A chocolate layer cake is good. Layers of dense or compacted soil aren’t so good. Once you’ve probed or dug and found the layers put in place by horizontal farming tools, it’s time to remove them. Here’s how.
Vertical tillage is not a single tool or a single pass — it’s a comprehensive system, says Ken Ferrie. Here’s what you need to understand about a vertical tillage system and the first step of removing horizontal layers.
Removing compaction and density layers before transitioning to a vertical system can add 15 bu. to 20 bu. per acre and might lower cost of production, according to Farm Journal Test Plot research.
What is vertical farming and how can it set you up for future government incentives? Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal field agronomist, explains it often requires mixing and matching tools for primary and secondary tillage.
The only way to increase bushels per ear is to document results in the fall and make changes next season, which involves scouting before and during harvest, analyzing results and drafting your plan.
Some of your favorite hybrids might fizzle this year, but don’t cast them out of the lineup just yet. A Farm Journal Test Plot study reveals the impact of weather and adjusting practices to maximize yield of each hybrid.
More ears at harvest is the key to higher yield. That requires starting with a picket-fence stand with photocopied plants, achieved by adjusting your planter as conditions change from field to field and within fields.
