planting equipment
#2
Two options... a row planter which would be better for corn, or a drill which would be better for beans.
Planters have different seed plates for different seeds (though I'm not 100% sure about sunflower). They place each seed at a certain spacing. Used two row conventional planters are fairly common in real good shape for under $1000. Row spacing is usually 20-40" The real down side of these is something like oats or wheat.
Drills are more of a controlled spill than individual placement, with narrower row spacing, usually 6-8". Speeds up canopy closure of beans, but not ideal for something like corn which needs more space.
A little figuring and either will do well enough for most peoples food plots.
There are also no-till types of each, but that will run the price way up.
I have a old 309 ford two row conventional(i.e. not a no-till) planter, and a great plains 605nt no-till drill. The drill will plant anything except possibly chufa (not tried it). I have planted corn with it with some success. For pretty corn, the planter works better. You can also plant small seed like turnips, clover, rape, jointvetch, etc. in the small seed box on the drill. Not to mention cereal grains, sorghum, and beans in the main seed box.
Planters have different seed plates for different seeds (though I'm not 100% sure about sunflower). They place each seed at a certain spacing. Used two row conventional planters are fairly common in real good shape for under $1000. Row spacing is usually 20-40" The real down side of these is something like oats or wheat.
Drills are more of a controlled spill than individual placement, with narrower row spacing, usually 6-8". Speeds up canopy closure of beans, but not ideal for something like corn which needs more space.
A little figuring and either will do well enough for most peoples food plots.
There are also no-till types of each, but that will run the price way up.
I have a old 309 ford two row conventional(i.e. not a no-till) planter, and a great plains 605nt no-till drill. The drill will plant anything except possibly chufa (not tried it). I have planted corn with it with some success. For pretty corn, the planter works better. You can also plant small seed like turnips, clover, rape, jointvetch, etc. in the small seed box on the drill. Not to mention cereal grains, sorghum, and beans in the main seed box.
Last edited by hossdaniels; 02-01-2012 at 12:17 PM.
#3
Yes you can get sunflower plates for planters also. If you are looking for the easiest that will plant what you listed then go with a planter. There will be less figuring that goes with it. You may have to purchase several plates for each variety. Different sized seed requires different size plates. With beans you could make the first pass then come back and split row (plant another row between existing rows) to get a narrower row for canopy closure.
Like hossdaniels said there are many more options available with some drills. You might even want one of each.
Like hossdaniels said there are many more options available with some drills. You might even want one of each.
Last edited by Smallplot; 02-03-2012 at 10:21 PM.
#4
i have two old John Deere drills that are seldom used. Most of the time i disk the ground and hand broadcast the seed. A drag made of railroad ties and chain link is dragged across the furrows made by the disk. It does a good job of covering the seed. i can hand broad cast two acres in less than an hour. Besides its good exercise.
The thing in the photos is a pasture drill. It does not have individual plates. The fertilizer side and the seed side have long sliding plates that are infinitely adjustable. It does a good of overseeding game plots and pasture. This year i'll plant some peanuts with it.
The thing in the photos is a pasture drill. It does not have individual plates. The fertilizer side and the seed side have long sliding plates that are infinitely adjustable. It does a good of overseeding game plots and pasture. This year i'll plant some peanuts with it.
#6
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Coffeyville KS USA
Posts: 931
I've got a Dearborn 12-40 2 row planter. It's the predecessor to the Ford 309 planter. The plates are pretty much interchangeable. When I bought mine ($75), it only had 2 metal seed plates. The spaces were way too big for corn or sunflower seeds. I filled them in with some epoxy putty (the 2 part clay, not the liquid), then sanded out new smaller openings with a Dremel tool. I check eBay from time to time and add to my collection of plates. I've got about a dozen now.
#7
Spike
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 6
Planter and equipment
We are using a kubota 7040 with 3p606NT drill behind it. We are having excellent results and i absolutely love it. We use it to plant everything even corn. the spacing on the corn isn't perfect but it is good enough for food plots. i'm trying some different options for the drill to get better spacing.
#8
Spike
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 44
two row planters on a tool bar are excellant food plot planters there are many different brands and options, easy to close in the row width and you can plant from 1" to 76" in the row, the old pl;anters are mecanical operated and built to last, and will plant anything that will fit in the seed cell of the seed plate
find one you can get plates for
i have sold 5 two row burch units this spring, all in the $400-$450 range
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiUKe...1&feature=plcp
check out this video
find one you can get plates for
i have sold 5 two row burch units this spring, all in the $400-$450 range
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiUKe...1&feature=plcp
check out this video