Tillage (Working the Ground)

Working the soil incorrectly can make it so that you will lose your crop during or shortly after planting.

Tillage is essential to achieve great planting results. Even though it just seems like farmers are out there driving the tractor, there is a lot of strategy and intellectual capital or technology that goes into setting knowing which implement to use and setting it correctly. With some ground working tools, an inch too deep means you lose your crop after planting and and an inch to shallow and planting the crop will be nearly impossible.

 Working the ground has several purposes:

• Controls weeds before planting
• Mitigates dead plant material on surface of soil
• Prepares the seed for firmness and seed to soil contact