How to Use a Pull-Type Plow
The plow was a mainstay of farming, starting with the Agricultural Revolution about 10,000 years ago. The primary implement for preparing a field for sowing, the first pull-type plow was pulled by draught animals. During the Industrial Revolution of the late 1800s, tractors replaced oxen, horses and mules as the plow's power source. A major breakthrough in plow design was the moldboard plow; most moldboard pull-type plows are mounted on a three-wheeled frame. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Tractor
- Pull-type plow
- Hitch pin
- Cotter pin
- Grease gun
- Grease
- Tire air-pressure gauge
- Stakes or fiberglass poles
Instructions
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Use a two- or three-bottom pull-type moldboard plow for breaking sod, tilling heavy soil or in a field or garden with a heavy weed population. Check the plow's tire air pressure and grease all the zerks. Hook up the plow to the tractor's drawbar, using a cotter key to keep the pin from vibrating out. Connect the hydraulics or the control rope if the plow manually raises and lowers. Adjust the levers up or down to set the depth of your plowshares.
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Start out in first or second gear. Use low range for deep plowing or working moist soils. Plow the first furrow in a straight line down the center of the field. Pound in some stakes or use fiberglass poles with a little orange flag as markers, or sight off a tree to keep your furrows straight. Allow room for the end rows at each end of the field; don't drop your plow at the very edge of the field as you begin your furrow.
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Make your second pass right next to the first, creating an overlapping back furrow with a dead furrow on either side. Overlap the furrows so they are level, without creating a hill at the center. Step on the right or left brake to lock up the tractor's wheel to make the sharp turns for your first furrows. Put your tractor's wheel in the dead furrow so you can use it as a guide for straight, even furrows.
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Keep your plowed furrows parallel to the edge of the field. Work outward from the center of the field, ensuring there's just the right amount of furrow overlap. Avoid ridges or open spots of unplowed ground. Ensure the moldboard blade and the plowshare cutting edge remain scoured clean. Remove any grease spots or sticky mud from the moldboards. Observe the plow to ensure clean blades, especially when plowing clay or moist heavy soil.
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Keep the plow's rear wheel in the dead furrow. Slow down and put the tractor in a lower gear or range when plowing moist low ground. Use a higher gear for tilling dry sandy soils. Watch the plow as you work and clear any weeds, tree saplings or dirt clods that may build up under or between the plow blades. Plow the end rows in furrows going in the opposite direction of the main field's.
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Tips & Warnings
Tighten the plow's nuts and bolts before going into the field.
Don't plow when the ground is too wet, or you'll get stuck.
References
- Photo Credit Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images
