I always encourage reader participation at the end of these columns by sharing my email address and asking for your thoughts. So, this time around, I want to make good on that promise and give one of you the floor.
A message popped up in my inbox the other day with the subject line, “Strip-till…things I THINK I’ve learned after 25+ years of strip-tilling corn.” It was from Robert Hemingway, who farms about 1,500 acres in central Illinois. He gave me the green light to share some of his key takeaways from his strip-till journey. Without further ado, here they are, in Robert’s own words:
“About 30% of our acres are on a glacial moraine, borderline HEL (highly erodible land). Most of our acres are flat, black and heavy. My dad’s operation got away from plowing in the 60s. We used disc chisel in the 70s, ridge-till in the 80s, began pattern tiling in the 80s, no-tilling beans in the 90s and banding dry fertilizer with a strip machine from the local co-op in the late 90s. I currently make strips and band fertilizer with an Orthman 1tRIPr.
“Don’t expect a yield jump in the initial phase of strip-till. Yields are no better or worse than conventional in our neighborhood, but there are ways to eventually improve over conventional. There’s a learning curve.
“Fall applications of P in a band are largely unavailable by mid-season when fertility needs are ramping up in corn. The addition of products in strip might limit the tie-up?
“Reducing P and K applications by 1/3 from 100% broadcast rates will equal yields for several years. No need to go deep. 5-6 inches is OK if initial compaction issues have been dealt with.
“Most yield records are from spring applications (limiting nutrient tie-up?) with coulters. I wonder about an advantage to horizontal distribution of P and K in the root zone 4-5 inches deep with coulter-type machines versus deep narrow bands. Will spring strips with coulters work in our heavy soils? Good question. I have no experience with those tools. Spring strips in northern latitudes would be risky and a headache.
“Adapted hybrids are worth about 10-20 bushels or more. Strip-tillers need their own variety plots. Hybrid selection is important, and roots research could be invaluable.
“Fall strips are worth 10-plus bushels in high CEC, ‘difficult’ soils. Fall strips lead to physical improvements in root zone tilth and result in higher yield. Improvements are not related to banded fertilizer but to controlled traffic. Conventional spring tillage is a big negative in heavy clay soils.
“Reasons to get out of strip-till?
It requires a higher level of competency to run a strip-till bar with fertilizer vs. disc chisel or field cultivator. People get into strip-till thinking they’ll get more yield, and they get out when they don’t, even though they make more money. Weather problems can reduce getting over the acres in the fall. Running a sprayer/spreader between the strips in spring/summer is challenging in some soils. Tires on heavy sprayers tend to sink into loose soil in the strip.”
I’m sure Robert will poke the bear with some of his observations, but that’s perfectly fine because as our boss Frank Lessiter always says, “Every magazine or article should have at least one thing in it that pisses at least one person off.” Let’s keep the discussion going — send me some of your strip-till truths at Nnewman@LessiterMedia.com.