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Equipment Planning by Soil Type

Soil decides when you can work, how hard the ground fights back and how fast tools wear. Knowing what you have under your tires makes every equipment decision easier.

How do you find out what soil you have?

Start with the free soil survey information from USDA NRCS, which maps soils across the country. Dig a few small holes and look at color, texture and depth. Squeeze moist soil to feel whether it is gritty, silky or sticky.

Your extension office can help interpret what you find, and can often arrange a soil test for fertility.

A shovel and a ruler are the best soil tools you will own. Dig down about a foot in several places and look for layers, standing water and color changes. Write what you learn on a simple map of the property: clay in the low corner, sand on the ridge, rock near the creek. Keep it in the shop and add to it every season. That one page guides tire choices, tillage timing and even where you park.

What equipment works on heavy clay soils?

Clay holds water, sticks to tools and compacts easily. It can be hard as concrete when dry and slick when wet, so timing is everything. Work it when moisture is right, not too wet or too dry.

Wider tires and lighter loads reduce compaction. Tools that break up compaction, such as a subsoiler, may help but should be used with advice, since working clay too wet can make it worse.

Never till clay when it is wet enough to form a ribbon. The surface may look dry, but deeper soil can be sticky and easily smeared. If your soil is heavy, plan for fewer trips with heavy implements and more trips with lighter ones, and do not let a wet spring tempt you into rushing.

• Wait for the right moisture, not just a dry-looking surface
• Use wide tires and avoid heavy loads when wet
• Clean sticky soil from implements to protect them
• Avoid repeated passes over the same wet spots

What equipment works on sandy soils?

Sand drains fast and offers little traction. Tires dig in and implements wear quickly from the abrasive grains. Minimum tillage helps keep moisture and organic matter.

Check air filters and grease points more often, since sand gets into everything.

On a small garden or orchard plot, a light rear-mount tiller may suffice, but on sandy ground, too many passes burn up organic matter. A single careful pass is usually enough. Sandy ground also dries quickly, which can tempt you to mow or till right after rain. It is often fine, but check that the surface will hold a loaded tractor first.

What about silt, loam and mixed soils?

Loams and silt loams are often easier to work, but silty soils can crust and erode. Many farms have a mix, so conditions change across one field. Keep notes on which parts dry first and which stay wet.

Mark soft spots with flags, and plan routes that avoid them when wet.

A hay field with loam and a low spot that holds water needs two different plans. Work the dry parts on schedule and wait for the wet parts.

How do rocky and shallow soils change the plan?

Rocks break tools and bend blades. Choose implements with shear protection and run them more slowly. Shallow soils may call for light tillage only, since digging into rock layers causes damage.

Probe unknown areas before heavy work, and call 811 before any digging.

A box blade and a good set of hand tools often do more to move rock than a big machine, and they cause less damage when something goes wrong.

How do you protect soil across all types?

Limit passes, avoid working wet ground, keep residue and cover where you can and use good traffic patterns. Your NRCS office can discuss conservation practices and any programs that fit your land.

Compaction can last for years, so avoid it more than you repair it.

A cover crop or residue left on the surface protects soil from rain and wind, and it means fewer trips with a tillage tool.

When should you ask for help?

Ask your extension agent or NRCS about soil survey results, drainage and tillage choices. A dealer can discuss tire, ballast and implement options. A qualified mechanic should fix any machine problems.

If you are planning major grading or drainage, hire a qualified contractor.

A few notes on what worked and what did not, written in the shop after each season, will serve you better than any catalog.

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