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Mild winter springs compaction concerns

An agronomist is concerned mild winter conditions could make soil compaction more of a problem this spring.

Josh Johnston with AgriGold says the typical freeze, thaw cycle will not play out in many corn and soybean-growing regions this year.

“Even now with the northern states, the soil is (usually) completely frozen, (but) there’s actually fieldwork being done. So I would really monitor soil compaction (and) if you need to do some type of spring tillage, don’t be scared to go out there and break up some of those compaction layers.”

He tells Brownfield most of the Corn Belt will be starting out drier than normal.

“So I think timely rains are going to be very critical when we go into this planting season trying to grow another really good crop.”

Johnston, who is based in Kentucky, says a positive of the mild winter is a smaller “carbon penalty” because warm soils have allowed additional residue to break down.