Lots of talk on here about soil health and soil structure and how tillage can destroy all that. I like what I see from reduced tillage, and kinda liking the vertical tillage what we have done, but I don't see us completely going away with tillage anytime soon. My main question is for guys who have run a v-ripper compared to an inline ripper: do you feel like the in-line ripper keeps a lot more soil structure in place? From the looks of the surface I would think yes, but underground I wonder if there is much difference. Do you get the soft, mushy ground from an in-line ripper like you do from a v-ripper or chisel plow? Wondering about guys thoughts on this.
Edit: I really like the idea of being able to bust open a crust or hardpan and allow water to go down but without making the ground so soft and mushy that it just packs right back down.
Posted 12/3/2016 03:26 (#5672394 - in reply to #5672082) Subject: RE: V-ripper vs in-line ripper & soil structure
We like the in line ripper where we want to leave more trash on top. Definitely not as soft in the spring as where we run a 875. In line rippers will only work in drier ground IMO. We didn't even get ours out of the shed this year with the conditions we had.
Posted 12/3/2016 05:17 (#5672413 - in reply to #5672082) Subject: RE: V-ripper vs in-line ripper & soil structure
Farmington, Mo
We have a 2100 Deere inline ripper and it does a good job relieving compaction down to 15" or so and leaves the surface mostly intact. What I don't like is how the ground is in the spring at least in our area. It slows water to soak in a lot better but erosion is increased in some areas. The biggest problem is that the water goes down and then sits in the ripper tracks and stays there which makes burn down spraying...interesting. We have all but quit this and have focused mainly on staying no till and putting in tile.
I will say that I do think that old hay fields and cow pastures need ripped at least once after being put into crop production do to compaction from hoof traffic and haying wheel traffic.
Posted 12/3/2016 08:44 (#5672734 - in reply to #5672413) Subject: RE: V-ripper vs in-line ripper & soil structure
Wheelersburg and Lancaster, Ohio
Your soil sound like mine. Ripping 15 inches deep does that here. If you can get below the 20-24 compaction layer water and roots can move through the full soil profile. But ripping that deep takes a lot of power per shank. Usually see huge yield increases in years with less then perfect weather. To answer the original question, I haven't used a v-ripper only in line
Posted 12/3/2016 06:09 (#5672446 - in reply to #5672082) Subject: RE: V-ripper vs in-line ripper & soil structure
Mid-Michigan
I like the very ripper design. You have one shank in front of the other thus giving the ground room to move sideways and in my mind less compaction from the tool itself.
Posted 12/3/2016 06:26 (#5672468 - in reply to #5672082) Subject: RE: V-ripper vs in-line ripper & soil structure
Northern Illinois
I use an inline ripper. Really like how it leaves the soil. As far as soft I put AA on after. The AA tanks do not create the deep tracks that I get after a jd 512.
Posted 12/3/2016 20:25 (#5674001 - in reply to #5672082) Subject: RE: V-ripper vs in-line ripper & soil structure
sw MN
The lack of soil structure from a v ripper is from the wings on the points. Try just narrow points and leave some structure. Put a slot in and let nature work on the rest.
I ran wings for 20+ years and my end rows kept getting harder every year I ripped. It just repacks..from spring traffic.
Posted 12/5/2016 18:12 (#5678040 - in reply to #5674001) Subject: RE: V-ripper vs in-line ripper & soil structure
Carthage, Indiana
I run a paratill wish is an inline with l shanks and feel it does a good job. It has eliminated the plow pan and soil structure has improved from what I have sceen
V-ripper vs in-line ripper & soil structure
