ST. JEAN BAPTISTE, Man. — Marginal gains are the best hope for most Red River Valley farmers when it comes to soil compaction.
The deck is loaded against growers who operate in heavy, wet soils.
“A lot of this is not within our control,” said soil management specialist Marla Riekman during St Jean Farm Days held Jan. 4-5.
“There is a little bit within our control. We need to figure out exactly what it is.”
Riekman said tilling soil when it is dry or saturated carries low risk for compaction.
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Unfortunately, most valley farmers have to work their soils when they are moist or wet, exacerbating the problem.
Soil gets compacted by the weight of machinery that squeezes out the air pockets between particles of soil.
When soil is very dry it doesn’t stick together, and when it is saturated the water keeps the air pockets intact.
Farmers can improve their situation with compaction by being careful where they drive, how much their tires are inflated and how they till.
Compaction is a problem because it limits root space, eliminates room for moisture and eliminates air pockets — essential for certain beneficial chemical and other processes to occur efficiently.
Farmers have a number of tools and practices to minimize compaction, including track and tire choices, tillage methods and timing.
But many times in the Red River valley, such as during the recent wet years, not much can be done that doesn’t exacerbate the problem or offers only slight relief.
