When starting no-till, leaving strips of mowed and unmowed corn stalks and comparing drill performance in both will help the grower determine which approach is best with specific equipment. When no-till small grains follow cotton, many producers find that they get better drill performance by leaving the cotton stalks standing, and then mowing or bushhogging after the small grain is planted. The risk of winterkill in no-till is also higher than in conventional fields. On-farm observations suggest one reason for this might be shallow seed placement under heavy residue. If crop residues are unevenly distributed, seed placement can vary greatly as the depth gauge on the openers rides up over the areas of heavy residue and seed depth in the soil is reduced.
Shallow seeds appear to be at special risk to winterkill.
When drilling into heavy residues, it is very important to check seed placement frequently, making sure seeds are being uniformly planted at a depth of 1 to 1.5 inches below the soil surface. Research in North Carolina has found that 30 pounds nitrogen is generally enough starter for no-till production. In most cases, higher rates of nitrogen have not resulted in better yields. Wheat planted in the later part of the season has not responded well to at-plant nitrogen. Topdress Nitrogen Research in North Carolina has consistently shown that producers using no-till must pay particular attention to nitrogen fertility in the early spring.