Photo Gallery: Vertical Tillage Photos | Corn and Soybean Digest

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Straight coulters

Straight coulters on shallow vertical tillage tools slice residue and direct soil disturbance downward, rather than side-to-side. Photo: Kevan Klingberg, University of Wisconsin

Great Plains Turbo Till

A Great Plains Turbo Till with rolling spike and reel is one of several shallow vertical tillage tools on the market that size crop residue and loosen the top layer of soil while leaving as much residue as possible on the surface. Photo: Kevan Klingberg, University of Wisconsin

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Summers Supercoulter Plus 1 with rolling spike

A Summers Supercoulter Plus with rolling spike and reel is one of several shallow vertical tillage tools on the market that size crop residue and loosen the top layer of soil while leaving as much residue as possible on the surface. Photo: Kevan Klingberg, University of Wisconsin

Summers Supercoulter Plus 2 with rolling chopper

A Summers Supercoulter Plus with rolling chopper is one of several shallow vertical tillage tools on the market that size crop residue and loosen the top layer of soil while leaving as much residue as possible on the surface. Photo: Kevan Klingberg, University of Wisconsin

Soil disturbance

A single pass with a shallow vertical tillage tool disturbed about 40% of soil surface, according to University of Wisconsin Discovery Farms research. The white pins mark coulter blade depth of a Summers Supercoulter Plus vertical tillage machine. The colored pins mark soil disturbance width. Photo: Kevan Klingberg, University of Wisconsin

Soil disturbance

A single pass with a shallow vertical tillage tool disturbed about 40% of soil surface, according to University of Wisconsin Discovery Farms research. The white pins mark coulter blade depth of a Summers Supercoulter Plus vertical tillage machine. The colored pins mark soil disturbance width. Photo: Kevan Klingberg, University of Wisconsin

Residue post-planting

A single pass with a shallow vertical tillage tool left 70% - 80% of corn residue in place after planting, in trials by the University of Wisconsin Discovery Farms. Most residue was cut into pieces 12 in. or smaller. Photos: Kevan Klingberg, University of Wisconsin

Residue post-planting

A single pass with a shallow vertical tillage tool left 70% - 80% of corn residue in place after planting, in trials by the University of Wisconsin Discovery Farms. Most residue was cut into pieces 12 in. or smaller. Photos: Kevan Klingberg, University of Wisconsin

Intact corn roots

About 80% of last year’s corn roots remained anchored in the ground after one pass of a shallow vertical tillage tool, in trials by the University of Wisconsin Discovery Farms. More aggressive vertical tillage tools with angled gangs or concave blades ejected more corn roots. Photo: Kevan Klingberg, University of Wisconsin

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Jay and Craig Furseth

Jay Furseth (left) and his cousin Craig Furseth are part of a family group that raises grain and milks 190 dairy cows near Stoughton, Wis. The family uses an adjustable Great Plains Turbo Max to manage residue and prepare the seedbed. They run the coulter blades at an angle on flat ground, where erosion risk is low. On slopes, they shift the blades to the straight position, which disturbs less soil. The coulters cut corn root balls, Jay says, but leave them fairly well anchored in the soil, a benefit for erosion control. The Furseths also used the tool on soybean residue last spring in a few wet fields, running about 1.5 in. deep ahead of the corn planter. Photo: Cathy Furseth