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Martinsville, Ohio | I am anti vertical tillage because you leave a compaction layer equal and opposite to the soil below the knife as above.
Some good farmers do real well with it.
I can't justify the machinery and fuel cost.
Best way to tell is a summer or fall soil pit, 50-60 inches deep. Take your biggest straight blade screwdriver and start shaving the sidewalls. You can feel the compacted areas. Soils people can tell you what probably caused each layer. Look at the root growth of your crops compared to the compacted layers.
I would be happy to come up and show you this summer if you are interested like I did for Paul in Illinois.
http://www.paul-julia.com/FieldDay07.shtm
I did this for friends in Pa and Maryland and they were surprised at what I found, compaction kills.
I found a layer in one plot at 7 inches, old plowpan, stuck the screwdriver in horizontally and started tapping on it to push it in and the men standing above could feel the vibration in their shoes.
It was pretty cool, unless you are a corn plant that is.
Ed Winkle | |
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Vertical Tillage - Necessary or Not? Which Brand?
