When is soil dry enough to till

Producers will be better off to simply plant the crop through the crust. The seedlings will come up through the slot that the planter cut into the soil when placing the seeds. By not tilling the soil and by not running residue movers, there will be more residue on the soil surface to reduce crusting problems, another advantage to no-till.

With a focus on industry applications and research, the online program is designed with maximum flexibility for today's working professionals. Skip to main content. Share Tweet Email. With the recent rains and the wet soils, many producers may be tempted to head to the field sooner than they should.

Do not start to plant right away. Leave the soil alone for a day or two so any compost, organic materials or soil enhancements have time to decompose and provide nutrients into the soil. Tilling Do's Always read your owner's manual prior to using your tiller. All models are slightly different, so you'll want to read the directions to ensure you're operating properly. Use a shallow tilling depth for dry, compacted soil or a medium setting for soft ground. Engage the drive and slowly create parallel lines, similar to the process you follow when mowing the lawn.

Once you finish the parallel rows, rearrange the tiller to its deepest depth and create rows perpendicular to the rows you just made.

Till about inches deep, unless your plants benefit from a specific depth. Consult your seed packets or local nursery for more information. If you are tilling a smaller, established landscape bed consider using a front-tine tiller. This design allows for the tiller to cut, dig and turn soil in smaller areas. Share This Article. Shop The Story. Item : 21DA Add to Cart. Item : 21DM If the soil ball holds its shape, then the soil is too wet for effective tilling. The soil is too dry if you can't make it form a ball when you squeeze it.

Tilling with a rototiller isn't the only way to loosen soil and prepare it for planting. Although it's best to avoid working with wet soil when possible, disturbing a wet area with a hoe, spade or trowel is best when the area must be disturbed. When adding plants to your flowerbed, for example, dig a hole for each plant, and turn the soil in just those areas to incorporate fertilizer or compost. In an area such as a vegetable garden where you typically grow plants from seeds, till the soil as shallowly as possible, such as 4 to 6 inches deep for leafy greens.

If spring weather is consistently damp in your location, then till soil in fall to give microorganisms and earthworms a chance to add texture to the soil so it won't be so compact when you plant in spring. Related Articles. Tillers Forward vs.