re: Planted summer plots today

It doesn’t. The practical benefits to a crimper are that you are eliminating broad spectrum herbicide (both from a cost perspective and a warm and fuzzies about not using chemicals perspective), and that it mechanically flattens the terminated crop to form cover. Like anything else it’s mainly weighing a high one time cost of a crimper versus a lower but continual cost in herbicide and figuring where it pays off. As said, herbicide and a pass with the drill accomplishes the same, both only working and improving the top 3” of soil the desired crop actually uses, as opposed to trying to amend the entire depth a tiller will turn over.

The other and most controversial difference between crimping vs kill then drill is the perceived effect broad spectrum herbicide has on soil micro and macro biology. I’m no expert so I’m not wading into that bullshite, but count me as a skeptic. I personally use herbicide and inoculate all legumes/clovers prior to planting.