Before making a pass in the field, farmers should test soil, assess fields for standing water or ponding, and decide what actions are needed to improve the soil’s overall health and structure.

An easy test for soil compaction in your lawn is to take a screwdriver with a 6-inch shaft and see if you can easily insert it into your soil. If not, it is seriously compacted.

Removing compaction and density layers before transitioning to a vertical system can add 15 bu. to 20 bu. per acre and might lower cost of production, according to Farm Journal Test Plot research.

Compaction has both natural and man-made causes. While a small amount of spring soil compaction may not be cause for concern, hard soils will have a difficult time growing healthy crops. Take note of ...

Soil compaction also can reduce infiltration, soil water storage, and biological activity, and also increase erosion and destroy soil aggregates (Shaheb et al.,2021).

You don’t have to send your soil off for testing to get a good idea of its type. This Cowlitz County Master Gardener explains ...

Podcaster Show PlayerDepending on full compaction test results, Schreur said it still could be an option to just work the ground to grade and put the building on it. County Engineer Jeremy Purvis ...

Most terrestrial plants are highly dependent on the soil for their well-being. A very favorable soil contains 50 percent open “pore” space, 45 percent minerals, and 5 percent organic material.