planting my RR Sugar Beets

[foggy]

I figured I would take a few pics and show my process on planting rr sugar beets. First thing I did was hook up my fertilizer spreader and put down some 22-6-20-4. Beets like nitrogen. My tractor's got Pat's EZ Hitch on the lower links.....so I use a Speedco PTO extension to lengthen the PTO a bit. Also works great when I have the no-good-for-nothing PTO connection on a few other implements (the kind that has a "collar" to pull back). Simply put the Speedco unit on prior to hooking up......makes life better. The Speedco extension has the spring loaded "cross bolt" which is far easier to connect than the dreadful collar-style PTO connector. Also adds a few inches in length....which is why I use it with my Cosmo spreader. (I'm about "at the limit" for PTO shaft length - without the adaptor in place).

I use dolly's as shown on a few implements to roll them around my shop. Makes connecting the equipment easy. Those dolly's are available for about $10 (on sale) at Northern Tool. Pat's are a blessing too.....versatile to use....and fast and easy.... with all my 3 point attachments.

 

[foggy]

Next thing was to prep the KK tiller to incorporate the fertilizer. I had hit an exclusion cage last year.....and had a mess of wire to get out of the tiller.....as well as some wrapped straw. Grrrr......shoulda done this last fall.

 

[foggy]

After greasing the tiller and adding some gear oil.....off to the plots to till in my fertilizer. I made 5 small plots that total about 1.25 acres total.

 

[foggy]

Took a pic of my grapple which interchanges with my bucket. The grapple is the single best implement for dealing with timber. I pick up big trees......break em in two and stack em as needed. Takes all the work out of forest management IMO. Nothing to do about beets......but....:D

 

[foggy]

Heres another sugar beet plot ready for seed.

 

[foggy]

My wife used a whirly bird type, hand-held spreader to broadcast the RR Sugar Beet seeds to the recommended rates (about one foot apart). Meanwhile I cultipacked the seeds twice to get good soil contact. I figure most of the seeds to be about 1/2" deep......+/- a bit. Didn't get any pics of this....but the coated seeds were bright yellow......so it was pretty easy to get the right seed rate broadcasted.

I did a rag doll test of my seeds and 19 of 20 seeds sprouted in a wet paper towel (which was placed in a plastic bag). Hope my results go as well in the soil.

 

[scott44]

Looks good Foggy! Nice rig you have there especially that grapple, think I'll have to look into one of those.

 

[foggy]

Here's how I store a few implements....on wheels. Shown is a fertilizer spreader, stump grinder and Fimco Sprayer. Later I'll put my tiller on wheels as well as my rotary cutter. The real heavy stuff, and things I don't use as ofter, stays on the ground and outside (disk, snow blade, landscape rake, cutlitpacker etc.)

 

[foggy]

Looks good Foggy! Nice rig you have there especially that grapple, think I'll have to look into one of those.

You'll be glad the day you get your grapple!! You really don't need anything wider than about 4 feet if you have a compact tractor. Stay away from the heavy or wide stuff. Stay light weight to keep from overloading your tractor and robbing capacity. No point in wide and heavy. A single cylinder "clamp" is plenty adequate for most users. If you shop a bit.....you can find a grapple for around $1200 or so. (plus any hydraulics needed to get to the front of the loader).

I wonder how I got by without my grapple. :rolleyes: Pick up piles of sticks, rocks, logs, and more. The lower "bucket" tines could be a bit shorter than those on my rig.....as you don't place too much torque on the loader with shorter tines.....and can rake the soil a bit better......IMO. (Mine work pretty good....but shorter may be better - sometimes less is more!)

 

[Jordan Selsor]

Those tillers do one heck of a good job! I want one bad! I cleared allot of timber at my prior job and used grapples all the time. I now get frustrated moving brush without them! Lol. Nice place and equipment!

 

[sandbur]

Looks good, foggy.

Get us some pictures of the beet growth.

 

[EOB]

Couple of questions.

1. On the EZ hitch, what has to be done with the lower pins to make them work?

2. Where does one buy RR Sugar Beet seed?

 

[foggy]

EOB......The PAT'S EZ Change assembly(s) are pinned directly onto the lower links with a furnished pin. They add about two inches of length to your lower links. I used the same top link as furnished with my tractor, and have not had any "fit" issues that required a longer top link. The Pat's really speed up implement changes. I think I paid about $150 for the pair.....and have had them on two tractors over a period of 8 years.

You can buy RR Sugar Beet Seed from Ed Spinolazola (Spinner) in Michigan. Or some get it on E Bay.

 

[foggy]

EOB......I have about ten 3 point implements. To speed things up......I put the big "bent washers" with a snap pin on the ends of the lower links on each of my implements. Then its just a matter of "snapping" the lower links onto the implements and attaching the top link (and PTO if any). Really speeds up implement changes.....almost like a IMatch.....but fits ALL implements.

 

[tooln]

Looks good Foggy.
Is this your first year for beets?
Keep us update on the growth.

 

[West Branch]

Those plots look great, I look forward to seeing the growth!

You'll be glad the day you get your grapple!! You really don't need anything wider than about 4 feet if you have a compact tractor. Stay away from the heavy or wide stuff. Stay light weight to keep from overloading your tractor and robbing capacity. No point in wide and heavy. A single cylinder "clamp" is plenty adequate for most users. If you shop a bit.....you can find a grapple for around $1200 or so. (plus any hydraulics needed to get to the front of the loader).

I wonder how I got by without my grapple. :rolleyes: Pick up piles of sticks, rocks, logs, and more. The lower "bucket" tines could be a bit shorter than those on my rig.....as you don't place too much torque on the loader with shorter tines.....and can rake the soil a bit better......IMO. (Mine work pretty good....but shorter may be better - sometimes less is more!)

I agree on a grapple, we have one for our skid steer and you end up finding a lot of uses for it.

 

[Steve Oehlenschlager]

I planted my first Beet plot almost 2 1/2 weeks ago before all the cold and rainy weather hit. When I checked 4 days ago, they were sprouting. Should be all up by this weekend. They are VERY slow to start. Spray when the weeds are no more than 2 inches tall.

 

[foggy]

Looks good Foggy.
Is this your first year for beets?
Keep us update on the growth.

Yep. Never have planted beets before. Hope to get it right. Will take pics with first sprouting.

 

[foggy]

I planted my first Beet plot almost 2 1/2 weeks ago before all the cold and rainy weather hit. When I checked 4 days ago, they were sprouting. Should be all up by this weekend. They are VERY slow to start. Spray when the weeds are no more than 2 inches tall.

Steve, I missed the few days of opportunity to get my beets in the ground before the rainfalls. Hope I can catch a rain this coming week. I feel I'm a bit behind - the story of my life. :)

 

[Steve Oehlenschlager]

Just don't give up on them doing anything until early August. They grow SLOW!!! And then poof in August they start growing some serious mass. Those hot sunny days are what they like. Their root goes down 5 foot plus, so if there is any soil moisture, they do great. You have to spray them at least 3 times. Planting some more tomorrow. With the cold weather we had for several weeks. Ones planted now will not be that far behind come fall.