Fall Tillage - benefits/disadvantage

Billy NY · Dec 3, 2011

Around here, some farmers do fall tillage, others don't, most try and empty their lagoons and get manure spread right after harvest, and I would assume that once manure is spread, its desirable to get it worked into the soils, especially if like what the big poultry farm used to put on the fields, because its hot, by spring its cooled off on the N.

Say for a sod, grass, hay or fallow field and barring any concern for wind or water erosion, is FALL moldboard plowing detrimental or beneficial, for getting whats on top underneath, killing weeds, grasses and associated undesirable weed seed ?

Also, if moldboard plowed, is it better to leave as is or disc, drag, rototill etc. I do not believe we get much hard pan, except high traffic areas due to compaction, and I realize soils change by area, here its glacial till, a little gravel, loam and clay, it does percolate well.

Was pondering this after doing some moldboard plowing.

Leave like this:

Or this: similar soils, probably finer now and I add organic matter, fine sawdust and fines from fire wood/ant wood, decaying logs, hay etc.

paul · Dec 3, 2011

In my part of MN, fall tillage allows me to plant timely in spring, as our very wet cold soils dry & warm better in a short season.

Spring heavy tillage tends to be done on wet ground, and then dries the ground into hard lumps, and grass weed seeds germinate at same time at the crop does, making a very poor seedbed all around.

I did a fall tillage pass once that was shallow and very smooth. Real poor results, won't do that again. Fall tillage, and leave it rough.

Now, in southern, worn out soils, whole different game, they have different concerns and notill or spring tillage is their best bet - I think.

--->Paul

NY 986 · Dec 3, 2011

Definitely want to incorporate manure to preserve the nutrient value. I see mixed information as to the benefits of fall tillage. We did extensive fall tillage in the 1980's and it almost was a detriment as a lot of those winters were open and seemed to "freezer burn" the organic material in the soil reducing tilth and water holding capacity. Then it seems like we would have a prolonged wet spell in March or April followed by a very warm dry spell. The net result being the soil dried to large chunks on top from the chisel pattern yet too wet to work to keep the chunking from happening. Anymore the fields we fall tilled are done so that we know the possibility of spring chunking is minimal. The rest in the spring we find it works just as well to work in thin layers going progressively deeper each time. If dry enough have the cultipacker following along as you make each pass. I would love to fully utilize no-till and the price of drills are getting down to where a small operator such as myself could afford one.

Billy NY · Dec 3, 2011

I was thinking that you may get warmer soil temps sooner, as the soil is darker, and absorbs more light than reflects it, say if it was tanned up, dead grasses or other trash left on top.

The partial section of field in the photo is where I plant forage (food plot) nothing planted this year, but it dried enough for me to turn 12 furrows, would have to work around a wet spot, so I stopped as soon as I got stuck, backed out, and used the single bottom to put in a relief ditch for the water that is trapped there. I was hoping that some of the weeds and seed left on the surface might be killed off, though I'd probably have to spray 2 4D or something if I wanted to get a good stand of clover or something in there, and fight off the geese in the spring.

chevytaHOE5674 · Dec 3, 2011

Fall tillage is the only way to go UP here. In the spring it is generally too wet to perform any heavy tillage operations.

I plow in the fall and then let the frost and weather break up the material overwinter. Come spring since the soil is bare and dark it drys out faster and run the disk over it and its good to go.

Leroy · Dec 3, 2011

Rough leaves the moisture get in, smooth makes it run off. On clay if plowed in spring it works to consistancy of crushed stone.

Billy NY · Dec 3, 2011

The conditions vary widely, but like you said, tilth, organic matter and water holding capacity, I have seen some dry years with corn in this field and its always held its own on moisture even in the driest summers, though it was in oats '10 which was extremely dry, a summer like that is rare anyway.

The farmer who worked this ground always moldboard plowed and either disc'd or dragged a harrow after spring only. I can see getting clumps in similar conditions, though there is some gravel content in theses soils, still enough clay, loam to make those clumps.

The large dairy farm in town does a variety of things, be it from crop rotation, soil types etc, he runs tank trucks to spread manure, seems to get most of his fields too. Some are tilled up, some not.

I'm not aware of any no till operations around here, seems to be conventional kinds of tillage, but having experienced spring planting 500 acres the old way, that sure would be nice if it could produce.

David G · Dec 3, 2011

I believe that fall tillage promotes better growth the next year. I like to work the leftover organic material in and break up the surface so it holds water and warms up faster.

This has to be moderated in erodible soils.

Fall Tillage - benefits/disadvantage

Billy NY

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paul

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NY 986

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Billy NY

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chevytaHOE5674

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Leroy

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Billy NY

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David G

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