Soil Tester Helps Detect Compaction

Soil tester helps detect compaction CROPS Miscellaneous 9-6-6 "It's the simplest tool ever made to monitor soil compaction," says inventor Dale Shrull, Russellville, Kent., about his new low-cost compaction tester that uses an oil-filled gauge to detect problem compaction areas. The gauge consists of a solid stainless steel shaft with an aluminum housing and handle. Gauge marks along the shaft, spaced at 3-in. intervals, make it easy to discover the exact depth at which problems exist. The operator simply pushes the pointed shaft down into the ground, watching the gauge as he goes to note the lbs./sq. in. recorded. "It's a good way to tell if you have a problem and then monitor how well your tillage equipment is helping to solve it. It'll help you determine how deep you need to till, how deep you actually tilled, how deep your crop's root system will grow, and so on," says Shrull, noting that compact hard pans below the surface have been shown to reduce yields 20 to 45%, depending on conditions. His soil tester lets you test down to 24-in. deep and use the comparison from year to year to tell how good a job your tillage system is doing. The soil compaction tester sells for $162.50. For more information, contact: FARM SHOW Followup, HCH Inc., Rt. 5, Box 31A, Russellville, Kent. 42276 (ph 502 726-2497).

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