| 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.
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 redistributes
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 crowns and
standing stalks.”
“The
rotary harrow,” Seiler adds, “levels all the
residue, which makes it more difficult for the residue
managers to handle during planting. This year, we had
a lot of rain that washed off tons of stalks in fields
that were worked with the roller harrow. 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 in the field sooner. Because it only penetrates
a fraction of an inch, it doesn’t pull up wet soil,
so there is no clodding, and you can hoe a field days
before you could get in with a cultivator. More important,
the Rotary Hoe preserves soil moisture down in the seed
zone.”
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 likes using the Rotary Hoe in those years when seeds
need a little extra help germinating. “I strip till
my corn and use the Rotary Hoe as a crust buster to improve
my stands. 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 germination, producers
can double their return on investment.”
Established
in 1930 and based in Colchester, Illinois, Yetter Manufacturing
Company is the industry leader in planter attachments
that boost productivity and profitability. Yetter makes
a variety of coulters, residue managers, precision fertilizer
placement products, markers and bulk seed handling devices.
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