Misconceptions about soil cultivation
As an arable farmer, you want to cultivate your land as efficiently as possible, keeping an eye on soil health and practical benefits. Spading, working the soil with a spading machine, is proving to be a future-proof choice for many farmers. In this blog, written from Imants' expertise, we explain why spading is the future. We spoke to Felix, one of the owners of Imants, who shares his knowledge and insights about the power of spading.
We discuss the advantages in terms of efficiency, soil health, and practical applications in modern agriculture. Sustainability is also discussed as an additional benefit.
Smart spading for time and fuel savings
As a farmer, you want to work your soil as efficiently as possible, keeping an eye on soil health and practical benefits. Spading, working the soil with a spading machine, is proving to be a future-proof choice for many farmers. In this blog, written from Imants' expertise, we explain why spading is the future. We spoke to Felix, one of the owners of Imants, who shares his knowledge and insights about the power of spading.
We discuss the advantages in terms of efficiency, soil health, and practical applications in modern agriculture. Sustainability is also highlighted as an additional benefit.
“Everything in one go. So you're done in a single pass. And that's a big advantage.”
This not only means halving the time required, but also less diesel consumption and less wear and tear on people and machines. What's more, the less often you drive heavy machinery over the land, the less chance there is of soil compaction, a benefit that comes back later in terms of soil health.
Strong soil structure without compacted layers
Spading is not only fast, it also improves soil quality. Because the spading machine actively mixes the soil instead of turning it over, you get an airy soil without compacted layers. Unlike plowing, spading does not create a hard plow pan that restricts root growth. Roots can grow deeper, the soil contains more air and structure, and the soil remains more resilient.
“The plants can grow nicely with their roots. There is a lot of structure in the soil and a lot of air.”
This airy structure is crucial for healthy soil life and good absorption of water and nutrients. Spading machines mix crop residues, manure, and compost evenly through the top layer. Just as you mix compost into the soil in your garden before planting, spading on a large scale ensures optimal absorption of organic matter.
An additional advantage is improved water management. Rainwater sinks into the soil more easily and, during dry periods in time, moisture is drawn up better. This means less chance of puddles and greater resilience during prolonged dry periods.
Practical advantages in modern arable farming
In addition to efficiency and soil health, spading offers various practical advantages that are particularly beneficial in modern arable farming:
- Even seedbed: Spading leaves the soil finely crumbled and level. This creates a nice, even seedbed that is ready for immediate sowing or planting.
- Better weed control: A flat, well-tilled plot is ideal for mechanical weed control. “They all hoe with mechanical machines... so it has to be nice and flat,” says Felix.
- Combining operations: Imants machines are designed to perform multiple operations simultaneously. Think of spading and sowing in a single pass. This saves time and fuel and reduces the risk of the soil drying out.
- Easier harvesting: The even result allows harvesting machines to work more smoothly, with less risk of damage or loss.
Sustainable and future-proof choice
Although farmers are primarily interested in practical results, it is a nice bonus that spading also contributes to sustainability. Fewer passes means less fuel and CO₂ emissions. A light, well-mixed soil stimulates soil life and makes the soil more resilient, which is essential for tomorrow's agriculture.
Imants has been investing in spading machines for decades to help farmers improve their work processes. Our spading machines are the result of years of development and practical experience, focused on quality, reliability, and efficiency.
Curious to see how spading works in practice? Watch the videos on our YouTube channel for a visual explanation.
Translated from Dutch
