Tractor plowing: advantages and disadvantages of mechanized tillage

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

A modern gardener or summer resident simply cannot do without plowing the land. The soil needs proper care, and for this she thanks a generous harvest.

Tractor plowing

The use of modern mechanized tools makes tillage much faster and easier. The fork and shovel were replaced by productive modern equipment.

Plowing the land with a tractor is much faster, and in the midst of spring work, as a rule, every day counts, because the soil dries quickly after the snow melts. During this period, it is very important not to miss the time of its processing. Early tillage with a tractor can lead to rather unfavorable consequences - the earth will be hard and rocky after drying. Delaying the processing time will lead to evaporation and blowing out of moisture, which will negatively affect the germination of crops, since there will be a lack of moisture.

Why plow the land?

Tractor plowing is the loosening of the topsoil in order to improve its fertility. Autumn plowing underwinter is performed to saturate the soil with oxygen, ensure the freezing of weeds, and also the destruction of the underground passages of rodents. Previously, the peasants called it autumn plowing, since the land was cultivated when the first frosts set in, that is, when it fell, so to speak. On the surface, along with clods of earth, are the larvae of various pests, which die from the cold, and the underground passages of rodents are destroyed. In addition, loose soil absorbs moisture much better, and this will have a positive effect on fertility next season. And for even better results, fertilization is recommended during plowing.

In summer or spring, the land is plowed with a tractor to loosen the soil before planting. The depth of arable work, as a rule, depends on the crops that will be sown in a given area. Root crops require deeper plowing, while cereal plants do not need it.

Proper plowing with a tractor will help not only loosen the soil, but also prevent erosive processes and s alting.

Benefits of mechanized tillage

The benefits of tillage with a tractor include:

• possibility of processing large areas of land in a short time;
• high degree of soil oxygen saturation;
• deep tillage to turn over the soil layer;
• significant increase in work productivity;
• reducing the labor intensity of plowing and human effort;
• appearancethe possibility of combining several operations, for example, plowing the land with fertilizing it.

Flaws

Despite the many obvious advantages of using machinery, it is not advisable to use a tractor in all areas, since harrowing is necessary after mechanized plowing. In addition, the use of machinery in areas littered with weeds leads to even greater clogging, because plowing is carried out by the mouldboard method and weed seeds are spread over the area. That is why, before using the tractor on your site, you must consider all the above factors.

Tractor plowing services

The cost of plowing the soil depends on the geometry and area of the site, as well as the type of equipment used, be it a walk-behind tractor or a tractor. By the way, the choice of equipment for arable work requires a certain experience - the use of too heavy agricultural equipment will only, so to speak, clog the earth, too light may not cope with the task.

The tractor with a plow is endowed with great power, so it can be used on large plots of land. Plowing the land with a tractor is especially beneficial (the price per hundred square meters is an average of 1,500 rubles) if there is virgin soil on the plot, that is, soil that has not been dug up for many years.

Types of land cultivation

Basic tillage includes various types of plowing (modular plow, moldless plow, flat cutters), cultivation, harrowing.

Tractor plowingprovides loosening with simultaneous laying of plant residues and fertilizers (manure, peat, humus). For this, different plows are used, differing in the shape of the blade. Loosening, wrapping the arable layer of the earth, crumbling largely depends on the shape of the plow.

When using a non-moldboard plow, the soil is plowed to a depth of 30 cm without turning the layer. Experts recommend such deep plowing every 3 or 4 years, especially in the most arid areas. This will help prevent moisture loss.

To enrich the soil with organic fertilizers in between, it is cultivated with disc cultivators, which rids the land of weeds, loosens the topsoil, and increases productivity.

Cultural ploughing, performed by a plow with skimmers, has advantages. It makes it possible to carry out separate processing of the upper and lower soil layers, as a result of which almost all weeds are destroyed, since all plant remains, seeds and roots are embedded deep into the arable land.