Translations:Benutzer:Arian/Klett-Mini-Test/841/en

Crust Formation and Skin Tillage

Under the exogenous influences of the metabolic pole above the earth, the dynamics of soil processes in spring are subject to strong fluctuations that call the farmer to exact observation, discriminating thinking, and presence-of-mind in action. As regards soil cultivation, what now matters — alongside timely suppression of weed growth — is to balance out weather-conditioned one-sided narrowings in favour of the growing-together of soil and plant. It comes down to breaking the crust. Crust formation sets in after every heavier rainfall; it must, up until the cereal begins to shoot, be broken again and again afresh. This scratching "skin tillage" peculiar to spring — carried out with harrow, weeder, hoe — must be done with as much vigour as possible: every crust formation closes the soil, diminishing or even preventing altogether soil respiration, the uptake of oxygen — essential for the aerobic plant and animal life of the soil — as well as the release of carbonic acid, which is partly excreted by the plant roots, partly liberated by the microbial breakdown of humus. Crust formation means carbonic acid congestion in the soil. This acts as a poison, inhibiting the subtle interplay of root excretion and microbial activity, and with it the dynamics of humus breakdown. Soil skin tillage means, therefore, on the one hand actively running down soil fertility — one can occasionally observe how a field sown with spring grain