Cultural plowing: what it is and features, other types and methods of processing

To keep the soil in good condition for growing plants, it needs to be regularly cultivated. For these purposes, various methods are used, including the improvement of the land by cultural plowing. Thanks to this method, it is possible to avoid a compacted layer, as well as cope with malicious weeds, improve soil looseness and aeration.

What is plowing

Plowing, plowing or arable work is tillage with a special tool - a mouldboard plow. With its help, a layer of earth is cut and turned over, making it more suitable for agriculture and plant cultivation.

Plowing is the main and most responsible part of agricultural work, affecting subsequent operations.

What is it for?

Plowing is used to raise virgin soil - unplowed, untouched land, as well as to improve the soil used in agriculture. When plowing, a dense layer of earth turns over, which allows you to get the following results:

1. Wrapping the topsoil kills surface weeds and damages deep roots.
2. Crushing soil.
3. Mixing the soil layers.

As a result of this treatment, the soil becomes looser, free from weeds, saturated with air, easily passing moisture to the roots of plants. It is possible to get rid of the soil crust, which impedes the growth of planted plants and the germination of sown seeds.

Types of plowing

As a method of cultivating the land, plowing has existed since time immemorial. The first samples of processing were carried out manually, using improvised objects made of wood, bones and animal horns. Later, a wooden plow appeared. Then came the primitive plow invented in the Roman Empire. It was equipped with wheels and had a cutting tip made of metal. With its help, it was possible to regulate the depth of the furrow being laid and to recline the plowed land. This has significantly improved tillage and has had a positive impact on agriculture.

Initially, people themselves served as draft power, then farm animals, after the invention of steam technology, the first mechanized devices appeared. Today, plowing is carried out by various methods using modern instruments and devices. Soil cultivation methods have also been improved, which has led to the emergence of several methods of plowing.

Full-revolution plowing

This is the most ancient method, which today has come under considerable criticism from experienced agronomists and agricultural scientists. When using it, the earth layer turns over 180 degrees, that is, the top layer is at the bottom, and vice versa. Such plowing is mainly intended for processing areas with dense turfing, which are impossible or difficult to process by other methods.

The advantage of the technique is the complete reversal of the undercut layer, in which weeds and their seedlings, seeds are below, underground, rot and rot.

Plowing with uplift

With this method, the ground is cut and falls off at an angle of 135 degrees. This forms air "pockets" in which moisture accumulates to nourish the cultivated plants.Unlike the previous version, not deep furrows and shafts appear on the ground, but comb structures that help retain precipitation and soak it into the ground.

This method has a drawback - due to the specific angle of cutting, part of the weeds remains alive and continues to compete with cultural plantings for water, light and nutrients. However, in our latitudes this is the most popular and widespread method of soil treatment.

Since the above methods have certain disadvantages, a method was invented that makes it possible to avoid them, improving the quality of processing and soil fertility.

Cultural plowing

This is a type of plowing that involves the use of skimmers. Due to their use, it is possible to combine all the advantages of the two previous methods: the air "pocket" is filled up, preventing the germination of weeds, and the surface of the plowed area is even.

Thus, this method is intermediate between full rotation plowing and uplift.

Work tools

Agriculture uses a variety of plowing devices that provide soil cultivation for further planting of crops.

Motor winch

This is a plowing device that pulls a plow or cultivator on a cable. The motor winch is excellent for processing personal and summer cottages, as it is intended not only for plowing, but also for other operations:

1. Hilling.
2. Planting and digging potatoes.
3. Transportation of goods around the site.

With the help of a motorized winch, plowing is carried out by the mouldboard method.

Motoblock

This is a self-propelled device driven by a wheel shaft. Its advantages are the ability to move forward and backward, as well as the versatility of use. A number of additional devices can be hung on the base of the walk-behind tractor - from a cultivator and a seeder, a mower and a harvester to a miniature vehicle. With it, you can transport fertilizer around the site and feed farm animals.

Plow

The modern plow is very different from its ancient prototype. There are several options for devices, divided according to the following criteria:

1. By type of cutting elements: share and disc.
2. According to the principle of traction: horse, rope and tractor.
3. By the number of work items: single, double and multi-body.
4. General purpose and speci alty.
5. According to the method of plowing - for smooth plowing and furrowing.

The type of plow used, as well as the depth of plowing, depend on the soil and purpose of plowing, what plants are planned to be planted in the future.

Tractor

This is a wheeled or tracked machine that performs multiple jobs and operations with attachments. Plowed tractors with a wheel drive operate at a speed of 6-10 kilometers per hour, with a caterpillar - 10-20 kilometers per hour. The technical characteristics of the latter type take into account the peculiarities of high-speed plowing: they have enough power and good tillage speed.

Technique

Several methods of plowing the land are used:

1. Smooth, which is considered the most perfect. It is carried out using reversible plows connected to the tractor with a three-point suspension. They have two mirror-connected sets of shares. As a result of the operation of the device, the ridges are oriented in one direction.
2. Driven, resulting from plowing with a conventional plow. Such plowing is not smooth, half of the plot has ridges on the left, and the other on the right. At the same time, either a double ridge (pillow plowing) or a double furrow (ploughing) can form in the center of the paddock.
3. Shape plowing is used in areas with irregularities, while the plow does not rise from the soil. This method is rarely used because it leaves a lot of untreated areas.

Plowing is the most important component of agricultural work, the future harvest and soil fertility largely depend on the correctness of which.

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