, 02:29 PM

I have an area I am wanting to plant berries in this spring, but the ground is overly hard. My rototiller won't even scratch the ground. I tried pigs a few months ago, but they didn't even want to till it to get to the grass roots(what little there was). Wetting didn't help either. I need to add compost, manure, and all the other soil building goodies before I plant. What would the best way to get it going, it is about 20 x 30, and I do have a tractor, but I was hoping to not have to invest in a tiller for it this year.

ronbre · #2 04/14/11, 02:48 PM

stand on a potato fork and sway forward and back..

davel745 · #3 04/14/11, 02:53 PM

Get a subsoiler. a few hundred bucks for a good one.

Dave

**Terri** · #4 04/14/11, 03:02 PM

I see that you are also in Kansas.

Are you going to get rained on tonight? A long slow rain allows the water to soak into the soil and soften it: you might try again on the first day after the rain.

All to often water will run off of clay soil, but several hourrs of rain will end up with some water getting into it.

kirkmcquest · #5 04/14/11, 03:24 PM

Must be some hard clay or silt. I agree with getting a subsoiler...you can order them for 200 or less.

Bearfootfarm · #6 04/14/11, 03:26 PM

There are several ways of doing it, depending on what implements you have and how big your tractor is.

If you have a bottom plow to turn it over,, that would be a good start, followed by a disk to break up the clods and help level it.

If you use a subsoiler, you'll still need to at least disk it.

Several passes with a disk will do if you don't have a bottom plow, or your tractor won't pull one

If all you have is a disk, and there is vegetation there, it's best to either spray it to kill the grass, or mow it as LOW as possible before disking.

If you don't already own any implements, the disk would be the most versatile
Get one a little wider than the outside of your tire tracks

Curtis B · #7 04/14/11, 04:08 PM

I have a 35hp tractor, but none of the impliments mentioned. I had thought about a subsoiler, or a plow. I am 98% pasture, so would the subsoiler be the best as far as being used more than just this one time? It is sounding pricy having to buy so many impliments. Yes, Terri, I am here in KS and am hoping for some of the rain we are supposed to get. I need to check and see what I could borrow from folk I know, but most of the folks I know just use their tractors for mowing, moving hay, and driveway maint.

Harry Chickpea · #8 04/14/11, 04:22 PM

For that small an area, it might be simpler, cheaper and faster to buy a load or two of good topsoil and lay it on top. Yeah, supposedly loosening the subsoil will eliminate panning of water and aerate it, but IME it just goes back to hardpan anyway given a little time.

Old Vet · #9 04/14/11, 04:54 PM

You can rent most implements. That is the way I would do it.

Yvonne's hubby · #10 04/14/11, 05:04 PM

this sounds like a job for a hammerdrill.... just bore one inch holes every couple of feet about 12 inches deep. fill each hole with about 80 grains of black powder, insert a cap in each hole, connect all yer wires together in a parallel circuit, tamp in yer holes with dirt, stand way back and flash yer wires to a car battery. Did I mention.... stand wayyyyy back. your garden will be all nice and loosened up in less than a tenth of a second.

ksfarmer · #11 04/14/11, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yvonne's hubby

this sounds like a job for a hammerdrill.... just bore one inch holes every couple of feet about 12 inches deep. fill each hole with about 80 grains of black powder, insert a cap in each hole, connect all yer wires together in a parallel circuit, tamp in yer holes with dirt, stand way back and flash yer wires to a car battery. Did I mention.... stand wayyyyy back. your garden will be all nice and loosened up in less than a tenth of a second.

I love this idea

Many is the time I was plowing some hard Kansas gumbo clay and wanted to try this idea.

Curtis B · #12 04/14/11, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yvonne's hubby

this sounds like a job for a hammerdrill.... just bore one inch holes every couple of feet about 12 inches deep. fill each hole with about 80 grains of black powder, insert a cap in each hole, connect all yer wires together in a parallel circuit, tamp in yer holes with dirt, stand way back and flash yer wires to a car battery. Did I mention.... stand wayyyyy back. your garden will be all nice and loosened up in less than a tenth of a second.

Dad and I started to do this when digging his tornado shelter. We had the black powder out and and were drilling holes when Mom caught caught us. Needless to say we had to stop and he got in big trouble.

Yvonne's hubby · #13 04/14/11, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curtis B

Dad and I started to do this when digging his tornado shelter. We had the black powder out and and were drilling holes when Mom caught caught us. Needless to say we had to stop and he got in big trouble.

There are some things moms just dont need to know. LOL

newfieannie · #14 04/14/11, 05:32 PM

i'm turning half of my front yard into a garden. it's about the same size as yours.and hard as rock. it never did look any good as a lawn. bit by bit after a good rain i'm turning it with a pick and shovel. this is what i did to make my perennial bed on the other side. ~Georgia.

Bearfootfarm · #15 04/14/11, 05:57 PM

If you only buy one implement, buy a disk

A subsoiler really doesn't do much good by itself for making a seed bed

It's not hard to find good deals on used equipment, and a good one will last MANY years

davel745 · #16 04/14/11, 06:01 PM

If you hold your wrist with your off hand you stand the chance of breaking your wrist. A 357 is marginal and may do damage by using it this way

Dave

Bearfootfarm · #17 04/14/11, 06:27 PM

Quote:

If you hold your wrist with your off hand you stand the chance of breaking your wrist. A 357 is marginal and may do damage by using it this way

I think your aim is a little off

Maura · #18 04/14/11, 06:56 PM

We have hardpan. Try lasagna layering. Put down newspaper over the entire garden area, wet down (rain works fine, might need to add extra with the hose if it's light). Cover the newspaper with whatever you've got, shredded paper, bark, compost, leaves. If you have topsoil, put that down. Make it deep enough to put your bushes in. Plant, then keep adding compost and topsoil as you get it because the compost and such will shrink down. The soil will start to loosen up like, in part because insects will be able to move in, and the roots from the bushes will break through the hard soil. There are plants that are used specifically to break up hard soil, your county extension office probably can help you there, but I think once the bushes take off they will force their way down.