Ideally, the lettuce field is disked immediately after harvest to prevent weeds from going to seed. He recognizes a second weed-seed reduction strategy would be more intensive composting of the cattle manure he applies each fall. And later corn could suffer damage to side roots close to the surface. Where crop stalks are large enough to tolerate soil flowing against them, Harlow likes to use his Lilliston rolling cultivator. He leaves the spider gangs on his two-row model at the same angle to the row for both early and late passes.
Speed makes the difference.
He goes through first at 2.5 to 3 mph, doing his best to throw about 1.5 inches of soil at the base of 2-inch corn plants. About 10 days to two weeks later, a trip through at 5 mph throws up 8-inch hills to smother all weeds and anchor the plants against wind lodging and picking stress. Earlier plantings of corn develop more slowly, and usually require more frequent cultivations than do later, more competitive plantings. The rolling cultivator works well for first cultivation in potatoes to begin the hilling process, and for collard greens if they jump off to a strong start. In 96, he did no hand weeding on the robust leaf crop until first harvest, thanks to timely cultivation and quick canopy development.