Tilling performs all of the soil building activities

Tilling process in Marutham field of SEVAI

“Tilling performs all of the soil building activities” says Chinnadurai, the young farmers group of SEVAI-Marutham in Trichy district. Chinnadurai further added, “SEVAI prepares the soil for Co4 grass growing as fodder for OFI-SEVAI Cow Project by incorporating compost into the soil through tilling for cultivation. The tilling  activities improve the soil by allowing air freer passage, permitting better water drainage, making the soil more friable, reducing the number of insects, and controlling the weed population. Humus can also be introduced into the soil while tilling, to improve the soil’s fertility.Chinnadurai and his team in Marutham field started cultivating fodder for Cow Project promoted by SEVAI-OFI in Sirugamani.In the tillage, the surface of the soil is left rough to resist wind and water erosion. By working the surface, the finer soil produced on the surface will hold moisture in and to turn the soil over, a spading fork is usually better than a round-pointed shovel, though both are adequate. With the soil surface loosened by the hoe, go to work with the steel rake, smoothing and leveling the ground for planting. For row Co4 grass, the planting furrows in the raked ground with the corner of the hoe blade are maintained. Rotary tilling makes the soil more friable, helps hold moisture longer, keeps down the weeds and also eliminates the hand mixing of organic materials. This tiller can help and do better in a lot less time with a lot less effort and Gets humus into the soil by sheet composting, cover-cropping or green manuring; Prepares the soil for perennials before planting; Dig trenches for garbage in next year’s rows; Keeps weeds under control. In other words, tilling performs all of the soil building activities of hand cultivation with greater facility. The tilling gives Benefits of Proper Soil Preparation such as Reduced Use of Water, Fertilizer, Chemicals, Faster recovery from wear, Reduced Maintenance, Increased Density. Improved Uniformity and tilling allows for optimum root growth. By tilling the soil, air and nutrients are stirred up and made readily for rapid new root growth”. -Govin