Planting corn or beans without a planter

[DRG3]

Is there a next best way to plant corn or soybeans without a planter?
Years ago I saw an old hand corn planter is there still anything like that around?
What are some other methods- if any?

I have a 50hp tracto, tiller, disc, drag, cone spreader- just don’t want to spend the cash on a planter.

Thanks in advance

 

[rocksnstumps]

Gardner types plant sweet corn with a manual push planter like this earthway. A slightly cheaper version is sold by Chapin. I see them once in awhile at estate sales and such.

Beans have had ok luck just broadcasting and dragging in the past. Yah, does require tillage

 

[Bill]

beans - disk, broadcast, cultipack (cultipack is optional)
corn- disk, broadcast, lightly disk no more then 2 inches. Done.

 

[Bill]

maybe add fertilizer to the corn before disking the second time.

 

[Smokegobbler]

I've had good success broadcasting beans then tilling them under. A cheap electric fence is then set up and removed in late October.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Spread seed on ground till/disk pack/lightly drag


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[Bill Loser]

This year I used a spring tooth to open the soil to 2 to 3 inches then spread corn seed with a push broadcast spreader followed by a drag. Worked really well for the little bit I planted.

 

[Tree Spud]

For corn or beans I would disk to get soil loose, then broadcast seed. I did try broadcasting the seed first then disking lightly and that seemed to work. Just depends on how well your soil is conditioned. Then cultipack after either method helps with soil contact.

 

[FarmerDan]

Planters of any kind are a gift from God...or ag engineers. I'm sure you know my old refrain, "...good seed to soil contact at the right depth packed appropriately." Without a planter? See the comments of the super plotters above. Broadcasting and the steps that follow can work. I am hesitant to suggest broadcasting corn though. The seed is probably expensive compared to soybeans (maybe, maybe not). And, it's seed coat is really thin. Corn needs to be in the soil at the right depth. Soybeans, I think, are a little more forgiving.

 

[Bill Loser]

Planters of any kind are a gift from God...or ag engineers. I'm sure you know my old refrain, "...good seed to soil contact at the right depth packed appropriately." Without a planter? See the comments of the super plotters above. Broadcasting and the steps that follow can work. I am hesitant to suggest broadcasting corn though. The seed is probably expensive compared to soybeans (maybe, maybe not). And, it's seed coat is really thin. Corn needs to be in the soil at the right depth. Soybeans, I think, are a little more forgiving.

Your are probably correct on the cost aspect. I was willing to try it only because I had 2 bags of rr corn for free, I have a planter but no tractor.. figure that one out and figured I got nothing to lose. I broadcast it at probably 3 times the rate.

 

[bigboreblr]

What kid of soil do you got, what implements do you have? Assuming you're using an ATV.

Getting a food plot area started sucks without a tractor. But, once you got a place to do it, an ATV works ok.

I do about 3 acres. I think ATV food plotting limit would be somewhere on 5-8 acres. Unless you' can do it over multiple weekends.

I've never messed with corn that I recall. But, you need about 100lbs of ntrogen an acre. Not 100lbs of fertilizer, but 100lbs of nitrogen. If your fertilizer is like mine, iths 46-0-0. So for each acre you need 217lbs worth.

I'd be using my sprayer to kill everything dead, then using my spring tine harrows for the ATV, then spread a mix of the corn with the fertilizer, then use a tire drag to mix it in if it's loose soil. If it's heavier soil, run the harrows agains.

Any time I food plot I do 2 things. I use a cultipacker, roller, or just drive it over well with the ATV tires when done. Secondly, I always spread clover with anything. A slower growing clover will not compete with corn, like ladino. Red or white dutch might pick up some speed. to compete a bt.

 

[DRG3]

Thanks to all for the help here. Thankfully I have a tractor and all the equipment I need for tillage, just no planter.
I just sold my hunting farm, so now I am considering turning the farm where I live from row crop lease to one I manage for wildlife.

The farmer is great but understandably wouldn’t want to go to the trouble of moving his equipment in for how much I would be reducing his acreage. If I elect to do this. I totally get that. I would be building a mix of NWSGs, traditional food plots crops and corn/beans.

I like the idea of that earth way garden planter.