Re: Hard Pan
This is typical of areas that have been plowed a long
time. The plow cuts at the same depth every year and
compacts the soil at the hard pan level.
They make a ripper plow that breaks up the hardpan,
someone in your area is likely to have one. Around our
area, they usually have a cat with a ripper blade to break
it up.
Either one would be better than trying to do it with a
backhoe. You'd have to dig through the topsoil to get to
the pan, where the others just break up the pan without
moving the topsoil. I'd have your whole garden done, since
they'll probably charge by the hour, and have a minimum
such as two or four hours. Have them rip the pan both ways,
ie; north/south, east/west, to really break it good.
Hard pan is bad, it prevents your plants from accessing
the soil below, blocking it from deep water and trace
minerals in the subsoil. It also stops good drainage, which
can cause root rot and other problems.
--- BChris1335@aol.com wrote:
> I tried to dig my 3x3x3 hole to place compost in for
> my planting site
> yesterday and I found a layer of hard pan about 10 inches
> below the soil
> surface. This stuff is as hard as rock. I can't break it
> up with a shovel or
> a large digging fork. It seems to be under most of my
> garden area. I've fond
> it in other areas of the yard when I've planted trees and
> shrubs. I can
> eventually get a hole big enough to plant a tree but that
> is not 3000 square
> feet for AG's. I've thought about renting a backhoe and
> digging the whole
> thing down 2 feet, a post hole digger would probably have
> a similar effect.
> Does any one have any suggestions? Do I really need to do
> anything? (although
> I suspect this may have been a limiting factor in the
> past).
>
> Brian Christensen
> Rexburg, Idaho
> personal best 487lbs, 2000
>
>
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Matt Moore
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