We know that every soil has special characteristics and different properties. In a sense, every soil is unique.
The goal of those who work it and want to make it productive is to try to match those characteristics by growing the crops that are best suited to that type of soil.
However, you cannot take a field and work it "as is". Some tillage is needed to be able to plant the planned crops. And certain operations require the right tools and machinery. This is where Cosmeco comes in.
Today we are going to focus on soil groove and in particular on bed former machines. Let's find out together what advantages these machines can bring in different agricultural situations and contexts.
Soil grooving is an agronomic practice that consists of collecting parts of the soil laterally and making them flow towards the center, creating a raised mound of soil with a trapezoidal profile.
This creates raised areas on which crops are grown. They are therefore not planted in the furrows, but on parts of the land "raised" from the base of the field. Specifically, asparagus and potatoes are grown inside the stalk and not on top of it; in the case of asparagus in particular, the shoot is planted in a furrow on the ground and only then, as the plant grows, is the stalk planted on top of it.
This means, intuitively, that they are kept away from the traffic lanes of farm vehicles and people, and it also promotes lateral water drainage.
The crops that benefit most from soil grooving are generally vegetables, in many different varieties. These include strawberries, berries, asparagus and potatoes.
Bed formers are machines that ensure optimal soil preparation and an ideal technique for growing vegetables and other types of crops and plants. They are machines that are both simple and complex, often at the forefront of technology, such as those developed by Cosmeco to ensure a consistently optimal and precise cultivation process. This is the only possible condition for ideal cultivation and soil yield.
How does the machine work? The bed former is connected to the tractor (by means of a cardan shaft) and, as it passes by, it performs the soil cultivation operation, keeping the finest part of the soil on the surface, thus forming the soil trunks (the raised parts) in the horticultural field. As the cultivator passes, the field is actually divided into two main elements:
Baulators, when well designed, set up and engineered, provide several benefits for different crops.
As mentioned above, the soil grooves allow for the creation of an optimal seedbed that is raised above the soil surface. This generally improves soil drainage because the seeding surface has a better depth (being raised). This means that you can count on better aeration, which helps to avoid the formation of surface crusts that can make it difficult for shoots to emerge, and better development of the root system.
Trunking allows you to control water drainage. This reduces the risk of disease for plants growing on stems. In fact, the trunk provides a balance of water and oxygen in the soil, which is ideal for roots that are stimulated to advanced fertile conditions. In essence, a "free zone" is created for plant roots and root capillaries. The trunk will then benefit from optimal chemical-physical and microbiological conditions that are useful in improving the fertility of our plantings.
By reducing (if not eliminating) the risk of water stagnation and thus avoiding the accumulation of moisture in the soil, the soil temperature rises and promotes vegetative recovery. This prevents the formation of harmful organisms (insects and pests) that could affect plant health.
Bed shapers create a more receptive soil, which facilitates weed control and water delivery, and limits weed growth and pest proliferation. This stimulates crop characteristics, allowing for a rich and healthy crop with less tillage time due to the efficiency of the machines.
Tillage with a bed formers the harvesting operations easier and less tiring. In fact, those who carry out this operation will be able to harvest the fruits or vegetables that are on the trunk with less effort, since they will be at a greater height.
These machines create an ideal soil for plant and/or vegetable growth in a single pass. This saves time and the number of operations on the soil. The improved drainage provided by the channels and the precision of the drip irrigation reduce water wastage. These are fundamental factors in today's agriculture and in the growing concern for the environment and the impact that crops have on it.
We often believe that working the soil with specialized machinery can lead to increased farm costs. In reality, the use of bedformers, although it may increase initial costs, allows a higher level of crop quality, with savings in terms of resource management and working time. In fact, the use of machines allows a much faster and higher quality processing. In short, it is a real investment.
Cosmeco's bed formers are modern, simple machines that are very effective in carrying out the baulking operation quickly and accurately.
They are adjustable and suitable for all types of soil, both in greenhouses and in the field. They are designed to create compact beds or seedbeds to promote plant development, restore soil porosity and promote air and water circulation. The use of Baulators allows the breaking up and perfect compaction of the soil inside the trunk, ensuring optimum germination and growth of all types of crops such as asparagus, strawberries, berries, potatoes, manioc and large tubers.
The Asparagus Bedformers is a machine specifically designed for growing white and green asparagus. Asparagus is a crop that particularly benefits from baulking. This is where the asparagus grows, preserving its characteristics and remaining white - in fact it turns green with the pigmentation given by the sun, but growing underground and covered with black plastic film, photosynthesis does not take place and it retains its color.
To achieve this, it is necessary to start with finely worked soil, at least 25 cm deep. Cosmeco's B70 model creates a trunk that can reach a height of 70 cm and an adjustable width, managing to keep the soil soft and stable; in this way the shoots will not find a surface that resists their growth and will thrive. In addition, as the plant grows over the years, it should be covered with soil to protect it from the sun, thus creating an increasingly large trunk.
Finally, to get the most out of the soil, you can combine the use of bedformers with the use of plastic mulch layers. By covering the soil with plastic or other material (if necessary), but leaving room for the plant to grow, it is possible to maintain an ideal level of moisture in the part of the soil furthest above ground. In a single operation it is possible to prune, lay one or more drip wings or irrigation hoses, fertilise and weed, and spread the film by tamping it into the ground.
An event not to be missed and Cosmeco not to be missed is Exposé. This exhibition, dedicated to the cultivation of strawberries and asparagus, will take place from 20 to 21 November in Karlsruhe, Germany. Cosmeco will be present in Hall 1 and we will be pleased to welcome you and present the range of baulators dedicated to the cultivation of strawberries and asparagus.
Not forgetting the mulchers specially designed for these crops.
But this is not the only event Cosmeco will be attending: from 6 to 10 November it will be in Bologna for EIMA, the International Exhibition of Machinery for Agriculture and Gardening. It will be the perfect opportunity for all professionals in the sector to learn more about the machines offered by Cosmeco, in particular the baulators, and to discover them up close.
The appointment is at Bologna Fiere, Hall 25, Stand 11.
We look forward to seeing you there!
If you are unable to attend these events and would like to receive more information about the bedformers and other machines developed by Cosmeco, please contact us by filling in the form in the contact section. We will get back to you as soon as possible!
COSMECO S.r.l.
VAT 02226340202
REA: MN-234961
Share capital (i.v.): € 50.000,00
Business Register: 02226340202
Register of Craftsmen: MN-66104
PEC: cosmeco.amministrazione@cert.mantovaexport.it
