Plowing vs Disking

[CTyler]

The farmers switch between corn and beans mostly. In the fall during harvest they just leave the felch, corn/bean stalks etc.. for ground cover. Come spring they drill the seed. They call it "Notill".

 

[raynman]

Interesting way to do it, I have never seen farming done that way in Michigan, then again I live in the city /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Thanks for the info.

 

[frank_f15]

very interesting, they never plow or disk?

 

[grandad]

The no-till methods really got going in the plains states during the last 25-30 years. One factor was fear that the topsoil layer was disappearing at an alarming rate due to wind and water erosion from repeated conventional tillage. No-till seems to be pretty standard practice throughout the Midwest today, with extensive ag-science research, specialized equipment, etc.

Those three sentences about exhaust my knowledge on the subject. If you want to know more, well maybe the real farmers will jump in for the rest of the story /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[cowboydoc]

Not really much else to say granddad. It's a pretty simple practice. Alot of problems aren't brought up. Your yields are usually less, but you save on production costs. You do still have to turn over the soil or chisel plow because of compaction in alot of areas. It's also more difficult to control weeds and bugs. But it does have alot of merit especially in highly erodable, non-irrigated areas. In irrigated areas you have to do tillage. What you see alot is a compromise with chisel plowing. This gets the soil underneath worked but yet protects the topsoil from erosion. In highly erodable ares it is a very good practice. Like all farming practices it certainly has it's place.

 

[raynman]

Thanks grandad & cowboydoc

It make's sense, but I think I will stay with the plowing or disking. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
I'm not worried about that right now, if I had good top soil I might be. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I need to turn the organic matter back into the ground every year to help my sand become soil /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thanks again

 

[Egon]

Have you considered evulating test plots that have used different cultivation practices.

Sand is very difficult to work with. On our acreage in Alberta most of the surface [ 30 feet deep ] it was fine windblown sand deposited from the shores of a glacial lake. I found that the least disturbence possible worked best and was able to get a lawn started. Watering was require in dry periods. For this I had a dugout in a low spot. It was fertilized with a low nitogen product designed for our local conditions. The gras was mowed as tall as possible and grass clippings were left. Gradually a root sytem for the grass developed and with the clippings the soil seemed to build up to a sod like condition approximetly 4/6 inches deep. The depth of the grass roots.

When all was good people would compare it a minature golf course. It was the nicest lawn in the district but then that is only my opinion.

Egon

 

[RalphVa]

Our lecturer during the last Master Gardener class was the ag agent for the farmers. He advocates no till for farmers and even for casual vege growers. Tilling just brings up more weed seeds; whereas, if you just plant into non-tilled soil the only weed seeds you'll have to contend with are the air-blown ones. He also claims that he's grown corn without weeding it, too. The corn will get enough nutrients even with the weeds there if the soil has enough for all.

I may try it in my big vege garden (about 50x75) down below. I've raised rows there. It'll be easy just to dig a furrow or holes for the seeds, drop them in and cover a little bit. Then just mulch, Roundup or hoe to control the weeds.

Ralph

 

[jimg]

"In irrigated areas you have to do tillage. "
Thats an interesting comment! Why would irrigation require you to till? The tilling you refer to is w/ a chisel plow?

 

[raynman]

Egon,
I hadn't thought of that, but it's a possibility /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I did the same with some sandy are near the house, but I was able to water this area, I can't water the fields.

Thanks