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Leveling dry soil just prior to seeding

P

picassomcp

Member
I am wanting to level some dry worked
ground prior to seeding with the grain
drill. I worked the field with the field
cultivator that has a poor harrow on the
back. There are still some ridges and
gouges, along with some dirt clumps that I
could like to work flat just in front of
the grain drill. I am thinking of placing
a piece of metal such as square tubing or
round pipe to drag on the ground between
the tractor and grain drill. Could easily
be installed with just some chains hanging
from the drills hitch frame. Do you think
this could work to level loose dirt? How
heavy of a piece of iron would you suggest?
Would something with a squared edge work
better or something round such as pipe?

Thanks for any ideas or experiences that
you could share.
 
Probably would level off better if you worked it with a drag prior to seeding if you have access to one
 
I did that on a six row corn planter with decent results. I used a 4 heavy wall pipe and hung it from the planter frame with short chains. The pipe raised off the ground when the planter was raised which probably will not happen with your drill but it wont hurt anything if the pipe drags while you turn on the ends of the field.
 
We plow, disc, drag, and use a cultimucher. I dont know how your ground is, but it works for us. Around here you would never get away with what you mentioned.
 
After thinking about this a bit more, I wonder if I took a plate of metal, say 6 wide x the width of the drill and hung it from the hitch, not fully on the ground but with it just kinda dragging along like a big heavy mudflap dragging on the ground, if that would knock down some high spots and whack a few clumps apart as it went over them? Still thinking here, I appreciate your ideas!
 
I would run a drag or spring tooth harrow then a rolling basket diagonally both ways across the field before seeding. Not sure what you're seeding in the field but if it's grass and you don't get the humps out now before seeding the humps will always be there in years to come.
 
Why are you wanting it so smooth? Is this going to be a forever hay field? Harrow it after you seed to cover any seed left on top.
 
You didn't say what equipment you have available to use. Sounds to me like you would be better off to harrow it before drilling. I think you will be greatly disappointed with what you are asking about doing.
 
A spike tooth harrow should do the job well. Go over it once before seeding to smooth out the seedbed and a second time after seeding very shallow setting to cover the seed without digging it out.
 
I drag a piece of 4 inch schedule 80 pipe behind my cultivator and it does a really nice job just make it abort 4 inches wider on each side so it wont leave a ridge
 
I have the big pipe and a roller
cvphoto87875.jpg
 
Laping 3 planks so the leading edge is ontop of the one in front then pulling worked pretty well behind the plow decades ago for us. Would think that would work on a planter or drill. We used to pull a spike tooth behind the drill to help cover better and it leveled well. It would also roll every stone to the top for picking up.
 


Various drags are used behind the cultivator or finishing disc for final smoothing before seeding. I have used the top end of a telephone pole. I see no difference between it being behind the cultivator and in front of the drill.
 
J&M Torsion Flex Soil Conditioners are designed to do exactly what you are looking for. I bought one about 10 years ago and it really works well in dry soil conditions. Not so well in wet. Levels and finishes the field in one pass. Takes very little power because it just rolls along.

Sorry, I can't post a picture from here in Central Siberia but you can easily get the picture on the J&M website under products.
 
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