Soggy Bottom
Well-known member
Wondering if its too late in the year to pull a renovator in the pastures to do any good this year? Should I wait until this coming spring to do this? Mainly just native grasses with some coastal mixed in.
Pasture Renovator
- Thread starter Soggy Bottom
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1982vett
Well-known member
Around here all you have to do is slice the top with a coulter in the spring when it's wet. Around June, July or August you will have a 2 inch crack going down several yards.
I'd say it a little late just cause of Texas weather.
I'd say it a little late just cause of Texas weather.
Rajela
Well-known member
It will pull a lot better in the dry soil than in the wet sticky stuff.
Its all about moisture. If you have the moisture you are good. If not, like said above, you will end up with big cracks that do more harm than good.
Generally around here its risky opening ground up this time of year. We start disking and renovating in Feb right in front of or at first sign of green up.
Generally around here its risky opening ground up this time of year. We start disking and renovating in Feb right in front of or at first sign of green up.
I have a Hay King Brand pasture renovator and use it annually. I have Houston Black Clay and where I run the coulter/shank combo the ground cracks open this time of the year and some of those cracks can get wide and deep...like I have found some over 6' by late in the year.
Part of my place is on the side of a 1/5 hill and I contour plow with it. The cracks capture the moisture and nutrients, including grass clippings (humus) that would otherwise run off. As far as cracks being a problem, yes they make for rough ZT mowing along with clump grass outshoots but as long as there is moisture in the soil, which you captured over the winter, you don't have much of anything, especially where you have a grass covering. What cracks out is mainly where there is sparse to no soil covering.
The other thing with the renovator is that it has become my primary crop preparation tool for annual crops like sudan-sorghum haygrazer. Deep (clay) penetration is accomplished followed by a 3 pt. rototiller and a spike toothed flexible harrow....3 passes and ready to plant. Perfect seed bed and good penetration for plant rooting. I used to use a rolling plow, disc harrow, and spike harrow but it took twice as many passes and results were far less desirable than what I get with this combo.
On being too late, depends on your aspirations. If preping for a winter or next year's crop, good time to go at it as the clay (for me) isn't rock hard yet like it will be later in the season.
Part of my place is on the side of a 1/5 hill and I contour plow with it. The cracks capture the moisture and nutrients, including grass clippings (humus) that would otherwise run off. As far as cracks being a problem, yes they make for rough ZT mowing along with clump grass outshoots but as long as there is moisture in the soil, which you captured over the winter, you don't have much of anything, especially where you have a grass covering. What cracks out is mainly where there is sparse to no soil covering.
The other thing with the renovator is that it has become my primary crop preparation tool for annual crops like sudan-sorghum haygrazer. Deep (clay) penetration is accomplished followed by a 3 pt. rototiller and a spike toothed flexible harrow....3 passes and ready to plant. Perfect seed bed and good penetration for plant rooting. I used to use a rolling plow, disc harrow, and spike harrow but it took twice as many passes and results were far less desirable than what I get with this combo.
On being too late, depends on your aspirations. If preping for a winter or next year's crop, good time to go at it as the clay (for me) isn't rock hard yet like it will be later in the season.
Soggy Bottom
Well-known member
Lots of good info. Thanks
