Can you DD in any soil type?

I`m intrigued by no-til. I would love it to work on my farm. Can you DD into any soil type or does it work best on kinder land? I`m on flat, drained, high mag clay soil. BG is a big problem. Late Autumn drilling is difficult as it`s usually too wet after mid October. Spring cropping gives good margins but we`ve had some easy Springs of late. I like using sewage sludge to build up soil fertility. It has transformed some fields. I would like to continue to use it but DD other years. Thoughts appreciated from No-til practioners.
 
I'd say yes. Does it work better on kinder land? Yes, I expect everything works better on kinder land. If your drains are good then you've got something to help.

Get someone who knows what they are doing to come and drill a few fields - don't give them your worst field or at least if you do give them a good field too.

Whats a easy spring? I find every spring to be a mixture of wet and dry. I'll never maul a spring crop in if I can help it as a dryer day is only days away
 

Jim Bullock

Never Forgotten
Honorary Member
We are on high mag soils and surface ponding can be a real problem along with smeared slots. The solution is to get as much OM onto the land as possible, we are using FYM, sewage sludge and this Spring, poultry manure. We have also put on loads of gypsum over the last twelve months. We are growing as many cover crops as possible on land where BG is not too much of a problem. Our rotation has gone out of the window and we now tend to plant what ever crop is best suited to the soil and prevailing conditions (now 50%spring crops).
 
I`m applying lots of OM in the form of sludge and FYM. I`ve applied lots of gypsum as well. It has had a dramatic effect on one or two fields in particular. Has anyone seen a reduction in BG as a result of No_til or is No_til only viable in the absence of BG?
 
How high is high? Ours is 1400mm. We have drainage "issues" which we are working on and as far as I can see is the first place to start..

As long as its dry enough at seeding time in the spring and autumn and that in the autumn you don't think your going to have lots of standing water from nov-march then I don't really see it matters much what your rainfall is
 
What is average annual rainfall? @Jim Bullock @SilliamWhale Is that a contributing factor?

Not so much as the rainfall pattern in fact. We are in a very dry area but the pattern of rainfall has changed and we seem to be getting long v wet spells and then long dry. As someone pointed out the most important thing is the weather from planting until emergence once emerged it has a good chance. Plant as soon as you can especially as you are probably BG free.
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
I`m applying lots of OM in the form of sludge and FYM. I`ve applied lots of gypsum as well. It has had a dramatic effect on one or two fields in particular. Has anyone seen a reduction in BG as a result of No_til or is No_til only viable in the absence of BG?

Good to hear you're improving the soil organic matter levels - that's a critical part of DD's long term success.

The grass weed problem is an interesting one. I'd say that they would get worse before they get better as you "convert" to no till. Spring cropping is an essential part & controlling blackgrass outside the crop is one of the best tools, whatever your establishment system. If you're thinking about no till as a away of cleaning your ground up then that's not enough. No till is a whole system, not a simple exchange of one establishment method for another.

Do make sure your soil structure and drainage are fixed, or it will never work. Join BASE UK and go to see lots of farmers who have been doing no till for a while. I don't know exactly where you are based but Tony Reynolds, @shakerator @yellowbelly @Bob lincs are just a few practitioners

Welcome to the "dark side!" :D
 

Simon Chiles

DD Moderator
I`m intrigued by no-til. I would love it to work on my farm. Can you DD into any soil type or does it work best on kinder land? I`m on flat, drained, high mag clay soil. BG is a big problem. Late Autumn drilling is difficult as it`s usually too wet after mid October. Spring cropping gives good margins but we`ve had some easy Springs of late. I like using sewage sludge to build up soil fertility. It has transformed some fields. I would like to continue to use it but DD other years. Thoughts appreciated from No-til practioners.

The answer to your question about whether it works on all soil types is that it is possible. I've drilled soils ranging from light chalk to heavy mg clay. Quite a bit of the high mg clay I drill hasn't even got drains, or at least none that I'm aware off. I'd be cautious about visiting farms with decent soils, apart from anything else it might make you wonder why you bother.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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