Residue from the previous crop settles between the ridges, permitting the ridge to warm up sooner. The warmer soil speeds crop emergence, increases competitiveness with weeds, and increases the likelihood of a good crop stand. The quick and improved crop emergence allows for earlier crop cultivation, which may control weeds between the rows better. Better soil moisture. Without preplant tillage, ridge planting preserves soil moisture.
Tillage can dry the soil to the depth of the tillage operation.
In dry springs, especially in western Nebraska, soil moisture near the surface may be inadequate at planting for crop germination and growth if the soil was chiseled or disked. Realizing this, growers using tillage to prepare a seedbed often plant deeper or use a lister which may reduce crop stands and allow excessive soil erosion. In higher rainfall areas, water drains off the ridge so planting can be earlier than on level ground. Since the ridge dries out sooner, the system is well adapted to poorly drained soils. Volunteer crops reduced.