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Topsoil Erosion and Farming Methods
Topsoil eroded by tilling
The use of tilling in farming has meant that farmers are able to remove weeds from the topsoil and prepare the land for sowing whilst forming irrigation channels so that excess water can drain away quickly without drowning crops at the same time.
One of the unintended consequences of tilling is that topsoil can tend to be more susceptible to erosion. This is because the topsoil can suffer from soil compaction and the disturbance and resulting reduction in the organic content of its composition. With this, the topsoil has less of the binding qualities it might otherwise have, making the new lighter topsoil more susceptible to being blown away in winds, a little like sand or dust in a storm.
Topsoil over time
One way in which farming areas affected by topsoil erosion have tried to combat this problem is by using a method of farming called ‘No-till’ which completely excludes tilling from the farming techniques used altogether. There are of course some unintended consequences of No-till too. For instance, farmers can find that during the transition period, it can take a few years for the soil to get itself back into its original state before it then becomes fully dense and rich with organic matter as intended. Also it may be necessary for additional nitrogen based fertiliser to be used in the soil until such time as the organic matter and soil density is able to improve naturally. In traditional tilling methods, nitrogen based fertilisers would be added anyway as part of the tilling process, so this is not unusual.
Another form of tilling which can perhaps be described as ‘conventional’ today is ‘conservation tilling’, whereby at least 30% of the original topsoil is left intact, helping to prevent soil compaction and subsequently soil erosion.
Topsoil from Rolawn
A blended topsoil can always be used to replace poor performing and eroded soils. At Rolawn we only supply the very best quality topsoil loams to promote vegetable and fruit growth as well as for lawn seeding and turf development. For further information about our range of Rolawn topsoil, call 0845 604 6050.