The most important thing we do before we take the tractor into the field is to check the soil. It must be crumbly when you crush it in your hands. If is molds into ball like clay then it is time to turn around and check another day.
To put it very simply soil is made up of mineral and organic matter (50%), water (25%) and air (25%). Cultivating when too much water is present destroys the structure in the soil and can cause conditions for plant root diseases to thrive. Too dry and you need a more powerful tractor to make a tilth to plant into plus your soil blows away in clouds of dust. When it is dry we always pre-irrigate so that the soil is moist.
No matter how fancy your new tractor is you have to get off and get your hands dirty… Nigel
