This tillage practice involves dragging a ladder-like frame across a plowed field. The heavy crossbars break up large chunks of earth and drag loose soil into depressions, creating a smooth, even seedbed. It improves seed-to-soil contact and makes subsequent planting or flooding operations much easier.
Heard on the job
We need to finish laddering the north field before the rain sets in so the seedbed is ready for the drill.
Insider tip
Heavy laddering on wet clay soils can cause surface crusting, which prevents delicate seedlings from breaking through.