This year, with wet soil conditions present, many farmers are finding it tough going as they create the strips, says Ken Ferrie, Farm Journal Field Agronomist and owner of Crop-Tech Consulting, Heyworth, Ill.
“It’s a challenge with these clods that we’re rolling out, what I call watermelon rinds,” Ferrie says. “Granted, the clods will freeze and melt down to about one-third of the size they are now, but this is a tough seedbed you’re going to have to deal with next spring.”
Looking ahead, he recommends that you make plans to address the issue with a row warmer to freshen up the seedbed. Row warmers ready strips for planting and clean them of residue.
“In strip-till, row warmers fine-tune the strip, remove residue, firm up air pockets and make a smoother seedbed,” Ferrie says. “This adds a pass and an expense that might not be needed in fields with good drainage and a patient operator. But row warmers are good tools to have in the shed when spring weather turns cool and wet.”
In Ferrie’s latest video, he demonstrates some of the problems that are occurring this fall as farmers are building strips. Watch the video here:
Strip Tillage Promotes Soil Health
