With a late harvest, a wet fall and slow-melting snow, Ohio farmers may be facing more compaction issues than usual this spring. But no-till farmers may be better off than others, says Randall Reeder, Ohio State University (OSU) Extension agricultural engineer.

“Farmers faced a late harvest and a wet fall, and with so much snow they haven’t had the opportunity to get into their fields and prepare the ground for planting,” Reeder says.

Reeder also says that heavy combines and grain carts driven on wet or saturated soils increased the risk for soil compaction. Compaction destroys the soil structure and leaves ruts, which can increase spring planting problems like poor plant establishment, which can put a ceiling on yield potential.

No-till fields are probably less rutted than soil that was tilled prior to last season.
“However, if ruts exist, do the least amount of light tillage necessary to smooth the field enough for the planter or drill to operate,” Reeder says. “This is no time to try deep tillage. Look for signs of compaction during the summer, and then consider subsoiling or planting a cover crop to correct it after harvest.”

That’s probably good advice for farmers who like to chisel plow in the fall.

“It’s a big risk to till wet ground in March,” Reeder adds. “There’s less chance of freezing and thawing to break up clods before planting.”

Farmers can take steps to better manage compaction in the future by following these tips: