Subsoilers For Sale in Ireland

It is used to break up soil at depths that are below the operational range of other implements such as cultivators, ploughs or harrows. The subsoiler can reach depths of up to two feet, breaking up hardpan layers and improving soil structure and drainage. The subsoiler will have a positive effect on crop growth on land where there are problems with soil compaction. It can loosen soil far deeper than other tillage implements and can break up hardpan layers down to 24 inches. Such deep soil disturbance is thought to have a positive effect on crops in times of high temperatures and dry periods. This is because the deeply broken soil allows crop roots to penetrate deeper into the earth to find water. Conversely, the broken-up soil also allows water to drain into the water table, preventing the drowning of crops due to waterlogged roots.

Each penetrating blade of the subsoiler is called a shank or a scarifier. Subsoilers may have a frame with many shanks attached and can reach 15 feet in width. This allows the farmer to more quickly cover a greater area of ground. In addition to their use for improving the soil for better crop growth, subsoilers can be used for other activities.

On pastures where there are drainage problems, the subsoiler can cut deeply into the earth to disturb compacted ground and create channels to allow much better drainage of water towards the water table. The subsoiler can also be used to create offset drainage channels on slopes to prevent excess run-off, which can lead to soil loss.

In some situations farmers or contractors will use a single subsoiler blade to create a channel in which they can easily lay cables. This removes the need for the costly and time-consuming digging of ditches and allows the cable to be laid with the minimum disturbance to the ground, which can be closed over the newly laid cable with a single pass of the tractor’s wheels.

Typically, the shanks on a subsoiler will feature a shear bolt. This will break and release the shank, allowing it to bend backwards when it encounters an underground obstacle above a certain amount of resistance. This sheared bolt prevents damage to the subsoiler itself or the three-point hitch mechanism on the tractor. More sophisticated systems have a hydraulic auto-reset system for use on very stony fields. This features hydraulic rams on each shank, allowing it to bend backwards and then reset itself when it encounters an obstacle above a certain amount of resistance.

There are many makes of used subsoilers available. These include Cousins, Crawford, Dalbo, Farmrite, Flexicoil, Haylock, Howard, John Deere, Kverneland, Marsk, McConnel, Opico, Proforge, Quivogne, Ransome, Ratoon, Simba, Paldings, Sumo, Taylor, Twose and Weaving.

Complications with hydraulic auto-rest systems aside, the subsoiler is generally a very simple and robust implement. The shear bolts should prevent any major damage, and there is no reason why a used subsoiler shouldn’t give many years of service.