What Field Tile Actually Does Under Your Ground

You have probably seen it after a hard rain: water sitting in the low spots, ponding in the field, or a wet strip that takes forever to dry. Some ground is ready to work. Other ground is still too wet to get in.

That is where field tile comes in. Tile gives excess water somewhere to go below the surface instead of leaving it in the field.

Tile Gives Water a Way Out

Field tile is installed below the ground so water can move away from the root zone. Laterals collect water across the field and carry it to a main.

The main carries that water to an outlet where it can leave the field. Tile does not pump water out of the ground. It gives water already moving through the soil a path to follow.

Good drainage starts with knowing where the water needs to go. Mains, laterals, and the outlet all have to work together so water can move through the system instead of backing up.

What You See Above Ground

A field does not have to be underwater to have a drainage problem. Wet spots can stay soft long after the rest of the field dries, making it harder to get equipment across the ground.

Ponding can leave parts of a field behind during planting. Those wet areas can mean fewer good working days and more pressure on the spring workload.

Poor drainage can show up later, too. Parts of a field that stay wet can have a yield drag compared with ground that drains properly.

The Work Happens Below the Surface

Once tile is in the ground, you may not notice much from the cab. There are no pipes sitting across the field and nothing for equipment to work around.

What matters is how the system handles water after rain. Laterals collect water, mains carry it away, and the outlet gives that water somewhere to go.

The layout matters, too. Tile needs to be placed where it can help wet areas without creating problems somewhere else.

Think About the Field, Not Just the Tile

Before putting tile in, look at how water moves across the field. Watch the wet spots, ponding, field entrances, low ground, and areas that take longer to dry.

Start with the ground itself. At Legge Farms and Drainage, we farm our own ground, so we know the difference between ground that is ready to work and ground that is still holding water.

If you are considering tile, call Legge Farms and Drainage or fill out the form to get on the list for spring or fall.