Research on planting techniques

[Wind Gypsy]

I have been under the impression that breaking ground encourages seed that has been laying dormant to germinate. I have definitely seen people say no till requires less weed management.

Seems like the question is how working the ground and assisting more existing weed seed to germinate offsets the benefit of tillage killing weeds that have already germinated.

I don't know ag processes well but it seems tillage might be somewhat of an alternative to additional burn down spraying? Assume either method is going to use a residual herbicide.

 

[matinc]

Hey Dawgs. Have you watched grant woods big sandy video from Texas with the landowner that turned his sand patch into thriving dirt in three years. His soil was like blow sand from repeated discing and now it's amazing. The landowner told grant up front it wouldn't work n now he's eating his hat. Plus his extra 7 disc's behind the pole barn now are taking up space that he will never ever use.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Hey Dawgs. Have you watched grant woods big sandy video from Texas with the landowner that turned his sand patch into thriving dirt in three years. His soil was like blow sand from repeated discing and now it's amazing. The landowner told grant up front it wouldn't work n now he's eating his hat. Plus his extra 7 disc's behind the pole barn now are taking up space that he will never ever use.

I actually started that one and didn’t finish. I’m giving Grant a hard time. I think he does some great stuff. He’s also a bit of a salesman too though.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Could also see tillage termination of some herbicide resistant weeds relieving some herbicide use. Kills weeds before they go to seed and any re growth might be more susceptible to herbicide when less mature or require less specialized herbicide? Just spitballin..

 

[Mortenson]

A quick Pic of a winter annuals mess. This is bean stubble which is ordinarily a great opportunity to raise a big corn crop. All i know is the field cultivator he has sitting there isn't going to work this time. I have my own problems too, so not making fun at all. This field needed a fall sprayer, and now it probably needs a spring plowing. Guess ya could try burning it down and no-tilling it and praying. But it's too wet to spray and the clock is ticking.

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Could also see tillage termination of some herbicide resistant weeds relieving some herbicide use. Kills weeds before they go to seed and any re growth might be more susceptible to herbicide when less mature or require less specialized herbicide? Just spitballin..

In my pea brain, I would love to get to a world where herbicide use was minimized, but the lose of topsoil and resulting erosion is a bigger issue. Most ground around me won’t grow a yield worth planting without so many inputs that is pretty much an artificial environment. That doesn’t seem sustainable. Additionally erosion leads to all kinds of problems particularly in waterways. The silt shallowing up streams, rivers and ponds and raising water temps to where native aquatic life can’t survive, not to mention translocating the herbicides and fertilizers all over God’s creation. In the pecking order I think we should be more concerned with that than weed control.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

A quick Pic of a winter annuals mess. This is bean stubble which is ordinarily a great opportunity to raise a big corn crop. All i know is the field cultivator he has sitting there isn't going to work this time. I have my own problems too, so not making fun at all. This field needed a fall sprayer, and now it probably needs a spring plowing. Guess ya could try burning it down and no-tilling it and praying. But it's too wet to spray and the clock is ticking.

View attachment 64401

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Iowa topsoil loss

 

[Mortenson]

Technically topsoil isn't lost. It just moves. Who's to say we won't have the technology in the future to bring it all back or to live with less of it. Iowa's yields keep going up despite the soil loss. The people who gain more control of the planet with each passing day say we will eat bugs, so at this point what difference does it make.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

Technically topsoil isn't lost. It just moves. Who's to say we won't have the technology in the future to bring it all back or to live with less of it. Iowa's yields keep going up despite the soil loss. The people who gain more control of the planet with each passing day say we will eat bugs, so at this point what difference does it make.

Where is it moving to? Is it still useful to us there when it comes to growing food?

 

[omicron1792]

I think no till mimics normal growing cycles so that makes sense to me.

Roller crimping is cool. I like it. But I can imagine it’s not perfect for ag people and they have to time it perfect. My guess is the goal is to probably bake in some loss in yield but hopefully offset with less inputs and amendments.

Not using the nutrient cycling God created with worms, bacteria, fungi can’t be the best way to do it. Tilling a field and starting over every single time then adding all the fertilizer seems like a waste. I think there are lots of farms that have fully committed doing well no till. The ones that said I’ll try it and then didn’t get same yield, I can see them going back to old faithful tiller

 

[jsasker007]

View attachment 64403
Iowa topsoil loss

State wide or a specific location? Appears to be associated with wetlands?

 

[omicron1792]

I have been under the impression that breaking ground encourages seed that has been laying dormant to germinate. I have definitely seen people say no till requires less weed management.

For food plotters you def can get to minimal herbicide. For ag I don’t know.

 

[jsasker007]

Remember the government already showed their hand and we will be facing a global food shortage in the near future according to the "experts". Hard to believe a country that exports 70% of the food we grow here because we only need 30% to feed our people in this country will be short on food soon. HUH

 

[omicron1792]

Remember the government already showed their hand and we will be facing a global food shortage in the near future according to the "experts". Hard to believe a country that exports 70% of the food we grow here because we only need 30% to feed our people in this country will be short on food soon. HUH

Scare tactics. Remember the commercials of 1980s of starving kids. Most food shortages have been resolved. Not all, but it’s much better now. Damn global warming helping too many people.

 

[jsasker007]

You mean I can't believe what I'm being told by the same people stealing 1/3 of every paycheck I will ever get? I need a drink!

 

[omicron1792]

You mean I can't believe what I'm being told by the same people stealing 1/3 of every paycheck I will ever get? I need a drink!

1/3! You’re getting off easy. I don’t trust a word if their mouth is moving.

 

[Brokenbear]

Especially where the soil is somewhat sandy ...as well other types of soil wind erosion is also thwarted by winter cover crops ... because when you kill off something like winter wheat in preparatory to planting you are starting with a practically weed free field resulting in less chemical$ at planting timee that will go a long ways toward the cover crop $$ ..
Even a slightly more costly (like a Ground Hog type) radish (huge tubers) cover crop not only also leaves things relatively weed free but you also have the advantage of intense soil treatment creating a much better moisture holding system within the field itself ...
As you think about green/no bare dirt 24/7 365 ...you are constantly building soil, holding moisture, thwarting weeds, feeding and harboring wildlife ...and as a plotter using multi-cultures ..I most always have something at just the right stage for cover and food not to mention just about down to nothing for chemicals and except for boosting new planting like a switch grass screen no fertilizer to speak of ..
Tractor fuel use is also way way down ..

Bear

 

[SD51555]

Especially where the soil is somewhat sandy ...as well other types of soil wind erosion is also thwarted by winter cover crops ... because when you kill off something like winter wheat in preparatory to planting you are starting with a practically weed free field resulting in less chemical$ at planting timee that will go a long ways toward the cover crop $$ ..
Even a slightly more costly (like a Ground Hog type) radish (huge tubers) cover crop not only also leaves things relatively weed free but you also have the advantage of intense soil treatment creating a much better moisture holding system within the field itself ...
As you think about green/no bare dirt 24/7 365 ...you are constantly building soil, holding moisture, thwarting weeds, feeding and harboring wildlife ...and as a plotter using multi-cultures ..I most always have something at just the right stage for cover and food not to mention just about down to nothing for chemicals and except for boosting new planting like a switch grass screen no fertilizer to speak of ..
Tractor fuel use is also way way down ..

Bear

That’s the interesting split in farm thinking. There are two distinct teams when it comes to green bridge. One team seeks an absolute elimination of the GB, the other team seeks to establish a robust GB. Both can be successful, but both require dramatically different management tactics.

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[SD51555]

I might add, I’m very pro GB. I used to eat up all the stuff the Phd guys said. Even went to numerous workshops of theirs. Now I don’t follow hardly any of their science.


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