Any harm in drilling now?

[bossgobbler]

Good morning. Quick question about drilling a foodplot into very dry ground with little to rain in the forecast.

My schedule is very tight. I am borrowing a neighbor’s drill. I’ve got the seed ready and the plots are ready. The main issue is that there is no rain in the forecast and the ground is very dry.

Location is southeastern Ohio. I’m planting 3 acres. One acre is newly cleared land and the other 2 acres are pretty nice clover plots. I will be planting a mix of wheat, rye, and buck forage oats.

Would you drill it now and hope for the best or wait another 7-10 days? Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you.

 

[Wild Thing]

If there is no moisture in the soil and you don't expect rain for another 7-10 days, the seed isn't going to germinate anyway so there probably isn't any hurry to get the seed in the ground. It will grow just as fast if you drill it in 7-10 days when you do expect some rain.

It probably won't hurt the seed much (especially cereal grain seed) to sit in dry soil for a week to 10 days, except that turkeys and sandhill cranes will have their way with some of it.

It likely just depends upon which way is more convenient for you. Personally...I would probably just wait and plant next week but it likely won't matter one way or another.

This is just my opinion. Looking forward to others' opinions as well.

 

[TreeDaddy]

If there is no moisture in the soil and you don't expect rain for another 7-10 days, the seed isn't going to germinate anyway so there probably isn't any hurry to get the seed in the ground. It will grow just as fast if you drill it in 7-10 days when you do expect some rain.

It probably won't hurt the seed much (especially cereal grain seed) to sit in dry soil for a week to 10 days, except that turkeys and sandhill cranes will have their way with some of it.

It likely just depends upon which way is more convenient for you. Personally...I would probably just wait and plant next week but it likely won't matter one way or another.

This is just my opinion. Looking forward to others' opinions as well.

Do you have any reservation in drilling on heavy ,dry clay?

What type of soil would you not expose your drill to for concerns of equipment damage?

bill

 

[Wild Thing]

Do you have any reservation in drilling on heavy ,dry clay?

What type of soil would you not expose your drill to for concerns of equipment damage?

bill

Not really. My soil is a clay/loam soil which can get semi "hard" when dry. I also have a lot of rocks in it, although I do try to get as many of them out as I can when opening up new plots. The rocks just about demolished my first disc when I was still turning dirt, but when planting with my drill I only drill at 3-4 MPH and if I see a rock ahead I just slow down and the drill rides right over the top of the rocks with no ill-effects.

Truthfully, I would prefer to drill into dry soil than soil that is too wet.

This is one of 3 rock piles I picked out of a 3.5 acre food plot when I opened it up.


I still have quite a few rocks this size and bigger that I just slow down some for when I am planting....


but I do have heavy duty coulters in front of my openers.

 

[Foggy47]

I had the same dilemma about ten days ago I decided to plant dry and take my chances even with little chance fo rain in the forecast A week later I caught 1/4” to get some germination and yesterday I caught another 3 tenths Things are shaping up now, it was worthwhile to me as we will run out of good growing days before long

 

[FarmerDan]

It will probably be raining in SE OH in a couple hours. I would have planted yesterday. I am the king advocate for planting and not worrying about rain forecasts.

 

[omicron1792]

Yeah. Beauty of a drill. Plant when you can, don’t wait.

 

[bossgobbler]

Thank you for all the input. I will drill on the next day I have time.