Land preparation

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plowing patterns

 

 

 

 

 

 

Understand the plowing patterns.

 

 

 

What are the usual plowing patterns?

 

An optimal tillage pattern reduces the time spent in non-productive work. One of the most important objectives of a tillage pattern is to minimize the number of turns and maximize the length of the tillage runs. There are several patterns that can be used when tilling a field. These are:

A. circuitous pattern

B. headland pattern

 

 

 

A. Circuitous pattern

Circuitous pattern

Plowing begins at the edge of the field and works toward the center of the field always throwing the soil towards the outside of the field. It is the most commonly used system for ploughing in Asia. It is commonly used with moldboards, discs and offset discs.

 

 

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B. Headland pattern

 

There are 3 different headland patterns:

1. One way pattern

2. Gathering

3. Casting

 

One way pattern

1. One way pattern

The field is ploughed in runs parallel to each other. It starts at one boundary of the field and ends at the opposite with turns being made on the headlands.

This system is used for bigger pieces of land and can only be used for tined implements, rotovators, harrows and reversible ploughs. It is usually the most field efficient system and if equipment is correctly set up and operated should not leave furrows in the field.

3 headland patterns:

 

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2. Gathering pattern

This system requires ploughing to begin in the center of the field and works out to the edges. It requires some measurement of the field to establish the center point and if done correctly leaves a level field with drainage channels on the edges. Furrow slices are turned to the center of the field. This system can be used with all types of ploughs.

Gathering pattern

3. Casting pattern

This system is similar to the gathering pattern but requires ploughing to begin at the edges. Furrow slices are turned to the edges of the field. This system can also be used with all types of ploughs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next lesson

 

In the next lesson we will discuss the importance of land levelling, and show how it can be done.