Some tips from the University of Nebraska to consider for the rest of harvest since it looks like we’ll have wet weather. The full article is here and is worth a few minutes of your time.
10 Tips to Avoid Compaction on Wet Soils at Harvest Time
- Wait until the soil dries enough to support the combine.
- Don’t use grain bin extensions or fill the combine as full.
- Use wide tires with lower inflation pressures.
- Keep trucks out of the field. Consider unloading at the ends of the field, not on the go.
- Grain cart should track the same rows as the combine.
- Don’t turn around in the middle of the field.
- Don’t fill the grain cart as full, unload more often.
- Establish a grain cart path and stay on it.
- Don’t till wet soils as they are easily compacted.
- Use cover crops to help build soil structure.