Newsletter May 2022 Issue 3- Strip Tilling

Newsletter May 2022 – Issue 3

Enter Bostock’s Agricultural contractors from Tean, stoke on Trent, an agricultural contracting business understanding the need to improve the environmental footprint of maize—and having had great success in reduced cultivation cereal establishment with a direct disc drill, this is now another tool in the toolbox to help the transition towards no till and regenerative agricultural principles.

Once the cultivator has been through, the ground is left for 24hrs to settle and then With the Azurit, LEMKEN drill the maize is sown at 75cm that has set standards in precision seeding. The staggered placement of the grains in the Delta Row triangle provides the plants with more nutrients, more water and more light. With this advantage for the plant, a higher yield can be achieved with the same crop density.

By only cultivating the strip into which the seed will be planted, a large proportion of the soil is, in effect, left uncultivated. This not only reduces the costs and HP requirement of establishing the crop, but also increases the infiltration rate of the soil and so reducing the likelihood of water running off. It also helps maintain organic matter levels in the soil, improving water holding capacity and trafficability come harvest.

Liquid Digestate was applied at 40cm3/ha directly in the furrow of the strip till machine, placing crucial elements such as phosphorus and potassium, which are required in great quantities especially potassium during the development stage until tasseling occurs.

Strip-till is where only the future seed furrow is cultivated, preserving a layer of undisturbed residue in the inter-row. By working only in the seed furrow, you give the crop every chance of success just like a conventional preparation.

In the inter-row, you benefit from the advantages of direct seeding: water conservation, suppression of weeds, improved soil biology and reduced mechanisation loads.

strip tillage can be used in areas needing structural improvement, allowing less intrusive direct drilling to follow once structure has improved. As the soil improves and root depths increase, cultivations can be further tweaked (less being more in many cases) to maintain soil structure and health.

The opening disc cuts through any plant residues and cuts a slot ready for the leg, Debris clearers clear out any residue in the seed furrow to provide a clean seedbed.

The leg and point cracks and loosens the seed furrow to allow good development of the roots. The adjustment of the working depth from 7 to 30 cm is done without tools.

The rear press wheels reconsolidate the seedbed and avoid cavities in the seed furrow.

To keep updated on how this establishment progresses we will post a weekly blog on how the crop is performing. This method of establishment is also suited to those wanting to strip till into living clover mulches, cover crops, sowing oilseed rape, or before spring sown crops such as fodder beet.

We are looking forward to seeing how the system runs this season. Look out for further information throughout the year.