Articles by Daniel Davidson

No-Till Notes: Vertical Tillage Has Its Place in No-Till Fields

Whether it’s processing residue, removing surface compaction or seeding covers, vertical tillage can be a valuable tool in your no-till system.

By Daniel Davidson posted on October 29, 2016 | Posted in Cover Crops, Equipment, Residue Management

As a no-tiller, any form of tillage is usually a bad word and some no-tillers are adamant that any form of soil disturbance is taboo. However, there are places where some form of ‘tillage’ has its place and can add value to a no-till system. All the worms, microbes and organic matter that no-till fosters won’t always be the solution to every soil problem.

No-Till Notes: How to Plan Your Summer Fertility Program

Soil test to determine what’s available to your crops and follow with tissue or sap testing to detect possible deficiencies.

By Daniel Davidson posted on April 16, 2016 | Posted in Nutrient Management

Planning your crop’s fertility begins with soil testing, followed by planning your fertilizer application, followed by summer tissue testing. Some nutrients will go on in the fall, others in the spring and the rest in the summer, depending on you and your agronomist’s approach to nutrient management.

No-Till Notes: Tips for Successful No-Till Planting and Emergence

No-tillers only have one shot to set their crops up for high-yielding potential, so focus on what’s required to achieve a quick, even emergence and vigorous stand this spring.

By Daniel Davidson posted on February 15, 2016 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Residue Management

AS NO-TILLERS, we’re challenged with configuring planters that can handle residue and properly place seed in the soil.

No-Till Notes: Making Sense of Growing Options for Yield Enhancers

The market for seed treatments, foliar nutrients and biologicals is growing at a dizzying pace, but no-tillers can make sense of it by doing some research and asking pointed questions.

By Daniel Davidson posted on December 14, 2015 | Posted in Crop Protection, Nutrient Management, Soil Health

Growers want to increase yield, and do it profitability and consistently. When I talk about increasing yields, I look at it from two perspectives: foundation agronomy and technology add-ons or products.

Fall is the Best Time to Assess No-Till Fields

Harvest time can be demanding, but no-tillers should make time to assess the physical, chemical and biological conditions of their soils.

By Daniel Davidson posted on October 26, 2015 | Posted in No-Till Farming 101, Nutrient Management, Soil Health

No-tillers are busy in the fall harvesting their crops and applying fertilizer and may have little time for anything else before winter sets in. However, fall really is a good time to evaluate fields and assess the soil’s physical, chemical and biological conditions.

No-Till Notes: Tight Margins Require Closer Look at Fall Fertility Programs

Frequent soil sampling, nitrogen stabilizers, spring and split applications and cover crops are important tools to help no-tillers keep more nutrients for the crop.

By Daniel Davidson posted on August 21, 2015 | Posted in Cover Crops, Nutrient Management, Soil Health

AS WE MOVE INTO fall harvest, no-tillers need to be thinking about the soil, available nutrient reserves and planning their fall fertility program.

No-Till Notes

4 In-Season Tools that Lead to Better No-Till Crops

Mid season scouting, foliar applications and new tools like plant sap analysis could help no-tillers get bigger yields or refine their fertility programs for future seasons.

By Daniel Davidson posted on June 11, 2015 | Posted in Crop Protection, Nutrient Management, Soil Health

Successful No-Tillers don’t rest on their laurels once the seed is in the ground.

Managing N, P and K in No-Till Corn, Soybean Rotations

No-tillers face some tough challenges at planting time that require an active, tailored approach to managing precious, costly inputs.

By Daniel Davidson posted on May 18, 2015 | Posted in Nutrient Management

With spring upon us, no-tillers are probably anxious to get to the field. As you mentally prepare to head to the field and make your last-minute fertilizer and seed decisions and equipment adjustments, take time think about your fertilizer program and make sure you have enough to feed the crop.

Getting Ready for Those Spring No-Till Challenges

Focusing on healthy soil, avoiding compaction and outfitting your no-till planter properly can help you overcome challenges with no-tilling in tough soils.

By Daniel Davidson posted on February 11, 2015 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Residue Management

As No-Tillers get ready for field work this spring, they need to think about the practices they’re deploying and whether those will help them achieve their yield and profit goals.

No-Till Notes

Nitrogen on Soybeans: To Use or Not to Use

No-tillers wanting to break a yield plateau with soybeans should study the nitrogen cycle and identify environments where additional applications makes sense.

By Daniel Davidson posted on December 8, 2014 | Posted in Nutrient Management

Applying nitrogen on soybeans is a controversial topic, because farmers want to do it, but university experts say it doesn’t work.

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No-Till Legend Concerned About Corn Profits in 2024

On this episode of Conservation Ag Update, brought to you by Martin Till, Vincennes, Ind., no-tiller Ray McCormick explains why it’s going to be tough to “not lose a lot of money this year” on corn. Plus, we ask our readers, “On a scale of 1-10, how concerned are you about drought this year?” Hear why some farmers are worried, and why others aren’t very worried at all.

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