How To Use A Seed Drill

[SkylineAcres16]

Here in about a week I am going to be renting a Haybuster 107C seed drill from my local co-op to seed a hay field with orchardgrass. The orchardgrass currently in the field is getting thin so we sprayed Pasture Guard last fall and am going to overseed it now. I have never used a seed drill so I just have some basic questions. The field is an 8 acre rectangle. From what I gather on the internet I would drive the tractor and seed down to the end of the field, raise the drill out of the ground, turn around and get into a position to come right up beside the row I just seeded, let the seed drill down and continue seeding. Is this correct? Seems a little time consuming but what do I know. I know it says not to make sharp turns with the drill in the ground so would that mean instead of the process I just stated, you can't make "sweeping turns" and go around the field in a circle working your way to the middle? The field now has grass that's starting to turn a hint of green. Is it going to be obvious to see where it seeded and where I need to drive on the adjacent row or do I need some kind of marker at the beginning and end of each row to give me something to point the tractor towards? Also, should I take the time to calibrate the drill by pulling a hose off and spinning the drive wheel until the acre counter gets to .1 acre and do the math (manual says to do this) or since it's just 8 acres, a rental unit, and I'm not a full-time farmer, should I set the drill up to the specs on the chart and roll with it? I can't think of any other questions now but if I think of any I will post. Thanks.

 

[sweettractors]

Here in about a week I am going to be renting a Haybuster 107C seed drill from my local co-op to seed a hay field with orchardgrass. The orchardgrass currently in the field is getting thin so we sprayed Pasture Guard last fall and am going to overseed it now. I have never used a seed drill so I just have some basic questions. The field is an 8 acre rectangle. From what I gather on the internet I would drive the tractor and seed down to the end of the field, raise the drill out of the ground, turn around and get into a position to come right up beside the row I just seeded, let the seed drill down and continue seeding. Is this correct? Seems a little time consuming but what do I know. I know it says not to make sharp turns with the drill in the ground so would that mean instead of the process I just stated, you can't make "sweeping turns" and go around the field in a circle working your way to the middle? The field now has grass that's starting to turn a hint of green. Is it going to be obvious to see where it seeded and where I need to drive on the adjacent row or do I need some kind of marker at the beginning and end of each row to give me something to point the tractor towards? Also, should I take the time to calibrate the drill by pulling a hose off and spinning the drive wheel until the acre counter gets to .1 acre and do the math (manual says to do this) or since it's just 8 acres, a rental unit, and I'm not a full-time farmer, should I set the drill up to the specs on the chart and roll with it? I can't think of any other questions now but if I think of any I will post. Thanks.

You should have no trouble seeing where your last pass was. I always back off the suggested feed rate and if I have some seed left over when finished, I go over some places in the field that look thin or maybe on a hillside. It is not much fun to run out off seed before you run out of ground. Ken Sweet

 

[BrokenTrack]

If you are overseeding I don't see why you need to be overly concerned about ideal passes.

Myself I do not do circles around the perimeter of the entire field getting smaller and smaller as I work myself inward. I do make a few circle passes around the whole field first, just to give me some space to turn on the ends of the fields, but soon I am going down the outside of the field, then make a pass straight up the center. Then I make the next pass just inside the outside of the field pass, then go to the outside of the one down the center. In this manner my circles never become smaller. It is the exact same circle distance until the field is done.

To get the exact center, just use chalk on your back tire and count how many revolutions it takes to cross each end of the field. Half the revolutions is the exact center. Just keep in mind a landmark for each end. For me it is often a tree. So from the other end of the field, when I go down the center for the first time, I lift my bucket which has a grab hook welded to its center. I put that grab hook on my tree in the distance and head for it, like I am shooting a gun with a bead sight.

Here is a picture of a 10 acre field of mine incidentally. Ignore any gaps, but basically I circle around the field at first as indicated by the red. Then I start dividing the field in half by the blue lines. Then it goes to green, then finally to black. I stopped there but hopefully you can see the pattern. Obviously you would pick up your drill when you get to the end of the field to make your turns.

The last red line, and the second blue line are kind of mistakes. They should be on the ends of the field as these are just turns where the drill is picked up out of the ground. (It took a bit to put this photo together so please forgive the mistakes as I do not want to redo it.)

 

[SkylineAcres16]

Thanks for the reply guys. The picture was a lot of help. In reference to the overseeding and not being overly concerned about ideal passes, I agree with you. That was what I was thinking; doesn't need to be perfect. Well, I am going to rent the drill next Friday and I will let you know how it goes.

 

[nybirdman]

The way we work a field;make your first pass up the center and turn left,hit the out-side of the field always turning left,back to the left of your first pass in the center.This way you have maximum turning ability and cover the whole field.

 

[bdog]

The center circle method described works but if your initial pass isn’t in the middle or straight you will be cussing as you get close to finishing. Every year I plow and plant about 20 acres at my place which consists of one rectangular field and another shaped like a “P” I use a 10’ wide drill and just drive down an outer edge to the end, lift and turn around , go back to the other end, lift and turn and repeat. It definitely is slower than the center circle method but doesn’t take that long. I can plant my 20 acres in a half a day.

It isn’t like this a task you will be doing over and over again or you have 80 or 800 acres to plant. Again I am not dissing the center circle method it is the most efficient but it is easy to screw up. I tried it once and screwed up. Since you are just overseeding it may not be that big of a deal. Whatever you do don’t try just driving in circles starting on the outside perimeter and working toward the middle. You will quickly reach a point where you can’t turn sharp enough.

I would take the time and calibrate the drill. It isn’t hard to do. You can be way off on seeding rates if you don’t. My drill is no where near where the setting charts on the door show it to be.

 

[npalen]

I didn't realize that working or seeding a field was some complicated. I just make a couple passes at each narrow end of the field for turning around which is called the headland. Then start along one long side raising and turning and then go back along the last pass. Do this until you get to the other side of the field and you're done.

 

[downslope]

Any of these suggestions will work. However, if the field is not a perfect rectangle or there is a fence or woodline on the edges, then you don't want to be doing the final pass(s) along those edges. Always start parallel to a border that fence, trees, etc. And finish up towards the middle.

One disadvantage of going up and back in the same track is that some drills do not apply perfectly even from side to side, so you could end up with 2 "light" or "heavy" areas next to each other.

 

[npalen]

I'm really trying to understand the logic behind "starting in the middle. Why not just make a couple rounds around the outside of the field and then start backswathing along one long edge. What difference does it make if you end up along a fence or tree row?

I would say that most tilling and planting is done by just starting around the outside of the field going round and round until finished and then making a couple passes to cover the corner skips. This wouldn't be the "drill" however in the case of row crops where backswathing is the normal scenario.

I do understand the logic of not backswathing if half of the drill is planting heavier than the other but had never heard of this being an issue on ground driven seeding.

I'm sincerely trying to understand and not trying to be a smart acre.

Edit: Pardon the puns.

 

[downslope]

I'm really trying to understand the logic behind "starting in the middle. Why not just make a couple rounds around the outside of the field and then start backswathing along one long edge. What difference does it make if you end up along a fence or tree row?

I would say that most tilling and planting is done by just starting around the outside of the field going round and round until finished and then making a couple passes to cover the corner skips. This wouldn't be the "drill" however in the case of row crops where backswathing is the normal scenario.

I do understand the logic of not backswathing if half of the drill is planting heavier than the other but had never heard of this being an issue on ground driven seeding.

I'm sincerely trying to understand and not trying to be a smart acre.

Edit: Pardon the puns.

You don't want to be finishing up along a fence if field is not a true rectangle and you end up with "point rows" heading into the fence or tree line. I am in agreement with the rest of your comments.