Strip-Till Conservation

Strip-Till is a practice that targets soil disturbance to the crop planting zone. Call it a tillage compromise, where it can balance some of the soil benefits of no-till while still preparing a narrow seed bed, alleviating compaction, warming soils, and burying residue and weeds. By leaving the between-row areas undisturbed, it can retain surface residue, maintain soil structure, and reduce erosion. Years of research have shown strip tillage can offer clear advantages to conventional tillage.  Farmers often cite the labor and time savings along with the soil-improving benefits, like less soil disturbance, decreased compaction, deeper crop rooting, and better drainage.