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Shallow planting John Deere 246/247 planter

B

BobReeves

Member
Last couple years I have been planting an acre of sunflowers using my JD 2 row 247 planter. I have gauge shoes on it and only plant the seeds about 1 inch deep. The issue is the rear wheels do not displace enough dirt to cover the seeds. What I have been doing is dragging the field with a homemade chain link fence drag after I finished with the planter.

Looking for a better solution was thinking of dragging something behind the planter but that would create another problem if I didn't figure out some way to lift it with the planter. The rear wheels on the planter are bare steel and the valley is too deep and wide for the 1 inch deep furrow. Hope this is making sense.

Have seen rear wheels with a rubber tire but am sure they are no longer available. Even if I could find the tires not sure how one would install them or even if it would help.

Any Ideas?
 
I use to raise sunflowers. Planted them the same depth as corn...2-2 1/2" deep. Need to get the seed into moisture so it will germinate.
Planting at this depth will probably give enough soil to make the wheels fill the seed trench. Have a Case 2 row planter with steel wheels
that covers fine at that depth.
Untitled URL Link
 
Interesting, was going by the recommendation of the place I buy the seeds from. Maybe I need to look for another seed supplier.
 
There are covering units made just for that purpose. I an not sure if the covering disks from a 494 series would fit or not. Have some was getting ready to send out with scrap man that I had never installed as they needed new bearings, Just sent 290 with the covering blades to scrap. Have no idea where you are but you are probably way to far from me in Ohio. I had some of that problem with the 494A with the double disk openers but I never got the disks on that are supposed to be used with those openers. I think you should have a shoe opener but being a cotton version of the 246 I had might be different.
 
Your post sounds exactly like my issue with my 246 two row. I use mine to plant about a acre of sweet corn and an acre of sunflowers. I have not tried it yet but was thinking of just dragging a short chain and hang both ends from the frame just behind the steel wheels. Making a lop hang down. I have shoes on mine as well and am set at about 1 1/2 inches and have had good luck for four years at this depth. In my past I have just taken a yard rake and walk the field dragging the rake.
I am anxious to see what everyone says about this.
 
Not familiar with that planter. but you can often loop a short length of heavy chain behind each press wheel. Tie it on with baleing wire if you have to. As was said,you might try going deeper.Remove the depth bands to do this.With only an acre,it doesn't make sence to spend a lot of money on 'parts',or time fixing up something. Dragging might still be the easiest and cheapest way to go. Drag across or 45 degrees to the row.Put a 6ft chunk of chain link fence behind your 4 wheeler.Your kids would fight to do that.LOL
 
Good to know I am not alone with this issue. Chain might work OK and wouldn't be an issue when the planter was raised.

Thought about putting an inner tube on the wheels, valve could be tucked down in the center of the wheels and just enough air to give it a flat profile but not sure how long it would last.

I grabbed a piece of expanded metal at an auction thinking I would make a drag to haul behind the planter but then thought about the problem I would have when I raised the planter.

Hope someone comes up with a "why didn't I think of that"
 
Take that piece of expanded metal. Cut the width of the press wheel. wrap it around the wheel. tack weld in place. Kind of like a 'tire'.
 
First off take those guage shoes off and throw them away. Nothing but trouble there. And your tractor if it is working right will control the depth perfectly. And then work the soil a bit more as sounds like you are not getting it fine enough for to work the way it is designrd for. To coarse a clods and it will not cover the seed, you want it garden fine. We ran thousands of acres with the corn version 246 planter Pulling with a 44 2N Ford tractor. I can just barly remember when Dad traded in the horse planter on it along wit a 290 he bought and decided he did not like that pull type 290 and traded them on a new 246 probably about first year that were sold and it was used untill I bought a Oliver 4 row planter.
 
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