Discing/plowing a bouldery field

[bigtrees]

This isn't specifically forestry, but dirt work related, and hopefully some of you fine folks will have some experience that you can share with me.

For my tree planting project, the state recommends plowing/discing the dirt before planting seedlings because it greatly improves growth rate and lessens mortality. I assume this is due to breaking up the sod layer and reducing competition for water.

The property we have is boulder. A picture is attached of one such boulder. Obviously it's not moving anywhere at the moment. But as one walks along, you can see the tops of boulders poking their head out of the soil in many places. Some are probably large (like iceburgs) and some smaller ones. In the neighborhood, it seems everyone has a few piles of boulders in their yard from their various projects.

I am wondering - can I disc an open field where the soil has boulders in it? I am not familiar with dirt work to know whether the presence of boulders makes it difficult or prone to damage equipment when trying to disc. If discing boulder soil is not practical, is there an alternative for turning the soil to improve the viability of planting seedlings?

 

And for reference, the area that I am looking at planting seedlings looks like this

 

[47sawdust]

Looks like rough goin'.I'd be reluctant to put a plow to it.Buy a used disc and give it a try.Out West many a tree was planted using a hoedad.If you don't know what that is you might not want to know.

[Southside]

You won't be able to drop a mold board plow in there, but an "off-set" disc will do exactly what you need to do. 

[Wudman]

Are you planting bare root seedlings?  If you are considering tillage, you also need to be aware of the need for grass control (especially turf forming grasses).  A seedling has a tough time in matted grass......especially in dry weather.  If you have shallow soils and major issues with rock, an option to discing is a rock ripper.  We have done quite a bit through the years on rocky shallow soils.  If you go this route, stay on contour to minimize erosion potential.  Allow your rip furrows to heal before planting.  With your trees in a straight line, you can apply your weed control agent via backpack sprayer in a band over your planting row.  The area between rows can remain undisturbed to prevent erosion. 

Wudman

[gspren]

Unless you're doing a lot of acres I'd want to try it with a more narrow disk where you can dodge some of the boulders.

[bags]

A lot of what your ask'in depends on your location. Here in Colorado--- the time and fuel it takes for a fella to go out and beat up some equipment in the rocks--- ya can hand plant 2-300 seedlings. Ya don't need to disc, where ya arent plant'in--- all that does is give the weeds an area to take root.

[SawyerTed]

Ditch the discing and the hoedad.  You need two dibbles (the kind on a long handle not what old tobacco farmers call a hand peg) and three people.

One person steps off the distance between trees and makes a hole in the ground with a dibble.  The second person follows and drops tree seedlings.  The third person uses a dibble to make a hole beside the seedling to close the ground around the seedling roots.  

We planted 10 acres like that about 40 years ago.  Then another 10 30 years ago. The three of us switched jobs every so often.  If we hit big rock we skipped to the next tree location.  Once you get a rhythm, you can cover a lot of ground quickly.  Soft ground/recent rain helps.

[Don_Papenburg]

What sawyer ted said !  A disk in rocks /boulders will make a lot of little metal scoops and half moon blades . oh and loud noise .  I made a dibble out of a jackhammer spade pipe and steal rod for foot pegs I can plant 10-20 trees an hour without breaking my back . I do all the planting myself. Use a weed killing compound where you will plant the trees .  make a row about 12" wide leaving the required spacing between the rows green to ward off erosion .  Digging up soil by disking and plowing lets the weed seeds know it is time to grow . Their job is to hold the bare soil in place preventing erosion.  If you leave dead vegetation on top of the ground it shades the ground and give your trees a chance to take hold and grow before the dead veg. breaks up. Use a small amt. of low salt fertilizer at each tree to give it a boost .