How do you decide if it's dry enough to Drill?

[DrWazzock]

...or cultivate or plough for that matter.

I draw my knife through the soil like a coulter and the soil is shiny and smeared then it's too wet.
If I can roll the plasticine into a worm that holds together it's too wet.
If the furrow bottoms are smeared it's too wet.

 

[Lincs Lass]

If you walk into a field with clean boots and come out with them clagged up ,its too wet .
If theres more ducks on the land than pigeons,,it too wet

 

[Bob lincs]

Kick it .

 

[Bob lincs]

...or cultivate or plough for that matter.

I draw my knife through the soil like a coulter and the soil is shiny and smeared then it's too wet.
If I can roll the plasticine into a worm that holds together it's too wet.
If the furrow bottoms are smeared it's too wet.

Bugger that’s abit technical

 

[spin cycle]

you just know...instinct

 

[KB6930]

You just know what you can get away with if you walk into the field and you can feel it soft and wet down between the furrows when you walk on it it's usually too wet

Obviously you want it looking dry but in a year like this you take every opportunity whether it's right or wrong you do what you can to get the drill over it

 

[snarling bee]

The best way to tell is get the machine out and have a go. Is it doing the job?

OR

If it breaks its too dry, if it blocks up its too wet.

 

[rob1]

Gut feel

 

[average farmer]

If I think I'll be lucky to get 3 t/a I give over if I think I'll be unlucky to get 3 t/a ill keep going, all depends on time of year, ground its on and if I'm feeling lucky.

 

[spin cycle]

drilling kit is so heavy these days....i saw some plough/pressed ground that if triple k'ed 11am would've taken the drill 3pm.....but it wouldn't take the outfit the farm owners have

 

[Wombat]

...or cultivate or plough for that matter.

I draw my knife through the soil like a coulter and the soil is shiny and smeared then it's too wet.
If I can roll the plasticine into a worm that holds together it's too wet.
If the furrow bottoms are smeared it's too wet.

Based on these conditions there would be about 6 days a year i could drill then

 

[Zippy768]

I rolled up to 10 acres last Friday hoping to drill it before the rain. As soon as I arrived it started to rain - drizzle with a wind. I was gonna leave it and head home, couldn't possibly drill with rain. But unpacked and gave it a go.

Drizzled the whole time but went in absolutely fine.

Easy to think you cant when you actually can ?‍

Re. Ploughing. If the tractor is going forward quicker than its going down, its good to go ?.
Ironically this year it's been the potential weather post ploughing that has influenced the decision to.

 

[Steevo]

Kick it .

My logic too. Walk into field, kick/scuff the stubble. If it smears, it's too wet. If it kicks into smaller pieces then it'll likely travel.

 

[farmerm]

...or cultivate or plough for that matter.

I draw my knife through the soil like a coulter and the soil is shiny and smeared then it's too wet.
If I can roll the plasticine into a worm that holds together it's too wet.
If the furrow bottoms are smeared it's too wet.

If I followed those rules on this farm all cultivations and drilling would have to be done during August and the 1st shower in September...

 

[DrWazzock]

For direct drilling I think the pocket knife test is quite reliable. If soil sticks to the blade or it cuts a smeared slot then the direct drill (disc in my case) will do the same.

I am also wary of ploughing over land that is so wet that the furrows are smeared and shiny. We used to have two tractors on the front of the plough after beet in years past and I reckon it took that soil three years to recover. If you dug down to ploughing depth you could see the furrow bottoms as a smeared pan. This isn't to say you can't plough if it's a bit wet on top but still dry underneath.

For secondary cultivations on ploughing I find the plasticine worm test quite reliable. If you can roll a worm that holds together then going on it with the power Harrow doesn't usually end well.

It's all about whether the soil is plastic or not. Kicking the clods, having it sticking to your boots etc also tests this condition.

Was just interested how people gauged conditions. Yes a lot is down to gut feeling and most years it's an easy decision. This year is more difficult. It's easy to see if it isn't right once you get the machine in the field but simple predictive tests before getting the machine out do save a lot of wasted effort.

 

[Spencer]

Experience

 

[Dead Rabbits]

I do a couple donuts in the wetter parts of the field with the truck.

 

[Case290]

And if you get stuck it’s to wet.

 

[CORK]

Always get a spade and dig it, then feel it with my hand. If it’s too plastic between my hands then walk away, if it’s reasonably crumbly in my hands then we work.

 

[Brisel]

Does the ground squelch underfoot? Yes = far too wet
Does the top couple of inches roll into a sausage that holds together? Yes = much too wet
Does it stick to your boots? Yes = still too wet
Have a dig. Does the soil 2-8" deep smear easily? Yes = too wet

Look at the weather forecast to see rain for the next fornight, then think f**k it, we'll have a go anyway. Regret it but sleep easier knowing you've tried.