SEED SPREADER OR GRAIN DRILL?

Phil H

Member
I would like to plant about 20ac. of triticale seed. I was going to disk the ground, and then seed it. If I use a grain drill with a seeder, whatever that looks like, would I need to use some sort of drag harrow to cover the seed, or just the drill to do the job. Now if I use a seeder that throws the seed, then I am sure I would need to use a harrow to cover the seed. My question is which way is the best? I would plant in Nov. just before the rain starts, here in Northern Cal. Just thought I would ask before I started, because I have never done this, hope it's not a stupid question. Thanks...
 
Drills tend to self-cover. The action of the discs makes a shallow furrow the seed is dropped in and forward motion allows the dirt to fall back over the seed. A broadcast seeder that "throws" the seed you will want to lightly harrow to cover the seed. Actually if you plant just before a rain the action of the rain should cover most of the seed. Unless you have soil that tends to wash and run downhill when it rains. In that case you have a big mess with the seed on the hillside uncovered and washed away and the seed in the flat areas covered so deep it will never come up. In that case plant AFTER the rain.
 
Both ways you describe work, you will not be 'wrong' either way.

A drill plants a bit better, places the seed about the right depth, and closer to moisture if you are in a drier period. So that is the 'proper' tool for best results.

We try to harrow after using a drill, just to level the ground better, and cover any seed that didnt get covered. But it is not needed, you will have good results without harrowing.

With a broadcast seeder, you need to go over with a harrow in loose ground. Or a bit more aggressive with a light disking or field cultivator in hard ground, to get most of the seed covered up. It is common to plant a tad havier with a broadcast seeded because one figures not every seed will end up the proper depth.

Again, both ways work fine, no right or wrong. Get so e rain after planting and you are good to go no matter how you do it.

Paul
 
Drills had drag chains to do that covering but a lot of the time they were wore out and then got broken or lost. Depending on ground condition and type of drill you could at times get by without anything but again not. We always pulled a cultipacker behind the drill to firm in the seed like a press wheel drill does but then we always pulled a spike tooth harow behind that and then we had a smooth field for harvesting. We always planted around the field and then planted the corners out, never back and forth and in going around the field the packer and harrow were always hooked to the side and that left the drill tire marke to know where to go for the next round. That would not work with back and forth because you would have to rehitch at every turn.
 
I made that decision this year for next year's planting. I thought about using my broadcast spreader but decided against it because I had better control with the drill, knew exactly where my seeds went, and could roll my packer behind it.

So.....I got some new springs for my drill from Mr. Nebraska Cowman and as soon as it cools off will install them. Next year I should have an even stand as all the seeds should be at the same depth, not some shallow and others too deep.

However if overseeding, it might be a different story but I don't so that makes the decision easy.

Mark
 
I don't know anything about that seed, the size and or what requirements are for planting it, just that its similar to wheat. I plant oats by broadcasting, and followed by using a disc harrow, set so the gangs are not cutting aggressively, this covers the seed, and I get good germination, mainly for grasses, fall food plots.

The same field I plant part of, has in the past been planted in oats that were broadcast, followed by a the cultipacker, the stand did produce a good yield. However, I think from what I saw, more seed is used and germination is not as good, meaning wasted seed is observed on top, and though oats will grow that tap root and it will sink into the soil if conditions are right, some of it is waste using this method, all depends on weather. In this case, I think his disc or harrow, was too aggressive, so it was just packed after. I have good results using a small 3 pt disc, almost looks drilled in, as a most of the seed ends up in furrows and at perfect depth, remaining seed is in-fill between, so for forage grass its fine, very possible excess population for a grain crop, technically.

Depending on what you are doing, you may want to calculate, and set the broadcast spreader accordingly, allowing for some waste, on top of the ideal population needed. You can calibrate it check coverage on a tarp, calculate the seed rate, adjust accordingly, you can certainly waste a of of seed quickly with one of these if not careful.

Same field using a JD 8300 drill planting oats, 3 bushels per acre, obviously a trench is opened, seed dropped to depth with fertilizer, soil closed, then packed with the cultipacker, produces just fine, does not waste seed, always produces a good stand, populated correctly, yield was great etc. Its plainly the better choice for many reasons, but both methods do work fine, the drill is obviously the preferred method for a long time for grain producing crops.
 
Never thought of applying fertilizer with the seed, I can see how the drill would be better. Thanks....
 
I was wondering also if the birds could be a problem if I didn't get the seed covered by harrowing, and I see what you mean if all the seed is planted at the same depth, the stand should be a lot more even. thanks.....
 
I guess your right, I can try the broadcast method, with a little heavier seeding and see what happens. Then go from there. thanks...
 
I've seen the drag chaines, and the packer, pulled behind the drill, I've just got to try something and see what happens, I appreciate all of the ideas and ways to get things done....thanks....
 
Birds can be a problem... the Van Brunt brothers made the first fluted feed cup to make an effective grain drill. Their farm was located near Wisconsin's Horicon Marsh, a large bird sanctuary and resting place for migrating birds.

They were sick of the thousands of birds eating the wheat seed they spread before they could get it harrowed in.

It was a sucess- and that's why they built a factory in Horicon. It's now owned by Deere and home of their lawn mower line and not drills any more.

Just a bit of useless ag trivia...
 
We plant triticale and wheat two ways. Mostly by drill, at about two bu. per acre. If you really have to make time, disc the acreage once, mix the seed at three bu. per acre, and broadcast it with your fertilizer, then a light disking or cultipacker over it. We also will broadcast it at three bu/ac into corn stalks, then take a gyro-mower over the stalks.
 
Thanks, I think I will try what you and all the others have suggested. The field has never been planted, so I'm going to disk it really well, see how that looks, and probably try broadcasting the seed, along with some fertilizer(which I'm glad was suggested)and probably use a drag harrow or a packer, if I can find one, to make sure the seed is covered. I think when it starts to grow will tell me a lot, so I need to watch, to see how I did and what I need to do..thanks to everyone for the help.........
 
Wow, a lot to be said for the grain drill, as I thought, because it would be timely to cover the seed if broadcasted. Maybe if I broadcast the seed or my wife could broadcast and I could harrow or use a packer, right away. I was also thinking of spreading some fertilizer, asap. like horse manuer, which has straw mixed in it, this might keep the birds from eating the seed. I guess that is why they pull a packer or drag chains behind the drill as they plant. Thanks for the info......
 
Thanks, I guess that says it for the grain drill. Did you use anything to cover the seed? thanks.......
 
Set the buggy for half rate and cover the acreage twice- the seed will not go as far as the fertilizer coming off the spinners, so a cross hatch pattern will give better coverage.....
 
The drill had the chains I call them; 3 or 4 2" to 3" circles looped in a chain with interconnecting links that follows the furrow.....covers the seed. Then I followed with a rolling packer that I had connected to the rear of the drill. I watched the crows and they did a lot of milling around the first couple of days. After that no birds.

Mark
 
Ok, that sounds good, and it sounds like you will get really good coverage. Great idea to do a criss-cross technique. Never thought the fertilizer mixed would do that. I'm really glad you told me, because it sounds like you have been there, done that. thanks.......a lot!!
 
Thanks Mark, I have seen some pictures that showed the chains. Pulling the packer at the same time, makes sense, and the birds are a real factor......thanks.....
 

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