What are y'all using to plant your plots? I don't want to get anything for the tractor at this time because the tractor would either be disking or planting and I want to be able to have 1 person disking and 1 person planting with an atv to expedite the process. We only have 1 tractor at the ranch for now. So, I'm looking for something to broadcast seed from the atv in a 12V using the cigarette lighter. Our current process consists of disking the plot, broadcast seeding the plot and then dragging the plot with an old section of a harrow and this has worked great other than getting the seed out.
In the past we have hand slung all the seed using handheld fertilizer spreaders from Home Depot. This has worked the best for even coverage but it is a lot of walking/work when you are talking about planting 15 acres (especially for 2 people). I want to get away from that process as it is too difficult. We have tried a receiver hitch corn feeder and that lets out too much seed. We did modify it to add a piece of metal to help cover the hole but it still lets out too much seed. Then I tried my everlast tailgate feeder and that is what we did for this year. That worked ok as it has an adjuster plate to control how much seed (or corn) can be let out. The issue with this "spreader" is it doesn't throw a wide swath so we end up with about 2' thick "lines" of seed vs a well spread out seed. It is also old and the restrictor plate moves around some so there are times when you have to stop to go adjust it again. This would be solved if/when I buy a new one which I want for corning roads during the season. The final drag with a harrow helps spread it out some but I'm looking for something better.
So what other options are y'all using? I'm looking for something for all sizes of seed as this year I planted a mix of vetch (pretty small), cow peas (large for seed size but smaller than corn), hemp (medium) and Alyce clover (very small seed). When mixed well it does ok but I'm also looking for something that can cover this range of seed sizes. Is there something out there that will do that?
It looks like there are several out there but I would like real world experience from both a performance and price standpoint. Thanks.
In the past we have hand slung all the seed using handheld fertilizer spreaders from Home Depot. This has worked the best for even coverage but it is a lot of walking/work when you are talking about planting 15 acres (especially for 2 people). I want to get away from that process as it is too difficult. We have tried a receiver hitch corn feeder and that lets out too much seed. We did modify it to add a piece of metal to help cover the hole but it still lets out too much seed. Then I tried my everlast tailgate feeder and that is what we did for this year. That worked ok as it has an adjuster plate to control how much seed (or corn) can be let out. The issue with this "spreader" is it doesn't throw a wide swath so we end up with about 2' thick "lines" of seed vs a well spread out seed. It is also old and the restrictor plate moves around some so there are times when you have to stop to go adjust it again. This would be solved if/when I buy a new one which I want for corning roads during the season. The final drag with a harrow helps spread it out some but I'm looking for something better.
So what other options are y'all using? I'm looking for something for all sizes of seed as this year I planted a mix of vetch (pretty small), cow peas (large for seed size but smaller than corn), hemp (medium) and Alyce clover (very small seed). When mixed well it does ok but I'm also looking for something that can cover this range of seed sizes. Is there something out there that will do that?
It looks like there are several out there but I would like real world experience from both a performance and price standpoint. Thanks.
I tried other means of spreading, but in my mind, nothing beats a three point spreader. I can regulate my spread from the tractor seat and I have used it long enough to suit the seed/fertilizer rate to the plot. You can’t do that with a spreader that you can’t regulate.
Comment