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Transformed the soil with wood chips

Dennis Bangham

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Location: Huntsville Alabama (North Alabama), Zone 7B

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posted 1 year ago

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I am wanting to go the next phase in my little orchard and use rye to control weeds and provide nitrogen to the soil as well as carbon from the roots decaying.
After a couple of years of 12 inch deep wood chips the soil is becoming too soft for my little tractor (24 hp). Leave ruts whenever I go through the lower portion of the land.
Would a Honda Rancher 420cc be better at towing a crimper roller without sinking? I have not bought the crimper yet and am looking at maybe a 10 inch diameter and 5 foot length.
Anyone use these?

Other people may reject you but if you lie in the forest floor for long enough the moss and fungi will accept you as one of their own!

Douglas Alpenstock

master pollinator

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Location: Canadian Prairies - Zone 3b

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posted 1 year ago

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This is my gut response -- buy new hardware? Hell no!

Though if I had a garbage can of loose cash, I would grab a side-by with both hands. With a winch, and maybe a mini-bar. My neighbours have them. Honestly, great tools.

But what is the objective? Have you dug test holes in your chip piles? If they're squishy, I suspect you have succeeded.

Perhaps you're worried about compaction?

Eric Hanson

gardener

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Location: Southern Illinois

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posted 1 year ago

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Dennis,

I don’t suppose you could attach a picture could you? My initial thought would be to mow everything, weeds and all and just let the clippings sit on the surface and decompose. If that does not work, could you get out a trimmer and cut things down with the trimmer,

Eric

Some places need to be wild

Anne Miller

steward

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Location: USDA Zone 8a

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posted 1 year ago

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If you are talking about something like an ATV, yes!

We use our golf cart and or mule when we plant seed to make sure their is good ground contact so to me it sounds like a Honda Rancher would do what you want it to.

Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner

Dennis Bangham

pollinator

Posts: 926

Location: Huntsville Alabama (North Alabama), Zone 7B

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posted 1 year ago

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Douglas Alpenstock wrote:This is my gut response -- buy new hardware? Hell no!
Though if I had a garbage can of loose cash, I would grab a side-by with both hands. With a winch, and maybe a mini-bar. My neighbours have them. Honestly, great tools.
But what is the objective? Have you dug test holes in your chip piles? If they're squishy, I suspect you have succeeded.
Perhaps you're worried about compaction?

I have around 170 trees on about 3/4 acre on a slope and on a small foot hill. The lowest part of the land has water closer to the surface so it stays moist but not flooded.
A side by side would be a little big for my needs. Over the next few years I will grow yarrow and false blue indigo around the trees.
I want to use regenerative ag methods like growing rye and crimping to control weeds and fertilize.
I am hoping that if I only do this once a year that compaction will not be a problem.
I notice when I walk across the chips I leave foot prints about an inch or two so it is well degraded underneath the dried crusty layer on top.
This is for my retirement so a budget for an ATV is not out of the question. I will likely have few miles on it when I leave it to my daughter and son.

Other people may reject you but if you lie in the forest floor for long enough the moss and fungi will accept you as one of their own!

Dennis Bangham

pollinator

Posts: 926

Location: Huntsville Alabama (North Alabama), Zone 7B

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posted 1 year ago

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Eric Hanson wrote:Dennis,
I don’t suppose you could attach a picture could you? My initial thought would be to mow everything, weeds and all and just let the clippings sit on the surface and decompose. If that does not work, could you get out a trimmer and cut things down with the trimmer,
Eric

After heart surgery and a lung disease, I need to use mechanical means as much as possible, while still getting some exercise. A weed eater works now but each year it gets worse. I have temporary irrigation lines on the surface that I will remove when the trees are bigger. This is just for the small trees and during drought.
I went in a hand pulled weeds on one alley but in this heat I do not last long. I did not remove all the rocks when I laid the chips down. Should have done that.

Other people may reject you but if you lie in the forest floor for long enough the moss and fungi will accept you as one of their own!

Eric Hanson

gardener

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Location: Southern Illinois

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posted 1 year ago

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Given your circumstances, the ATV might be the way to go.

Some places need to be wild

Dennis Bangham

pollinator

Posts: 926

Location: Huntsville Alabama (North Alabama), Zone 7B

152

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posted 1 year ago

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Eric Hanson wrote:Given your circumstances, the ATV might be the way to go.

I am still working and will retire in 2.5 years. (who is counting?).
I have worked with an accountant who has experience in farms and will use this to reduce taxes but only after I start selling fruit. I can go back several years to recoup my investments.
I hope to get a deduction over several years. For this and a tractor, ATV and crimper.
They require two years of profit over 5 years so I will not have much in expenditures in the next few years.

Other people may reject you but if you lie in the forest floor for long enough the moss and fungi will accept you as one of their own!

Dennis Bangham

pollinator

Posts: 926

Location: Huntsville Alabama (North Alabama), Zone 7B

152

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posted 1 year ago

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Found a short term solution in Home Depot rents a brush mower. I have ordered a roller crimper The crimper can be used in the fall when we have a normal drought. The soil hopefully will be firm enough for the tractor and crimper. I do not know if the use of Rye as a cover crop to control weeds will make the soil even more soft. Not sure but maybe it will firm up the soil and reduce the constant dampness.
I found DR has a battery powered walk behind string trimmer with self propel. The reviews are that it is not strong enough so maybe in a couple of years others will come up with a better model. Keeping my options open. Need something to get into tight places that the Crimper cannot go.

Other people may reject you but if you lie in the forest floor for long enough the moss and fungi will accept you as one of their own!

John F Dean

master steward

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Location: southern Illinois, USA

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posted 1 year ago

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I have a self propelled Dr walk behind brush cutter with a gas engine and blade. After a couple of hiccups when I first bought it, it works great. It destroys anything 2 inches in diameter or less. It could probably handle heavier stuff. It is an electric start, so there is no tugging on a rope. Turning is handled by the break on each wheel. …so that isn’t much effort either.

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