To plough - or not to plough!

[owl sees all]

We plan to plant a few thousand eucalyptus trees this season. As soon as decent rain arrives in fact. 

 

The land was last ploughed 12 months ago for last year's rice season. The yield was extremely poor due to a shortage of rain and this tipped me in the direction of euca trees.

 

The wife wants to plough the land again; for the trees. The tractor cost will be in the region of 15,000 Baht. On the other hand, I, want to wait untill; there is decent rainfall, the ground soft, and dig holes, each the size of a big mug, and plant as we go.

 

Bearing in mind that the eucas will be planted two metres apart. is plouhing desirable, necessary or just a waste of money?

 

Wife wants a three disk one way than and six disc t'other. Planting costs will be the same with either method.

 

 

[kickstart]

A wast of money ,as you said wait for the rains ,what you could do is find a subsoiler  ,ask a cane farmer ,and just use that to make rows where you are going to plant ,it would make planting a lot easier to .

But ,if you have any weeds in the field ploughing would get rid of them ,but then a run over with a 6 disc plough would do the job ,or maybe a rotavater,no need for the 3 disc plough . 

[owl sees all]

35 minutes ago, kickstart said:

A wast of money ,as you said wait for the rains ,what you could do is find a subsoiler  ,ask a cane farmer ,and just use that to make rows where you are going to plant ,it would make planting a lot easier to .

But ,if you have any weeds in the field ploughing would get rid of them ,but then a run over with a 6 disc plough would do the job ,or maybe a rotavater,no need for the 3 disc plough . 

It's not just the money (15k) but I do not see the need!? The trees are going to be planted, rows and across. at two metres apart.

 

Even if we 6 disc ploughed, the grass would return soon enough. Is there a machine that digs a hole at a set distance along a straight line? I've seen Thais dig these shallow holes. Two swings of the hoe; job done. About 8/10 seconds a hole.

 

I've suggested to the Mrs that we use the saved money to hire a local for the rest of the wet season, to maintain the area. There are certain things that the Thais are dead set on, and don't want to change.

 

Thanks for input Kickstart.

Edited April 29, 2020 by owl sees all

[kickstart]

You can get post hole borers ,an auger that fits on to the back of a small tractor  that makes holes ,you might find one locale for hire ,but as you said 2 swings of a hoe job done .probably quicker than the tractor.

For maintenance ,get a guy in when you need him ,weeds will be a problem to start with,a rucksack sprayer and some Roundup should sort the weeds out. 

If you do not like using any chemicals ,plant the trees on a grid  system and use a  small tractor with some hoe tines on to go up and down the field ,then across the field ,that should get rid of most of the weeds .

 

[AndyAndyAndy]

It's a waste of money.  

It seems like you see it same way. Just your wife doesn't? It's a Thai way of doing it. Your wife won't be impressed at all if you try to think first, instead of following what all other Somchais in the village are doing. Also these kind of things are discussed months ahead without asking you first. If she already mentioned to her mom, that you gonna plow, you are either plowing or you're getting a divorce. ????

[fourpack]

Just to ask the size of your land before I comment on the 15k price.

We have just returned 6 acres of sugar land back to Rice Paddies. Which entailed the normal paddy wall building for each paddy total Paddy's 25 cost of Tractor and man 7k

[owl sees all]

7 minutes ago, fourpack said:

Just to ask the size of your land before I comment on the 15k price.

We have just returned 6 acres of sugar land back to Rice Paddies. Which entailed the normal paddy wall building for each paddy total Paddy's 25 cost of Tractor and man 7k

Thirty rai in total. Twenty six and four. Just separated by a dirt road.

[kickstart]

4 hours ago, fourpack said:

Just to ask the size of your land before I comment on the 15k price.

We have just returned 6 acres of sugar land back to Rice Paddies. Which entailed the normal paddy wall building for each paddy total Paddy's 25 cost of Tractor and man 7k

You can not compare ploughing prices with what you had done ,ploughing with a 3 disc plough is about 350-400 baht/rie ,a 7 disc 270-300 baht/rie.

For what you had done, the tractor would  use his dozer blade ,around here that is about 500 baht/hour.  

[owl sees all]

49 minutes ago, kickstart said:

You can not compare ploughing prices with what you had done ,ploughing with a 3 disc plough is about 350-400 baht/rie ,a 7 disc 270-300 baht/rie.

For what you had done, the tractor would  use his dozer blade ,around here that is about 500 baht/hour.  

Mrs Owl was quoted 15k Baht a while back. That's one way with a three disc and at 90 degrees with the six disc. Thirty rai works out at 500 Baht a rai. Very easy ploughing. All straight lines and pretty flat.

 

 

Only a little obstacle in the smaller area, is a mound where a tree once was.

 

 

 

[fourpack]

19 hours ago, kickstart said:

You can not compare ploughing prices with what you had done ,ploughing with a 3 disc plough is about 350-400 baht/rie ,a 7 disc 270-300 baht/rie.

For what you had done, the tractor would  use his dozer blade ,around here that is about 500 baht/hour.  

Well no not quite as the land was turned after Paddy's where formed with a 3 disc

[farmerjo]

Everybody has a different approach.

A typical tree planter back in Aus would have 2 grader blades in a Vee at the front for scalping the weeds with a deep ripper followed by 2 press wheels to close over the roots.

I would be inclined to use a tractor with blade and deep ripper on the back then plant by hand afterwards.

We did some Limes trees this way with success.

 

[kickstart]

4 hours ago, farmerjo said:

Everybody has a different approach.

A typical tree planter back in Aus would have 2 grader blades in a Vee at the front for scalping the weeds with a deep ripper followed by 2 press wheels to close over the roots.

I would be inclined to use a tractor with blade and deep ripper on the back then plant by hand afterwards.

We did some Limes trees this way with success.

 

I would agree about the deep ripper ,but the problem would be finding one ,also the deep ripper would help with drainage ,I would have thought plant the young trees in the rainy season if it is a wet year the saplings would be sat in water and die ?, land being rice fields .

If that photo is of land ploughed one year ago ,they is not a lot of weeds ,( our land not ploughed for a year would be 3 foot high in weeds ),so weeds should not be a problem ,unless it is like a lot of Issan land very low in organic matter and nutrients not  a lot grows ,what I know about eucalyptus tree's, they will require a lot of feeding to get them to grow. 

[owl sees all]

1 hour ago, kickstart said:

I would agree about the deep ripper ,but the problem would be finding one ,also the deep ripper would help with drainage ,I would have thought plant the young trees in the rainy season if it is a wet year the saplings would be sat in water and die ?, land being rice fields .

If that photo is of land ploughed one year ago ,they is not a lot of weeds ,( our land not ploughed for a year would be 3 foot high in weeds ),so weeds should not be a problem ,unless it is like a lot of Issan land very low in organic matter and nutrients not  a lot grows ,what I know about eucalyptus tree's, they will require a lot of feeding to get them to grow. 

Thanks for the input kickstart.

 

I have a problem in ploughing up 30 rai of land for planting trees.  When the rains arrive, I want to employ a couple of guys and do the holes by hoe. Following them would be four ladies planting. A couple of guys distributing the eucas, and I'd be up front setting out, with a mate.

 

At the present time there are a lot of cows munching away.

 

I'm getting mixed messages about the early stages of planting. Some say that water is a must; early on. Others suggest that eucas are very tough and will thrive no-matter.

 

I have already planted 100 last month, and each plant gets a liter of water every three days. They are doing well and have grown 50-100mm each.

[Grumpy John]

I cannot figure out why you want eucalyptus trees???  If you have a contract with SCG Packaging/The Siam Forestry Co that is one thing but to grow to sell on the market for 400 baht/ton is hardly worth the effort after you pay preparation and harvesting cost and transport costs.   And in the 7 or 8 years you have the land tied up with trees you cannot plant anything else!

[owl sees all]

1 hour ago, Grumpy John said:

I cannot figure out why you want eucalyptus trees???  If you have a contract with SCG Packaging/The Siam Forestry Co that is one thing but to grow to sell on the market for 400 baht/ton is hardly worth the effort after you pay preparation and harvesting cost and transport costs.   And in the 7 or 8 years you have the land tied up with trees you cannot plant anything else!

The price is pretty good at the present time. A well managed farm can give a decent income.

 

However, what you say about selling is correct Hope there is a market in a few years rime.

[seajae]

planted thousands of frangipani trees in Australia, just used a ripper(single blade) to rip straight lines then just planted the trees at the required distance, definitely wait till the soil is soft enough to do it though so you get a better/deeper rip. Ploughing for trees is over kill and will give the weeds a better chance to grow as well in the loose soil, straight line rips make it easy to plant and will save money.

[kickstart]

Guy near me has this for sale ,a home made job, but would do you well, you could  use this, no need to 3 disc or 7 disc, tines can be adjusted, the planting lads should be able to follow one of the rows and plant  the saplings.

I would say somewhere near you is something like this for  sale/hire.