Ruts

[Poohbear]

I have lots of ruts & an area that looks like old watermelon mounds. About 4 of our 5 1/2 acres. Would I have an easier time leveling by light disking then getting a " chain harrow " and dragging or just ripping with box blade then just dragging. I've never tried to level this much and its not too bad now but when mowing just beats you up

 

[skeets]

Depends on what you have available to work with. A disk would work well enough to knock the mounds down with out a lot of issues, and the box blade will do it as well. If you can beg borrow or steal a landscape rack that might be a better way to go. Even a set of old steel bed springs chained up and dragged over the area. Any way you do it will help,,,myself I would follow the line and grade each row and not go across them, would be a lot easier on your back,,just MHO

 

[bambam31]

We had mounting issues in our deer plots from disking the same direction for 20 years. I leveled them all out by disking at about a 30 degree angle to rows/mounds. I also bought a heavy 8' post from Tractor Supply and pulled it behind my disk. It may take a few times depending on how high the mounts are but this method solved our problem. If I had t do that again, I would have used a rail road tie instead of the round post. Attach an eye to the post at each end and use enough chain or rope so the disk doesn't lift it up when going over a mound. Good luck

 

[Poohbear]

Thanks for the suggestions.
The old mounds will be no problem as I can use the flat blade & just reverse the way they were made. The big problem is the previous owner used a ZT mower to mow and left hundreds of little turn ruts . Probably ran at full throttle . In the fall I will just disk in several,directions then drag something.

 

[TripleR]

Yep, disc and drag. We've always pulled a spike tooth harrow drag, but for your purposes about anything should do.

 

[markbxr400]

I have a similar issue on about 15 acres of my 34. Mine has thick weeds and hay grass. I think it used to be farmed, so it has rows, but also a lot of holes. I have filled probably a couple hundred holes. Better, but I am still getting beat to death. When the vegetation goes dormant this fall I'm going to do something. I am already wore out mowing 3-4 full days every two weeks, as the grass is growing fast (we had 19.6" of rain in July, including 6" in one day, coupled with 90 degree heat).

I have a box blade, so am planning to try that first. If that doesn't help, would a disk harrow be the best thing (given the heavy vegetation), or is there something else I should try?

 

[bambam31]

I have a similar issue on about 15 acres of my 34. Mine has thick weeds and hay grass. I think it used to be farmed, so it has rows, but also a lot of holes. I have filled probably a couple hundred holes. Better, but I am still getting beat to death. When the vegetation goes dormant this fall I'm going to do something. I am already wore out mowing 3-4 full days every two weeks, as the grass is growing fast (we had 19.6" of rain in July, including 6" in one day, coupled with 90 degree heat).

I have a box blade, so am planning to try that first. If that doesn't help, would a disk harrow be the best thing (given the heavy vegetation), or is there something else I should try?

My box blade doesn't do to well when a lot of vegetation is present. The method I mentioned in my previous post was also used to correct damage caused by feral hogs. They will dig up a field overnight. I would just set your disk in the most aggressive position and let your drag do the work. Just remember to go slow enough so your post maintains contact with the ground and doesn't bounce.

 

[Poohbear]

My box blade doesn't do to well when a lot of vegetation is present. The method I mentioned in my previous post was also used to correct damage caused by feral hogs. They will dig up a field overnight. I would just set your disk in the most aggressive position and let your drag do the work. Just remember to go slow enough so your post maintains contact with the ground and doesn't bounce.

Hogs, sounds like a big spotlight and an AR in .300 Blackout time. We got em so bad now that our county has a hog tournament each year with 3 classes, gun, dogs, or traps. Hundreds are rounded up but it doesn't look like any caught in just a few months.

 

[bota2650]

I have a wild hog problem as well . . . I am thinking about using a single row disc and then some tires to smooth out. I have grass mixed in with the soil. Thanks for the suggestions on a solution. I want to smooth out things for mowing next spring.

 

[BigG]

I have a piece of I-beam that was once a spreader bar for a crane. You get 2 cutting edges for each trip. Disk or disc it up nicely first then tie the I-beam or railroad tie behind the disc to even it out.

http://www.dirtdogmfg.com/ATV-Equipment-v-86.html I asked about one of these awhile back but I guess no one has one. This brand looks like you buy the frame and you could use the box blade or york rake attachments. If the hogs continue to be a problem it might be worth looking at this as a dirt "leveler." For large areas it might be easier to just set it and forget it type of thing as opposed to the regular box blade which follows the up and down of the front axle to closely.

 

[Tx Jim]

I think a tandem disk & then a tire drag similar to photo should help make the ruts disappear.