In winter, wheat is in the phase of tillering and root growth, so we try to make the roots and tillers thicker, without demanding too vigorous growth of the leaves. Therefore, walking on the wheat field in winter is not a big issue; sometimes it is even beneficial for root and tiller growth because stepping on the wheat leaves can damage them, preventing them from growing too vigorously and directing more nutrients to the roots and tillers.
In winter, sometimes the wheat fields are deliberately trampled or pressed with a stone roller. Of course, trampling too harshly is not good.
You might think this method is strange, right? This technique is a valuable “nursery squatting” experience of farmers, which not only promotes more root growth and tillering but also crushes soil clumps, better embedding the tiller nodes into the soil, ensuring tight integration of roots with the soil, filling the surface pores, and providing moisture retention, insulation, wind protection, frost protection, and ensuring the wheat seedlings safely overwinter.
However, after the beginning of spring, although the wheat is still small, you should not run around or step on the wheat seedlings in the fields. Otherwise, you will definitely damage the wheat heads. You might wonder: the wheat is still small after the beginning of spring and hasn’t yet started to head, so how could stepping on it damage the wheat heads?
As it turns out, after the beginning of spring, the weather warms up, and both the above and below ground parts of the wheat seedlings grow. At this time, the wheat that has been lying dormant “stretches” and stands upright. After a while, if you touch the base of the stem, you can feel a small node-like lump, indicating that the wheat has started to joint. Don’t think that wheat forms heads only when it starts to head; in fact, the heads are already forming at this time. If you don’t believe it, you can find a jointed wheat, strip the leaves off, and gently peel at the top node with a needle, and you will see a shiny little spike. Thus, although wheat is not afraid of being stepped on in winter, it must not be stepped on in spring, or the heads will be crushed.