mikep
Member
- Location
- Arse end of Surrey, UK
My breeding is fine can't answer for anyone else though!
Cultivations kill worms
- Thread starter Tipperted
- Start date
My breeding is fine can't answer for anyone else though!
mikep
Member
- Location
- Arse end of Surrey, UK
SorenIlsoe
Member
- Location
- Fjenneslev, Denmark
I think it is also a matter of what time of the year and in which conditions it will be done. In the dry time right after harvest will there typically be very little worm activity in the top soil, and therefore will a 2-5 cm cultivation kill very few. But right now, they are in the topsoil in enormous numbers right now.
And who would kill friends that works 24/7 for free?
yellow belly
Member
- Location
- south west lincolnshire
cultivations reduce worms ability to with stand threats and reduce their numbers
so no cultivation increase worms
muck increases worms
muck and no cultivation increases worms even more
imho no cultivation increases the habitat for many soil living animals increasing preditors
last autumn my notill wheat after notill osr had a level of slugs at seeding with many slug eggs in the soil but also many beetle slug egg preditors
the number of small slugs never increase to damaging levels with no slug control used just drilling
there is cultivated ground in next door field with only the headland established cultivated drilled rolled and slug pelleted not a true trial but an indication
I would still plan to cultivated post osr in early august to reduce slug numbers and level out the fields after 2012s cultivation when it was too wet we live and learn
rule one do not work soil when it is too wet
rule 2 refer to rule one when it is too wet
we have known these rules for generations but still break them because we know better now
so no cultivation increase worms
muck increases worms
muck and no cultivation increases worms even more
imho no cultivation increases the habitat for many soil living animals increasing preditors
last autumn my notill wheat after notill osr had a level of slugs at seeding with many slug eggs in the soil but also many beetle slug egg preditors
the number of small slugs never increase to damaging levels with no slug control used just drilling
there is cultivated ground in next door field with only the headland established cultivated drilled rolled and slug pelleted not a true trial but an indication
I would still plan to cultivated post osr in early august to reduce slug numbers and level out the fields after 2012s cultivation when it was too wet we live and learn
rule one do not work soil when it is too wet
rule 2 refer to rule one when it is too wet
we have known these rules for generations but still break them because we know better now
Fat hen
Member
Giving up OSR...What soil are you on?Yeah I'm sure cultivations will kill some slugs and expose/kill slug eggs too. Not sure about flea beetle but will upset any "environment" they might have.
Having said that though I'm a die hard "no-tiller" and after 3 yrs with nothing but a cross slot drill and a set of rolls the improvement in soil structure, worm numbers, traficability, drainage/infiltration etc etc is so profound that slugs are far less of a worry to me now. Giving up growing oilseed rape I'm sure has made a huge difference too.
Not that brave a post?!
Skipped OSR this year. Post-OSR WW was a slug frenzy. How long have you stopped OSR for? and how long til you noticed a reduction on heavy soils (presuming you have some)?
- Location
- Nr Malvern... SW Worcestershire
That's worm activity...and the worms you need for No-Till..!
damaged
Member
- Location
- Gloucestershire
damaged
Member
- Location
- Gloucestershire
Not as good as on your lovely sandy soil Simon, which is looking excellent with 750 touch, but still managed a few casts after a direct pass with unidrill on our brash.
I was expecting small casts, not the accumulated straw and casting I have seen. Drills done s good job on our soil.
- Location
- Snodland kent
Went slug and flea beetle hunting the other evening, found a worm being attacked quite brutally by a ground beetle.
Breakthru
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders
You can "suppress" slugs very well without affecting worms using the right product and approach.
I can marinade worms in 1mm deep 10g/ltr solution of Breakthru and they will wander off unharmed whereas the slugs you put in seemingly drown. It severely restricts their movement. Once things slow down there should be a number of posts on this subject going by the reports I am getting.
clbarclay
Member
- Location
- Worcestershire
shakerator
Member
- Location
- LINCS
I think tillage increases bacteria in the soil which is worm food so tillage can increase worms in some circumstances
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Similar thought process in Zimmers' biological farming - shallow and appropriately timed tillage (generally incorporating green manures as well) aerates the soil thereby actually encouraging and enhancing soil life.
My cynical side would suggest that as an organic grower tillage is a necessity for him hence the 'justification'.
My cynical side would suggest that as an organic grower tillage is a necessity for him hence the 'justification'.
shakerator
Member
- Location
- LINCS
Looks v wet !
Because of the moss?
It's pretty dry most of the time.