Cultivation 2022

[T Hectares]

Good old days! We are doing a shallow topdown pass for spring crops anyway and would be broadcasting a cover crop if it wasn’t so dry. We did this up to a couple years ago and worked well. Strict no till spring crops aren’t reliable enough here.

I have several friends who have reintroduced some tillage in front of SB and it is commented on by neighbours no-tilling that SB is underperforming
One in particular has said that the 2t/ha he feels he is losing would pay for a bit of autumn cultivating !!
SB is a very important part of the cropping here too, I value your honesty in what you post here @ajd132

 

[ajd132]

I have several friends who have reintroduced some tillage in front of SB and it is commented on by neighbours no-tilling that SB is underperforming
One in particular has said that the 2t/ha he feels he is losing would pay for a bit of autumn cultivating !!
SB is a very important part of the cropping here too, I value your honesty in what you post here @ajd132

It’s just not consistent enough in no till, if everything aligns then it’s fine, but that rarely happens.
I do believe our winter crops yields and margins and have increase quite significantly since no tilling them though.

 

[Lincsman]

Often hear this... no, without moving it the soil will swell up and the cracks will be water tight. the time to subsoil is when its dry, not wet and no cracks.

Update; see photo of small clay particals falling down the cracks to make a nice solid waterproof soil when it wets, it will be so water tight that water wont get to the drain at the bottom of the crack.

 

[alomy75]

Update; see photo of small clay particals falling down the cracks to make a nice solid waterproof soil when it wets, it will be so water tight that water wont get to the drain at the bottom of the crack.

It’s probably worth going along to one of Philip Wright’s soil management days if you get chance; there he talks about those clay particles you’re on about falling into cracks and acting as a fulcrum with many tonnes of pressure as the soil re-wets pushing on said fulcrum and causing many cracks behind them. A bit like using one of those tiny pointy hammers to smash a window. It’s good stuff I would agree with you about subsoiling a dry, non cracked soil though…

 

[teslacoils]

Disc, disc, roll. Not heavy stuff with straw bales every year though.

 

[Lincsman]

It’s probably worth going along to one of Philip Wright’s soil management days if you get chance; there he talks about those clay particles you’re on about falling into cracks and acting as a fulcrum with many tonnes of pressure as the soil re-wets pushing on said fulcrum and causing many cracks behind them. A bit like using one of those tiny pointy hammers to smash a window. It’s good stuff I would agree with you about subsoiling a dry, non cracked soil though…

After 50 years experience I dont need course on soil management to know what happens next, also know a direct drill wont help it. Looking over the hedge 3 years of pain trying to make dd work is now being reversed.

 

[Will 1594]

After 50 years experience I dont need course on soil management to know what happens next, also know a direct drill wont help it. Looking over the hedge 3 years of pain trying to make dd work is now being reversed.

Bet yourmlike us ,needs a leg through it or it sits wet

 

[Lincsman]

Bet yourmlike us ,needs a leg through it or it sits wet

Exactly, the haylock triple task revolutionised this farm in the 1980,s.. still use it at times.. indistructable.

 

[teslacoils]

Consolidation is king. We went wrong thinking that the "weatherproof" DD packer was man enough for proper clay. It certainly isn't for a first pass. Can't beat a big heavy set of rolls.

 

[alomy75]

After 50 years experience I dont need course on soil management to know what happens next, also know a direct drill wont help it. Looking over the hedge 3 years of pain trying to make dd work is now being reversed.

That’s all well and good, but the farming world is changing and fast. Doing what we’ve always done will soon not be an option. At least your neighbours are trying and able to tick of certain approaches as no good while we still have a buffer of sfp and strong commodity prices and will be a step ahead when the time comes.

 

[teslacoils]

At least if your drill is capable of going straight into stubbles then you can be flexible.