Cultivation is essential for nearly all commercial vegetable crops since herbicide choices are limited and vegetable crops cannot tolerate much weed competition. A basic sweep cultivator can do an excellent job of precision cultivation if set up and equipped properly.

Growing commercial vegetables is different from growing agronomic crops and requires a different approach to equipment. A precision cultural system (PCS) developed by the LSU AgCenter can make commercial vegetable production much easier.

Many years of testing at the LSU AgCenter have demonstrated that precision belt seeders deliver the best seed spacing uniformity of any type of vegetable seeder – if the seeds are spherical (round) or nearly so. Belt seeders are versatile and can meter a wide range of seed types and sizes.

A standard sweep cultivator can do an excellent job of cultivating vegetable crops once the plants reach 4-6 inches, but it must run very slowly in small crops (1-2 inches) and has a tendency to throw soil over the crop plants. An alternative is a rotary tiller/cultivator.

Precision vertical plate seeders are available for planting many vegetable crops. These seeders use a vertical metal plate with the cells (holes) on the edge.

A key component of a precision cultural system is precision bed shaping. A precisely shaped bed is essential to locate the crop row properly when planting and to provide a basis for guidance of subsequent operations.

Flame weed control can be an effective adjunct to cultivation for some vegetable crops and some weeds. Flame weed control fits especially well in organic operations.

Most commercial vegetable growers apply granular fertilizer in a preplant operation, and many also make sidedress applications of granular fertilizer. An excellent way to apply granular materials in either a broadcast or banding mode is with a pendulum-action spreader.

All vegetable seeders require openers, coverers and presswheels to provide a furrow for the seeds and to then cover the seeds and assure proper soil contact. These devices must be matched to the soil type and condition for optimum germination and seedling vigor.

The use of plastic mulch is a common practice for nearly all strawberry growers and most vegetable growers. Installing the mulch is easier than it used to be when mulch was installed by hand, but it can be challenging.