Cultivating wisdom: Exploring the seasonal uses of the double plow
The double plow is a quintessential soil management tool that attaches to a tractor. It’s widely used for a variety of farming tasks, including tilling the ground to smooth it out and removing weeds. This versatile tool plays an important role in creating an ideal environment for crop growth by evenly distributing nutrients in the soil and enhancing both aeration and drainage.
Breathing life into soil with the double plow
The double plow’s three primary functions include tilling, creating drainage, and removing debris from the soil. Through tilling, one of its most basic functions, the double plow gently breaks up hard ground to create soil suitable for growing crops. The depth of tillage can vary depending on soil conditions, crop, and tractor horsepower, but is typically between 10 and 30 cm (4 to 12 in). Tilling to the right depth breaks up the soil and allows air and water to flow through, creating a favorable environment for crop growth.
Breaking up frozen ground in the spring
Spring marks the beginning of the farming season, making it essential to gently break up the frozen ground to prepare the soil for growing crops. This is when the double plow comes in handy for spring tillage, which should be done shallowly. This is because the soil microorganisms are just starting to become active after winter dormancy, and deep plowing can destroy the microbial layer.
Revitalizing soil after a summer downpour
During the summer months, when farming is in full swing, there are relatively few opportunities to use a double plow. However, in the event a field is damaged by heavy rain, like during the monsoon rains in Korea, a double plow can help restore the soil. After the rainy season, the soil tends to become waterlogged and hardened. Quickly cultivating with the double plow can revitalize the soil and address water drainage, making it suitable for growing crops.
Enriching post-harvest soil in the fall
Autumn is arguably the most crucial time to use a double plow. Deep plowing between late summer and fall allows the organic matter to decay and break down over the winter, resulting in fine and soft soil. After harvesting the crop around October, break up the topsoil with a rotary tiller, then deep plow with the double plow to improve soil aeration throughout the field.
Pre-plowing for overwintering crops
The frozen and hardened ground during the winter makes it challenging to work with a double plow. But for farmers who grow overwintering crops, pre-plowing the ground in the fall can help crops survive the winter. In orchards, in particular, a double plow can shred branches that are pruned in late fall or winter and return them to the soil, adding nutrients that orchard soil often lacks.
With so much to offer, the double plow can handle various tasks throughout the seasons, helping to build healthy soil and increase crop production. Explore the many tractor attachments that help you shape the world around you. To discover more attachments designed to enhance TYM tractors, visit the attachments page on the TYM website.
