Capozzo and Sons
Excavating Inc.
"Meeting your excavating & landscaping needs, and a whole lot more"
Why is drainage important?
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Higher Yields and improved crop quality-
Yields from over 125 drainage experiments produced the following
estimated increase in yield attributed to sub-surface drainage:
Corn-34% Alfalfa-42% Soybeans-29% Wheat-76%
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Faster Soil Warm-up-
Tiled fields have the advantage of a 5-15 degrees warmer soil
temperature. A wet soil is a cold soil. Surface evaporation,
which has a cooling effect, is reduced. How would you like to
set in cold water all spring?
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Less Compaction-
By drying out faster and not working the ground wet you have
much less chance of creating a compaction problem. Many yield
problems can be traced back to compaction problems. If you
deep-till a tiled field the chances are better it will stay
uncompacted much better than non-tiled fields.
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Larger, Deeper Roots-
By lowering the water table in the spring the roots continue to
go down seeking moisture. Tiling creates air and water channels
to encourage better root growth and soil penetration. By this
means, the quantity of nutrients extractable by the plants is
maintained at a higher level.
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Better soil aeration-
Tiled soil can percolate better, allowing water and air to reach
the roots. The channels created from water and air moving down
through the soil to the tile let it breath. Roots are just like
humans, they need to bring in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide.
Can you relate to how much better you feel every time you get
rid of a congested chest. Tiling is the decongestant for your
soil.
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More favorable environment for beneficial soil microorganisms
and earthworms-
By opening the soil to breath all small microorganisms and
earthworms and now thrive. These aerobic organisms are what help
make nitrogen and sulfur more available.
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Less yield variation for more dependable cash flow-
In a university study yields varied 46% on undrained soil versus
18% on tiled soil. Best of all, yields were consistently high.
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Allows more days of machinery operation-
With faster dry up and warmer soils you can get in the fields
earlier in the spring for planting and perform fall operations
later in the year when cool temperatures slow down soil drying.
Dry soils allow more timely postemergence applications and limit
compaction.
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Allows earlier planting-
Longer Growing Season allows you to plant earlier for higher
yields.You can now pick the optimum variety for early plantings
and high yields. In some years this alone can mean a phenomenal
amount of difference in yield.
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Better soil structure-
Promotes much better soil tilth since you aren't working soil
when it is wet. Tiling also increases soil granulation to allow
better water and air interaction with the roots. The soil
becomes more porous allowing the water to stay where it lands
instead of running off.
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Increases yields in dry years-
Deeper root development enables plants to better withstand
summer droughts. Roots usually penetrate to within 15 inches of
the water table. High water tables in the spring due to poor
drainage cause shallow root development and a smaller soil
volume from which plants can obtain moisture and nutrients.
Since tiled crops are planted earlier and grow quicker they can
mature before late summer stress sets in. (The early bird
catches the worm and early season moisture!)
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Lowers Nitrogen losses-
More Nitrogen caused by water-logged soils and the better
activity of the aerobic organism. Tiling dries the soil to
create the perfect environment for nitrogen utilization and
aerobic organisms to thrive. How much did you spent for N this
year! I bet it's not pocket change, you well know that N is one
of the most expensive inputs.
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Consistent Seed Stands-
This can make or break you! Better Stands can be achieved by
less rotting of seeds before germination. Perfect stands are
much more likely when the tiled soil is 10 degrees warmer and
the soil is dry and not mud. You can't get top yields if you
don't have the plants there to begin with. Getting a good even
stand is probably the most important ingredient to a high yield.
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Removes toxins-
Certain toxic substances and disease organisms are removed from
the soil due to better drainage and aeration. Specifically it
lowers iron and manganese toxicity levels when air can reach
these elements. Tiling is just like getting rid of a cold!
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Less Erosion-
Soil erosion is reduced by increasing the capacity to hold
rainfall and let it percolate through the soil instead of
running off. Less erosion allows the fertility levels and soil
structure that you have built for years to stay intact.
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One-Time expense-
A one-time cost that pays back year after year with no further
investment. Seed, fertilizers and chemicals cost you a bundle
every year, machinery breaks down and needs replaced. Tile rakes
in profits and higher yields for the rest of your life. Tiling
is the "energizer bunny" of farm investments, it keeps going,
and going....
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The profit is at the top end-
It costs virtually the same to farm 120 bu/ac farm ground as it
does 170 bu/acre farm land, maybe a little more drying and
hauling. It is hard to make decent money until you hit the
150-220 bushel yield range. Dad always said, "Good farmers farm
good ground." Tiling turns farms into "good ground" .
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Lower Drying Costs-
Tiled crops grow and mature faster and up to 6 points drier in
the fall.
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Lowers Breakeven Price Per Bushel-
With the same input costs and fixed costs, the breakeven on 130
bu/ac corn is $2.30/bu where if you had 160 bu/ac it is
$1.87/bu.
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Lower Machinery Costs-
With combines approaching $200,000 it is nice to know that tiled
land allows you to be in the fields more days during the whole
crop season and harvest. This allows you to get more done with
less equipment and farm it when the conditions are right.
Courtesy of soilmax.com
As a farmer what are some of the benefits?
Click on image to enlarge:
If you have anymore questions please give us a call. Below is one of our flyers click on the image to download.
 Drainage Flyer |
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