One more combine pass. One more grain-cart trip. One more loaded truck crossing the end row.
When soils are wet, every trip across the field can leave a mark that lasts long after harvest is over. Soil compaction happens when equipment pressure squeezes out the pore space that roots need to access air and water, explains Jeremiah Lazo, Beck’s PFR research technician.
As soil structure deteriorates, water infiltration slows, oxygen becomes less available and roots struggle to push through the soil profile. The damage caused at harvest often shows up next season when crops need deeper roots to reach water and nutrients.
Here are four strategies to help you reduce compaction risk:
1. Wait for a dry window, when possible.
The simplest (and most obvious) way to reduce compaction risk is staying out of fields when soils are too wet. Even a short drying period can improve soil’s ability to support equipment.
Lazo recommends a simple field check — the ribbon test — to help you make the call: Grab a handful of soil and squeeze it. If it smears or forms a ribbon instead of crumbling apart, conditions are likely too wet for field traffic.
If harvest pressure and weather forecasts are making it difficult to wait, prioritize fields firm enough to support equipment and identify the most vulnerable areas. Avoiding the wettest parts of a field helps limit damage.
2. Reduce grain-cart and truck loads.
A full grain cart or heavily loaded truck puts substantial weight on the soil. When conditions are wet, that weight can compact soil well below the surface, where repairs are difficult and expensive.
Lazo recommends running grain-cart and truck loads at roughly half to three-quarters capacity rather than filling them completely when soils are marginal.
More trips may be needed, but lighter loads reduce risk associated with heavy axle weights. The right approach depends on soil conditions, equipment configuration and how much weight each axle carries.
A key point, Lazo adds: Don’t focus only on total equipment weight. Pay attention to how much weight each axle puts on the ground.
3. Manage tires, tracks and inflation pressure.
Tires and tracks influence how equipment weight is distributed across the soil surface. Properly sized flotation tires, duals and tracks can increase the footprint and help reduce surface contact pressure, Lazo says.
Tire inflation matters, too. Follow tire manufacturer’s recommendations for the actual load and operating speed rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all pressure setting.
But don’t assume tracks or flotation tires eliminate compaction risk. They help reduce surface pressure, but heavy axle loads can still compact deeper soil layers.
The bottom line: Manage both load and footprint. Neither one alone guarantees protection against compaction.
4. Keep heavy traffic in designated lanes.
Every trip across a field creates another opportunity for compaction. The more widely your equipment travels, the more acres may be affected.
Before harvest begins, establish a traffic plan that coordinates combine operators, grain-cart drivers and truck drivers.
- Designate travel lanes. Keep equipment on consistent routes whenever possible rather than crossing the field in different places with every load.
- Keep road trucks on firm ground. Use field edges or roadside staging areas when conditions allow, limiting the need for loaded semis to travel across wet fields.
- Plan entrances and exits. Decide where equipment will enter, unload and leave the field before harvest begins. Keep employees and family informed.
The goal: concentrate traffic on fewer acres instead of spreading compaction across the field. Designated lanes may take a beating, but protecting the rest of the field makes the trade-off worthwhile.
Diagnose Before You Do Tillage
Ruts and suspected compaction after harvest can tempt farmers to bring out deep tillage equipment. But disturbing soil without knowing where the problem lies can waste time, fuel and money.
Lazo recommends using a penetrometer to identify compacted layers and determine their depth. Soil moisture affects penetrometer readings, so comparisons should be made under similar conditions — ideally when soil moisture is near field capacity rather than saturated or extremely dry.
Start by taking several readings in an uncompacted area with soil similar to the rest of the field. Then compare those readings with measurements from high-traffic areas, such as end rows, grain-cart paths and field entrances.
Look for consistent differences between the two areas to identify where compaction may be occurring. Use those findings to determine whether tillage is warranted and, if so, how deep the operation needs to go. Avoid working deeper than necessary.
Get all of Lazo’s recommendations in the video available at the link below:
