Transplanter

TDJD · Feb 2, 2020

I?m looking at getting a transplanter for growing some vegetables. I?ve never been around one before so I?m wondering what I should look for in a used one? Also are they all the same, or are there different styles? What else do I need to know about one?
Thanks

Ray IN · Feb 2, 2020

There are three main types. One kind has opener shoe that runs in the soil, then you place plants by hand in trench in front of closing wheels. Then there is the type that has a rotating wheel with little baskets that take the plant down and open up a hole, even through plastic mulch, then drop the plant in. The newer type is called a water wheel transplanter that pokes a hole thruough plastic mulch, adds water, then you drop the plant in from where you are sitting down low behind it. These are about $2000 new from Rainflo Irrigation. I have two of them but the first one I made myself. There is an older style which was probably used for tobacco on local craiglist for $650:
https://evansville.craigslist.org/grd/d/trafalgar-1-row-mechanical-trans-planter/7066070538.html

https://www.rainfloirrigation.com/equipment/transplanters

I plant all the melons, squash, cucumbers, okra, even green beans with mine. Usually not tomatoes because the plants are taller, but could be done easily.

Bruce from Can. · Feb 2, 2020

We used to have a Holland one row transplanter , it was a bare root style. Worked very well for tomatoes, peppers and Spanish Onions. Biggest hang up is to find a tractor with a slow enough ground speed. My McCormack W4 was just perfect in first gear at idle.

Ray IN · Feb 2, 2020

Now if you want to grow closely spaced vegetables like beds of lettuce or other greens, beets, etc. There is a hand pulled device called paper pot transplanter. You use a special seeding tray to start your transplants, then as you start to pull the machine, the plants pull apart in a sort of paper chain so that there is a plant every 4, 6, or 8 inches and it plants a lot of them in a hurry without bending over! Its the cats meow when it comes to closely spaced bedded crops. Lots of youtube videos on it. Very tempting for me to get one, but its over $1000 and I don't currently do much in the way of salad greens.

I used to plant all mine by hand into the plastic mulch. Not to bad if you only have a few hundred plants at a time. But now that I plant about a half acre of cantaloupe at a time, there is no reason to go without a transplanter. I gave $1200 for my Rainflo model 1200 used, which would have cost me $2000 or so new, if you include the shipping. Deerfield Supplies in Elkton, Ky is a dealer for them. Rainflo is out of Pennsylvania.

Ray IN · Feb 2, 2020

Yes Holland is the other big name in mulch laying and transplanting equipment. Lots of used units around, especially in what used to be tobacco country.

TDJD · Feb 2, 2020

I was looking at this one. Would it be a good one?

TDJD · Feb 2, 2020

I?ve got a John Deere MT which will go really slow! Or a JD 510 which will go even slower!

grandpa Love · Feb 2, 2020

Short video of us playing with our Holland transplanter. The 640 was not a good tractor for it! The transplanter just goes to shows now.
Untitled URL Link

larry@stinescorner · Feb 2, 2020

Not related to the transplanter,,but where you looking for a JD mower attachment/Is this it?

J. Schwiebert · Feb 2, 2020

We used to sell the Holland planter where I worked. Slow is the name of the game. We had a customer who bought an Oliver 1600 gas with a Hydra-Power drive in 1963. His boys still use it because of its slow speed.

TDJD · Feb 2, 2020

Yes I am looking for a no.5 mower attachment. I have one like that, I was looking for one that would work with an MT.
But thanks for thinking of it!

larry@stinescorner · Feb 2, 2020

my brother spotted your question,,and told me to see if that was the one,,it is on an A

MF#1 · Feb 2, 2020

Yep, they are still plentiful in tobacco country. I see them on craigs list in Ky for around $125 or so, sometimes at auctions they struggle to get $50. The biggest thing I would check is the water valve, if left with water inside they will freeze and crack. I see the one in your pic has the water tank laying beside it, you would need to mount that on your tractor somehow. I've spent way too many hours on those things, but it sure beats the old one hole planters

Jim in NC · Feb 2, 2020

It probably will be easier to find parts for a Holland planter. We used those and Powell planters.

aFORDable · Feb 2, 2020

They are plentiful in tobacco areas like here in W. Ky. Where you located? I could help you find one around here that's in good condition. Most of the old one and two rows are sitting around not being used because 4 and 8 rows have replaced them. James R. Cash Auction Co. always has a farm equipment sale in March at the fairgrounds in Mayfield and there are usually 2 -3 transplanters there that bring $100 +/-.

TDJD · Feb 2, 2020

I?m in west Michigan, so I would have to see about getting it hauled. So its pretty easy to find a good one for $150 or less?

Traditional Farmer · Feb 3, 2020

Didn't parts of Michigan used to be big vegetable growing areas?Think Holland planters were made in Holland Michigan.To really run a transplanter good a small compact with the creeper gears are the best.My Bolens/Iseki has 3 gears and 3 ranges,even running the tiller 1st gear middle range is slow enough,low range 1st barely moves.

Jim Phelps · Feb 3, 2020

I would say the old holland one rows $150 or less would not be a problem and you can haul them in a pick up truck.

TDJD · Feb 3, 2020

Yes quite a lot of Michigan is vegetable growers. The problem I'm finding is its hard to find transplanters, and when you do your looking at $900 or more.

Traditional Farmer · Feb 3, 2020

there is a good looking transplanter on the Huntington WV CL for $300.

aFORDable · Feb 3, 2020

Yes, you can find a decent 2 row around here for $150+/-. I have set many acres of tobacco with our Holland 2 row over the years. There are hydraulic models as well as manual lift. One row transplanters are harder to find since they are long outdated in tobacco country. I will open my e-mail if you want to converse there and by phone if necessary. I rebuilt ours this past winter and they are actually pretty simple. bk

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