A Year in the Life of Your Soil Dates are approximate for Minnesota and vary each year.
Saturated soils have a weak structure and are prone to compaction.
Spring soil is highly susceptible to wind and water erosion, because soil is often bare and soil structure is weak. By late spring, bacterial and fungal activity will help stabilize soil aggregates, and plant growth will begin to protect the soil surface. Even healthy soil is difficult to penetrate when it gets very dry. Risk of soil compaction increases again as soil moisture levels rise and heavy harvest equipment enters the fields. Nutrients Bacteria and fungi are becoming active, but not necessarily enough to provide nutrients to young plants.