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Eastern Ontario | Thanks for the pics and commentary. I was questioning whether to plant beans again for the third year on some heavy clay fields I rent. My alternative crop was wheat but I really didn't want to get into a second crop. I have limited storage. Now I'll seriously consider beans again.
I use "well experienced" equipment for the most part as I'm only getting a foot hold in cash cropping (this is my second year cropping). I use an old drill and have been planting at 7.5". My yields this year, I have been told, are as good or better than the average for the area. Should I plan to widen my spacing (15") on these fields for year three? I'm not in a position yet to go hunting for new modern equipment. I'm wondering if I'm playing Russian Roulette with mold planting at 7.5".
I experimented a little with this years crop. I plowed (disced) down red clover seeded under oats the previous year on a section of one field (15 acres). I seeded it primarily for erosion control. I expected I would see a slight yield advantage - early N for start up and better soil tilth. What I saw was a neutral at best yield performance over the rest of the field. And as you mentioned other areas of my fields that had stress from excess moisture in July seemed to outyield more robust looking parts of the field. I can't explain that at all. Something else bothering me is the comment made about beans after beans will have a negative effect on soil organic matter. If we chop and spread bean stocks and chaff back onto the field and work this material into the soil, is this not returning organic matter back to the soil similar to wheat that has straw removed?
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2008 crop is in the bins
