We hosted a very successful soil quality meeting last week at VANTAGE President Anthony Beery’s farm. Anthony dug a soil pit and we discussed improving soils through no-till practices. Anthony also discussed his experience with manure injection and planter set-up.
Farmers gathered around as NRCS staff discussed soils typical of Rockingham county cropland.
Farmers getting down and dirty to get a close up of deep rooted alfalfa.
Extension staff drew attention to this no-till planter, which uses trash wheels up front to deal with residue, and a coulter in front of the double disc openers, to deal with difficult soil conditions.
This is what it’s all about! Farmers learning from each other, here talking about their own successes with no-till planting.
Permanent link to this article: https://www.virginianotill.com/2012/08/13/soil-quality-meeting/
Slugs are rampant in some areas this year. Here are two photos of a field, taken ten feet from one another; the first without slug bait, the second without.
Bobby Clark and others have done a lot of work to find that Deadline slug bait is effective at 10 lbs/ac. Lannate was recently labeled for slug control at 1.5 pints/ac. Work in Maryland found that 30% N in a 1:1 water solution at 20 G/ac sprayed at night can also be effective. Sluggo is another product that may prove effective. The use of a starter or pop-up fertilizer and row cleaners may help the corn get a quicker start, outpacing slug injury, and reducing the immediate habitat around corn seedlings. Finally, vertical tillage is being evaluated to alter the environment harboring slugs.
Let me know if we can help you evaluate your slug management needs.
Slugs, no bait
Slugs, with bait
Permanent link to this article: https://www.virginianotill.com/2012/05/14/slugs/
