If you have Roundup Ready soybeans you are just wasting fuel and soil. If you are growing specialty bean than you can justify cultivation.
Your Grand Father was doing it as a weed control measure. Many of the broad leaf weed controls, of years ago, would hurt the soybeans a little. So if you could cultivate and get the canopy to shade the rows. You would yield more than if you sprayed.
Today you will not help the weed control if you are raising RR soybeans. You might even hurt the weed control because the cultivation might make new weed seeds germinate. Plus if it turns off dry you will lose moisture by cultivation.
I have raised soybeans for over forty years. Todays genetics are making the yields higher than ever before. I don"t want to disrespect your Grand Father but he was just hanging on to some thing he "All ways" did. He was not making a economic judgment.
If you want to raise your yields here are some things to try. 1) Try narrower row spacing than 30 inch. I see a 4-5 bushel yield bump with fifteen inch or narrower rows. 2) Control planting depth and spacings. This will help get a even healthy crop. 3) Control fertility and disease will help get that top little jump in yields. 4) Fine tune the variety to the soil/weather/farm. I have found some varieties that just do better on my home farm that might not be good on my other ground.
I commend any young person that want to learn and try different things. Just apply your self to the things that can move you forward not things that have fallen by the wayside because they failed the test of time.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - Women and Tractors - Tractor Engine Repair - by Teri Burkholder. One of the great things about working on a tractor engine with your other half is that you know what he is thinking of at all times and can anticipate his every move and his next thought of what he will do. With Ben, anyway, I can tell! He'll be busy working and I’m handing him tools and he says, "give me that..." and I’ve already got it in his hand or "hand me that....."and I’ve got the portable light right where he needed it placed to see. "Run in the house and get me a...."as I open th
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
1964 I-H 140 tractor with cultivators and sidedresser. Starts and runs good. Asking 2650. CALL RON AT 502-319-1952
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
