Traditional Tool In Untraditional
Role
ROTARY HOES ALLOW EARLIER PLANTING IN WET FIELDS AND
IMPROVE SEED ENVIRONMENT
Traditionally, Rotary Hoes aren’t
hooked on until after planting. But producers like Les
Seiler find that Yetter Min-Till Rotary Hoes can boost
productivity before planting, too.
Les
Seiler’s Rotary Hoe in action
To counter the cool, wet spring soils that
can delay no-till planting, some producers are investing
in expensive roller harrows – a single
purpose tool that re-distributes residue and cracks the
soil surface to speed drying. But Seiler – who
farms near Fayette, Ohio – says he gets the same
benefits from the Rotary Hoe. “I’ve no-tilled
for a long time and looked for a way to manage the heavy
mat of residue in our corn ground. I tested a roller harrow
and compared the results to that of the Yetter rotary Hoe.
I like the Rotary Hoe better. It does a great job of lifting
and redistributing the residue, but it doesn’t break
off and level the down standing stalks.”
“The rotary harrow,” Seiler
adds, “levels all the residue, which makes it more
difficult for the residue managers to handle during planting.
The ground we worked with the Rotary Hoe had no problems,
and it did a fine job of getting the soils ready to plant
sooner.”
According to Don Bunnell of Yetter Manufacturing,
the Rotary Hoe picks up and redistributes residue – even
wet, packed stalks – to speed up drying, without
burying any of it. He says, “By fluffing up the old
residue, warm spring air can reach the surface where it
helps dry that residue and warm the soil. You get many
of the benefits of traditional spring tillage without the
problems.”
“The rotary hoe is an ideal tool for
no-tillers” says Bunnell. “It is a high speed
tool that can help them get to the field sooner. Because
it only penetrates a fraction of an inch it doesn’t
pull up wet soil, thus there is no clodding. You can hoe
a field days before you could get in with a cultivator.
More importantly, the Rotary Hoe preserves soil moisture
down in the seed zone.”
“The ground we worked with the Rotary
Hoe had no problems, and it did a fine job of getting the
soils ready to plant sooner.” - Les Seiler
The Min-Till Rotary Hoe may also contribute
to improved weed control. Bunnell says some producers report
that fewer broadleaves come up in no-till crops after rotary
hoeing, which is a substantial additional benefit.
Seiler also believes in using the rotary hoe to improve
emergence. “I strip till my corn and use the Rotary
Hoe when seeds need a little extra help germination. I
also run it over my soybean ground when soils crust over.”
“Farmers need ways to manage input
costs,” says Bunnell. “Everyone knows they
need a Rotary Hoe sometimes to improve germination in crusty
soils and for early weed control. But by using the Rotary
Hoe as a pre-plant tool that helps speed planting and improve
germinating, producers can double their return on investment.”
