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Assessing and Alleviating Soil Compaction After a Wet Spring What's a Good Combine Operator Worth this Season? HVLS Fans for Free Stall Barns Healthy Farmers, Healthy Profits Project Tip Sheets Available Tractor Headlights and Flashers Prevent Collisions-Even During Daytime Hours Planning for Construction Projects on a Small Farm Old Agricultural Building and Equipment Plans Book Details How to Develop Swine Breeding and Gestation Facilities |
Assessing and Alleviating Soil Compaction After a Wet SpringRonald T. Schuler, Wisconsin Extension EngineerDuring this growing season, wet spring soils may have created excessively compacted soil causing potential yield losses. This fall, after harvest, crop producers will have an opportunity to alleviate the effects of the excessive soil compaction through deep tillage. Numerous methods are available to help producers assess the degree and depth of compaction in their fields. If excessive soil compaction is evident, then proper deep tillage operation is important. The best indicator of the yield limiting impact of excessive soil compaction is the growing plant. Plant height patterns in the field corresponding to wheel traffic may be an indicator of compaction. Studying the rooting patterns will also be very useful. If the root system is not the same on both sides of the row, wheel traffic may be the cause. Compaction caused by tillage may occur more uniformly across the field. Identifying and locating the compaction can be done by probing the soil with a soil sampling probe or a cone penetrometer. The force required to push the sampling probe into the soil is an indication of compaction. Observing at what depth the greatest resistance occurs is useful in adjusting the tillage depth. The cone penetrometer is designed to measure the pressure required to push a steel cone into the soil to determine areas of high pressure (compaction). You should do the evaluation in several areas of the field and along a fence line where no traffic has occurred for many years. If a significant difference is observed, consider deep tillage. The most common practice of alleviating soil compaction effects is subsoiling. This tillage operation is most effective when the soils are dry enough to ensure good fracturing. The tillage depth should be one to two inches below the compacted layer. Selecting the proper shanks and points are important to create the desired soil mixing and crop residue cover. The best way to solve soil compaction problems is to avoid it by not working on wet soils. But during some growing seasons, producers don’t have a choice. In that case, they should consider managing compaction by using recommended tire pressures, proper tractor weighting, and only performing cost effective field operations. |
The information given in this publication is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement is implied.
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