Avoid Soil Compaction

The weather is trying to turn and we’re just getting started with NH3 and Supergrow application. The southern region kicked off NH3 over this past weekend and has been getting along very well. With spring applications starting, a big concern we have is soil compaction.

Application equipment has gotten larger over the years and can cause compaction if conditions are too wet. This is especially a concern when pulling NH3 tanks. If the ground is not quite fit, this will cause streaks in the field later in the season. These streaks can cause 10-20% yield reduction, if not more. Waiting until field conditions are right, and potentially delaying planting, will outweigh damage we could do by getting into a field that’s too wet.

With NH3 you only need to wait one week before planting. As long as we have a window by early April, I’m not advising customers to risk soil compaction. I prefer to see corn planted by mid-April, but waiting a week or so after that will not affect yield as much as a tracked-up, compacted field. We’re evaluating field conditions daily so touch base with your SFG agronomist to see if your fields are ready to go!