Confidence Starts Before Planting: Why Soil Preparation Sets the Foundation for Sectagon® Performance

When it comes to soil fumigation, it’s easy to focus on the product and the application itself. But long before application begins, there’s a more fundamental factor at play: How the soil is prepared. Even the most effective products depend on the conditions they’re applied to. And without proper soil preparation, performance can never reach its full potential.

Soil structure directly impacts performance

The condition of the soil plays a critical role in how effectively fumigants move and perform. Good soil tilth plays an important role in metam movement. Dry cloddy and compacted soil will not produce the same results as well-prepared soil. That difference matters more than many realize. 

Poorly prepared soil can: 

  • Restrict product movement 
  • Create uneven distribution 
  • Limit contact with pests

Why soil tilth matters 

Well-prepared soil creates the environment needed for product performance: 

  • Looser structure allows better movement 
  • Reduced compaction supports consistency 
  • Uniformity improves coverage across the soil profile 

In contrast, dry or compacted soil creates resistance, making it harder for fumigants to reach their intended targets. Soil preparation is not separate from application; it enables it. 

There’s a tendency to think of soil prep and application as two separate steps, but in reality, they are tightly connected. Mobility is always better in non-compacted soil with proper moisture content. 

That means: 

  • Application technique alone isn’t enough 
  • Moisture alone isn’t enough 

Soil preparation is what allows both to work effectively. 

What growers are seeing in the field 

This isn’t just theory; it comes directly from real-world experience. 

“We’ve really focused heavily on pre-application soil moisture and tillage… it’s extremely important to have both before we start.” Brad Nielson, Agronomist, Walter Produce.  

The most successful applications are planned, not improvised. 

What this means for crop advisors 

Before application is even discussed, conversations should include: 

  • Is the soil properly tilled and prepared? 
  • Are there compaction issues that need to be addressed? 
  • Will the field conditions support product movement? 

Because once application begins, the opportunity to influence these factors is limited. 

The Takeaway 

Soil preparation doesn’t stand alone, it works alongside: 

  • Soil moisture, which carries the product 
  • Application technique, which determines placement 

Together, these three elements define performance. Sectagon has long been a trusted metam solution across crops like potatoes, onions, and carrots. But maximizing performance starts with something more fundamental: Creating the right conditions in the soil. Because when soil is properly prepared, everything else works more effectively. 

Confidence starts before planting.

Sectagon