Soil Types

• Soil is the main factor to examine when plowing and planting. Sandy to loamy soils will be easier to plow than clay soils and they drain the best. As for wetness, damp soils are the best to plow. If the soil is dripping wet, it will clog up your plow. If the soil is too dry, your plow won't be able to properly mix the surface and subsurface soils. Note how rocky your land is, too. Rock outcroppings can easily damage your equipment.
  
  

Garden Location

• Contour farming is a plowing method used for hills and mountains.Tom Brakefield/Stockbyte/Getty Images
  
  Carefully consider where you are located. Plowing on hills and mountainsides may cause soil erosion. To prevent this, strip cropping and contour farming can be used in these areas, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency suggests. In locations where land tends to flood regularly, controlled drainage and subirrigation may be required. Soil testing will help you find out what conservation methods should be taken for your specific location.
  
  

Garden Size and Shape

• Not all furrows will be in the same direction.Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  You want to get the most out of your garden. Planning the direction, width and length of the furrows is paramount. The direction and size of the furrows will depend on the size of your garden, tractor and plow. For example, in small, oddly-shaped gardens, the rows may not all be in the same direction. For large fields, you may have to plan around trees, fences and rock outcroppings.
  
  

Plow Types

• There are several types of plows used for a variety of soil types. Moldboard plows are the most commonly seen and are used for soft- to medium-textured soils. Disk plows are used for hard- and rocky-textured soils. Chisel plows are used for stirring, rather than inverting the soil. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, chisel plows are commonly used in conservation tillage systems.
  
  

Plowing Methods

• Plowing is how you prepare the soil for planting. Where plowing, or tillage, methods differ is in how much crop residue cover is left behind after plowing. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, conventional tillage is any method "that leaves less than 15 percent residue cover after planting." Reduced tillage leaves 15 percent to 30 percent and conservation tillage leaves more than 30 percent crop residue cover, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports. Explore each method further before choosing what bests suit your garden.
  
  

Other Considerations

• Lastly, check with your local utilities board about the power and sewer lines that run through your land. If you happen to hit one of these while plowing, it may cost you money or even your life. Finding this information as well as your garden's soil type, location, size and shape will help you find the proper plow type and method for your garden.