Questions about row planters

[HCJtractor]

We plant food plots by broadcasting seed (wheat, oats, clover, peas, etc) and are considering other methods. Please tell me about row planters. I see that the Deere model 71 is a respected unit. We may plant corn and soybeans and I assume a row planter is the way to go. I also see that fertilizer boxes are good to have. I know nothing about planting like this. Tell me all you can, including soil preparation. I assume normal discing or plowing and levelling is done first. Does the planter make the final row? What seeds can be planted with this planter versus a grain drill (which I also know nothing about) Other than Craigslist or Ebay, where can these be found. I understand they are not easy to find and not cheap.

Also when to plant (live in SC) and should herbicide be used first? Could you walk me through how you would plant plots with corn or beans, starting with pld plots with clover and grassses in them.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

HCJ....I have used two row planters for foodplots. I'll give you my 2 cents worth. I'm sure some of the real farmers will chime in as well. I have a two row JD 71 planter and have owned in the past a two row Ford planter. Both are good. I kinda wish I had not sold the Ford planter in favor of the 71 because it had fertilizer boxes. Fertilizer boxes are very handy and save time going back to fertilize later. Planters are better for larger seeds like corn and soybeans. Grain drills are used more for small seeds; wheat, oats, clovers, etc.

Soil prep can easily be done with a turning plow and disk. Pulling a log, heavy pipe, etc behind the disk is good for smoothing. That should get the plot plenty smooth enough for the planter. If the plots are small, a 3 point hitch tiller is good for working the soil.

Go to the local Co Op to get recommendations for pre and post emerge herbicides. If you don't put down herbicides, the weeds will take over. Also, you need a soil test to determine the fertilizer rates. A word of warning, all this can get quite expensive. That's the reason I have pretty much quit plotting.

Most of the older planters are plate type planters. You will need a plate specific to the crop and seed size. Lincoln Ag Products and ebay are good sources for plates. You can google Lincoln Ag products and get their website. Food plotting can be very satisfying as well as frustrating. As with all planting, you are at the mercy of weather. Good luck and have fun.

 

[sweettractors]

We plant food plots by broadcasting seed (wheat, oats, clover, peas, etc) and are considering other methods. Please tell me about row planters. I see that the Deere model 71 is a respected unit. We may plant corn and soybeans and I assume a row planter is the way to go. I also see that fertilizer boxes are good to have. I know nothing about planting like this. Tell me all you can, including soil preparation. I assume normal discing or plowing and levelling is done first. Does the planter make the final row? What seeds can be planted with this planter versus a grain drill (which I also know nothing about) Other than Craigslist or Ebay, where can these be found. I understand they are not easy to find and not cheap.

Also when to plant (live in SC) and should herbicide be used first? Could you walk me through how you would plant plots with corn or beans, starting with pld plots with clover and grassses in them.

We have 15 Good used 1 and 2 row corn planters. All are field ready. We have 8 Ford #309--John Deere 24B--John Deere 246-247--Case 2 row with ferterlizer--2 Massey Ferguson--1 thrifty 1 row--1 Case 1 row. Ken Sweet

 

[hrcarver]

With the exception of corn, everything else does better planted in a drill. You can even get by with corn. I do admit that I sometimes borrow a friends 2 row ford 309 for corn plots.

I bought a used great plains 605nt that plants everything from clover (with the small seed box), cereal grains, and beans. All without disking. With some duct tape to make row spacing wider and some tweaking of the rate, it even does a respectable job drilling corn. It is hard to beat those old plates though.

Granted, that drill cost a lot more than a two row planter. But if you want a drill for your clover and wheat anyway...

 

[bayoubilly]

I 'm getting some food plots ready. for planting corn ,soybeans etc in rows i'll be using a 2 row cole/planet jr. the newer ones with the plastic seed hoppers. there are mounted on a tool bar with 3pt hitch , adjustable row width. for sugar beets ,turnips etc. i'll use a 4 row stanhay precision seeder on a tool bar 3 pt hitch ,adjustable row width . for grasses, rye, wheat, clover etc, i'll use a befco pto slicer 2 bin overseeder with a cultpacker . after adding lime and 10-10-10 based on my testing of course , thats another subject to go over before planting . anyway on the food plots the side i approach from will be planted with rows of corn then rows of sugar beets between row crops and woods will be grasses , rye , wheat , clover,that can be mowed, if it gets to high . it took 3 yrs going to farm auctions to get most of my seeders . 2 row cole/planet jr $ 275- ,4 row stanhay $225,befco overseeder $2200- .estimated value based on ebay craig list $ 6000 +, its pays to shop around a get the best quality, at the best price .on equipment that parts are still available.

 

[Luremaker]

... i'll use a 4 row stanhay precision seeder on a tool bar 3 pt hitch ,adjustable row width for grasses, rye, wheat, clover etc,...

bayoubilly, is your stanhay presicion similar to my Webb Precision Planter? I have a two row model but can not plant rye, wheat etc with it. Webb was purchased by stanhay a while back.

 

[bayoubilly]

it is similar but model # might be different . stanhay seeders seed belt must be punched to the size seed exactly . can not be used for different size seeds must be exact size . seeds must be sent out with belts to be punched , precision planting will have no wasted plants to be thined out . only 1 seed at a time at exact spacing . cole/planet jr have a built in seed plate for muti size seed planting but not precision ,close .JD seeders you have to change seed plates .but grasses ,wheat, rye ,clover different shape seed you'll need different type seeder. overseeder for that type of seed $$$$$$$$ .broad cast seeders do not have very good soil seed contact seed won't develop good root system ,1st dry spell will kill it.,if you looking for 1, get 1 on a tool bar were you can adjust the row width easily in the field with 1 wrench ,there only good for row crops . don't get any thing too old .been there done that ,up too date ,at best price is a investment, research the equipment.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

With the exception of corn, everything else does better planted in a drill. You can even get by with corn. I do admit that I sometimes borrow a friends 2 row ford 309 for corn plots.

I bought a used great plains 605nt that plants everything from clover (with the small seed box), cereal grains, and beans. All without disking. With some duct tape to make row spacing wider and some tweaking of the rate, it even does a respectable job drilling corn. It is hard to beat those old plates though.

Granted, that drill cost a lot more than a two row planter. But if you want a drill for your clover and wheat anyway...

Nice looking drill HR. In fact it looks brand new. What is the planting width? If you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay for it?

 

[hrcarver]

It's a 6'. It was almost new, a 2007 model with only 9.7 acres on it. I paid $8500 last summer. The dealer said the original owner had too much drill for his tractor (it is a lot of drill, 2300lbs empty IIRC). New ones (model 606nt) were 12k or better. I plant food plots for folks in my area and had been looking for a drill that was actually heavy enough to do the job right, and still fit on a equipment trailer. If it wasn't for the fitting on a trailer part, I would rather have a trailer type. You cant beat it for my purpose though.

 

[brazilfm98]

Hrcarver, I was looking at 3P500 drills but Great Plains said my tractor wouldnt lift it in the 3 point hitch. I have a Kubota L3700. They recommended a 606NT. The 606NT calls for a 40 HP tractor. I have 37 HP but they said it would be ok. I wouldnt fill it completely full of seed to help. When you say the seller of yours didnt have enough tractor, how much HP did it have ?

You got a great deal. i cant even find a used 606NT. I found 3P500s with people asking for more than a new one costs. Yes, the problem with the 606NT is the width. Luckily I wont have to move mine around.

Thanks,

 

[ddivinia]

Does the tongue fold on the 606nt? I am trying to figure out the best way to transport one.


D.

 

[GreenWannabe]

The operator's manual on Great Plains' website sure doesn't indicate that it can.

 

[super55]

There are a multitude of types of planters and drills and price to correlate with what they can do.

Coventional till drill- generally the least expensive, Soil needs to be tilled and prepped prior to planting. Generally have a single disc opener either a grain box with a fertilizer hopper and/or small seed box (legume box)

Min-till drill - This drills have double disc openers that cut the soil and followed by a packing wheel. These drills can be used for no-till purposes in bean stubble and certain cover crops. The double disc cuts a slit in the soil and the press wheel gets the needed seed to soil contact.

No-till drill- Heavy grain drills able to plant seed in soil with zero tilling/soil preparation. The GP606NT posted above is a no-till. They are the cream of the crop and price reflects it. They have trash/row cleaners to clean debris in front of the double disc opener and have much more down pressure to cut into the soil. The seed slit is than closed with a press wheel.

All the drills have a similarity where they are all spaced about 7-8 inches and have dedicated seed boxes. The grain box can run large seeds like rye, oats, buckwheat, and wheat. The legume box is much smaller and is for smaller seeds such as clover, brassicas, rape, clover or alfalfa.

Planters are for row crops such sunflowers, corn, beans, or milo. They are generally set up for 28-30 row spacing. These usually come with fertilizer hopper for side dressing the seed with a low N fert such as 6-24-24. The main benefit of these is they meter much more precisely than a drill and are less like to crush larger seeds which grain drills will sometimes do. These planters also come in conventional till and no-till models.

Do some research on what may work best for you and what you are trying to establish. I have an old JD 290 corn planter and an old JD/Van Brunt 13 row grain drill with a legume box that I use both exclusively for food plotting. I got both items off craigslist for less than 700 dollars total. Both implements are small enough for my uses and didn't break the bank. On a side note though for my plots of a 1/2 ac or less or really shallow plantings such as brassicas my broadcast spreader gets put to work.