Sub-soiling depth

I recently (Saturday) picked up a No. 4 Sub-soiler from a forum member. The weather is supposed to be pretty good Thursday and Friday and I have off work, so I thought I might try this thing out. My question is, how deep do you run one of these things? I believe the book says it will go 18" deep. Going to just work on high traffic areas leading into the fields. Also it came with the mole attached. Leave it or remove it? 

Here's tip # 1: Wait until it's hard and dry in the middle of the summer, That will allow the ground to shatter sideways and open up more passageways for water to travel. If you rush and try it wet you'll only cut trenches that will fill right back in. 

OK, I was going to make a smartazz comment about the attached mole but well I'm needing some edumushcation... what's a 'mole' ?

Also would it be better to go once semi deep them again full depth ?

Paul has the right ideas. You do want it pretty dry. I see a lot of guys here running subsoilers in wet ground. I always what's the point then...

Edited by Allis dave - 21 Nov 2017 at 4:19pm

As I recall, I was able to easily run my #4 subsoiler at 18”+ with my D14. Even with the automatic Power Director release linkage, I tried to stay in low gear, although second gear low range was no problem. High range is a no-no with the release linkage, as it might cause some pain if the PD lever hits your knee. Super dry soil is the best.

I bought a cheap 3 point one. I ran it 27" deep with my Series 4 D-17, 1st gear - low side. Dried up a couple of wet spots that showed up a few years ago. I had some terraces that didn't drain right. I set it down in the bottom of the terrace, didn't do as much good as cleaning out the silted in part of the terrace but did cause it to drain better.

Here, the the reason for using a subsoiler is to break up the hardpan under the topsoil to allow water to penetrate the subsoil. If the topsoil is dry enough to get traction let it rip. I'm sure there are some areas of the country that the topsoil is tight but that is why we plow.usually the hardpan is just under the topsoil so depth needed may vary. Somewhere between 8 to 16 inches here. Scott

allisrutledge wrote: Here, the the reason for using a subsoiler is to break up the hardpan under the topsoil to allow water to penetrate the subsoil. If the topsoil is dry enough to get traction let it rip. I'm sure there are some areas of the country that the topsoil is tight but that is why we plow.usually the hardpan is just under the topsoil so depth needed may vary. Somewhere between 8 to 16 inches here. Scott

Thats the reason to use a subsoiler in my area to crack the hardpan doesn't much matter
what happens to the topsoil.In some places on my place there is a shale subsoil and running a subsoiler will dramatically increase water retention.

In next year's corn field I am subsoiling with tillage radishes. Sprayed glyphosomate in late August and drilled at 10 lb/acre. Going to put on phosphate ,potash and sulphur in December for the corn and only n in the spring and at 16 -20 inch corn. Some of them are 16-18 inches deep and still growing. I guess some hit a rock and had to make a turn but all looks good. I also drilled in late pasture but due to the dry fall they didn't fair as well. I will try again next year in hay/ pasture fields for early winter grazing. So far I like this way and I'm using a lot less fuel! Will know next fall. This is my first attempt at sod planting corn.Scott

allisrutledge wrote: In next year's corn field I am subsoiling with tillage radishes. Sprayed glyphosomate in late August and drilled at 10 lb/acre. Going to put on phosphate ,potash and sulphur in December for the corn and only n in the spring and at 16 -20 inch corn. Some of them are 16-18 inches deep and still growing. I guess some hit a rock and had to make a turn but all looks good. I also drilled in late pasture but due to the dry fall they didn't fair as well. I will try again next year in hay/ pasture fields for early winter grazing. So far I like this way and I'm using a lot less fuel! Will know next fall. This is my first attempt at sod planting corn.Scott

Will be patiently waiting for pictures.

I bought a 3 point hitch at an auction for $10.00 last summer and  tried it on a piece of ground that has a strip through the midldle that is wet all the time. Put it on a AC 5015 with turf tires , Hey that's what I had there, and found out real fast I had to back across the field to the surface outlet. This thing was built for a tractor with 38" wheels. Took off up through the middle a few hundred feet until the turfs started to spin. Maybe 8" - 10" deep.
Driilled a couple holes in it and used existing bolt holes and have it at 12 " or so depth.
Have been by there once since and see a great improvement in draiinage. Ready to go back when dry enough with a lug tire 5015 and loader to back myself out if I get stuck and go at it.
Thinking I would like a potato plow shovel to open it up for more water capacity, rototill and sew grass seed for a home made waterway.

NICKMI wrote: Hello I just picked one up last weekend it is a pin hitch one and i was wondering if you can convert these to pin hitch ones to snap coupler thanks

all you have to do is get a snap coupler drawbar and put it in,
d series is easiest drawbar to use as its a 1 piece wd or 45 drawbar will work but have to split it to make it fit in the subsoiler