I have about 4 acres that I'm going to plant in winter forage for my goats. Planning on wheat, oats, winter peas, and rye grass. I plan to lightly disc then seed. Previously, I have covered seed using a homemade drag made from chainlink fence. The question is would it be worthwhile to look into purchasing a cultipacker to better seat the seed? Looks like a new 6' would cost about $1500 and locally used ones are not to be found.
- Thread starter Harper
- Start date
For that money and that size operation I would continue doing what you do now......
I bought a 3 piece old rolling packer for $130 years ago. I tend to continue to use the harrow (drag)as we always did in years past, covers more
ground faster and the crop comes up about the same. In some conditions the packer can be better.
Paul
I bought a 3 piece old rolling packer for $130 years ago. I tend to continue to use the harrow (drag)as we always did in years past, covers more
ground faster and the crop comes up about the same. In some conditions the packer can be better.
Paul
Texasmark1
Well-known Member
I found a roller, not coltipactor per se, for about $400. Just a 12" diameter, ?" steel drum you fill with water, with 3 pt mount in one direction and drag
tongue in the other. I get good germination with it. Would I do better without? Can't answer, would have to have a side by side comparison with a row
rolled and a row just harrowed. Going to guess it would be obvious in initial germination and maybe % germination of the field. I seem to have more
consistent results with it.
tongue in the other. I get good germination with it. Would I do better without? Can't answer, would have to have a side by side comparison with a row
rolled and a row just harrowed. Going to guess it would be obvious in initial germination and maybe % germination of the field. I seem to have more
consistent results with it.
showcrop
Well-known Member
If you were discing it deeply, or turning it and discing a culti-packer would you some good. If the ground is too soft it means that there is a lot of air in it and moisture will evaporate quickly which can easily result in the seed germinating and the plants dying before the roots can get to water. A light discing as you call it shouldn't loosen it too much.
Texasmark1
Well-known Member
As I read the reasoning is that the soil absorbs and holds the moisture. Packing puts more of the seed in contact with the warm, moist earth providing for faster germination and better germination efficiency (more plants per seed planted)......in addition to the comment about pressing out the trapped air.
I've planted a lot both with and without the cultipacker. I have two of them so I use them, but for the cost of new it's just not worth it. The only real advantage they provide with larger seeds are the ridges they create in the soil help hold onto moisture. This can be beneficial if rainfall is sparse. They do help increase seed-soil contact, but so does rainfall and rainfall is free.
With smaller seeds like brassica and clover, I prefer the cultipacker over dragging because it's so easy to bury the small seeds too deep. That being said, I've split a field a half, ran the cultipacker over half and just drug the other half. Initially the packed half looked better, but by the time everything was mature it all looked the same.
With smaller seeds like brassica and clover, I prefer the cultipacker over dragging because it's so easy to bury the small seeds too deep. That being said, I've split a field a half, ran the cultipacker over half and just drug the other half. Initially the packed half looked better, but by the time everything was mature it all looked the same.
Traditional Farmer
Well-known Member
- Location
- Virginia
A cultipacker makes a lot of difference for me in the deer plots or any seeding I do,not only presses the seed in but will crush up an dirt clods too.Around my area they are common at
old farm auctions and usually I can buy A good one for under $300.
old farm auctions and usually I can buy A good one for under $300.
For your use just go to a big box store and buy 3 lawn rollers and make a hitch to pull all 3 together, either 1 at front and the others at side rear like the cultipacker pups or you could make the hitch for the 2 in front and one in back. And just fill them with water like they are made for to use on your lawn. Flat steel rollers were used for uears untill the cultipacker idea came about as the cultipacker wheels will not make as quick of a crust in crusting soils. I do not know what they sell for but it would be way less than the new packer you mentioned. 3 at 30" would allow just enough overlap to do what a 6' packer would do.
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