By Blake Jackson
Abundant rainfall across much of Pennsylvania has helped maintain soil moisture but has also made fieldwork more difficult. Wet harvesting conditions can leave fields heavily rutted, creating concerns for farmers preparing their land for the next growing season.
According to Sjoerd Willem Duiker, Professor of Soil Management at Penn State Extension, farmers should address severe rutting before establishing the next crop.
The first priority is to restore a relatively level soil surface. Deep or uneven ruts can interfere with planting, particularly when using drills.
Poor field conditions may result in uneven establishment of forages, small grains, and cover crops and can affect production for several seasons.
Duiker recommends using the least amount of tillage necessary to repair damaged areas. Low sections should be brought back to grade and then firmed.
Depending on the severity of the damage, farmers may use a disk or S-tine cultivator, followed by a cultipacker, spring-tooth harrow, or tine harrow to smooth the surface.
However, deep rut bottoms may contain significant compaction. In those situations, a heavy-duty chisel plow or subsoiler may be needed to loosen compacted layers before leveling the field.
Timing is also critical. Farmers should avoid working soil while it is excessively wet because doing so can create large clods, destroy natural soil structure, increase the risk of recompaction, and damage earthworm and root channels.
The soil should be dry enough to fracture and loosen rather than simply being cut through by tillage equipment.
After repairs are completed, rebuilding soil health is essential. Cover crops, deep-rooted crops in rotation, and additions of organic materials such as manure or compost can help restore soil structure and reduce the risk of future compaction.
Photo Credit: sjoerd-duiker
Categories: Pennsylvania, Crops