Technically, you can plow any time after the previous year’s harvest and before the spring planting period. However, leaving too much time between plowing and planting can lead to soil erosion. A good guide showing the approximate start of various growing seasons in the continental U. S. is available here.
If plowing by hand or using animal plowing, make sure the blades are straight and that whoever/whatever is pulling the plow is healthy and strong.
Before plowing, mow the field so any vegetation is low to the ground. Too much vegetation can clog mechanical plows and make the work harder for manual plowing methods.
For rectangular fields, plow back and forth in long rows, turning when you reach either end. This minimizes the number of times you will need to turn around. However, if you’re using animals on a field more than 150m long, plow in the direction of the short sides of the field, which gives the animals chance to rest. For non-rectangular fields, you can plow efficiently by following the contours of the field and working your way towards the center.
In most locations, the topsoil is about six inches to a foot thick (though this can vary).
For most crops, aim to break the soil into clumps smaller than the size of a dime.
Front-line tillers are typically easier to use and better for smaller gardening situations. They handle like a power lawnmower and can be used in tighter spaces than a rear-line tiller. Rear-line tillers are better for bigger plowing jobs. They’re bulkier and make wider turns, so use them away from plants and property you want to protect.
Some tillers have a safety switch that prevents starting. If you can’t get the tiller started, check for one of these.
Catch the animal and bridle it. Place the metal bit in its mouth and secure the leather straps on either side. Harness the collar around the animal’s neck. Connect the collar to the harness draped over the animal’s back. Fasten the harness to the collar. Attach the trace chains from the harries, through the loops in the back band and belly band, and to the plow’s singletree. Remember the belly band if you’re using a horse—without this, horses can be choked by the weight of the plow if the harness slips.
As noted above, for extra-long fields, it’s best to plow in the direction of the short sides to give your animal more breaks.
First, use the turning plow to make two furrows with about 12 inches of unplowed space in between. Next, plow about 4 inches inside the balk (the unplowed space). Do the same on the other side, leaving about 4 inches of unplowed space in the middle. When your whole field is tilled this way, switch to a Georgia stock plow with a 20-inch sweep. Plow right through the middle of the balk. When you’re finished, you’ll have neat, orderly trenches you can drop your seeds into.
There are normally levers for the two hydraulic arms. One lifts both arms up and down, and the other is for the plow draft, or side-to-side angle. Start by adjusting the plow draft until the plow is flat from one side to the other on the concrete (you can lay a carpenter’s level on it to check). If there isn’t a plow draft lever, there should at least be a manual crank on the one arm that you can turn to adjust the angle. Next, adjust the third upper arm so that the plow is level front to back. It may need further adjusting when you start plowing.
There is normally a depth stop on the up and down lever for the plow’s hydraulic arms. Set it so your plow stops at the proper depth each time you drop it. If the tractor starts pulling too hard, raise the plow up a little then let it back down while still moving forward. If the ground is wet and you start spinning your wheels, pull the plow up fast
Space out your furrows carefully because these will be the low, wet spots in the field. After you plow each row, there will be a rut at the one side of where you just plowed. When you turn around, your inside tractor’s tire should go into this rut. The next swipe should plow the dirt from the next row over into that rut, covering it up.
If you’re not dealing with a perfectly rectangular field, your end rows may not be perfectly 90 degrees. This is OK—just get the opposing edges of the field as straight as possible.
