Seed blend with plate type planter

[ProcraftMike]

I have a JD 71 flex planter. For anyone that uses a seed plate type planter, have you had any luck trying to plant a seed blend with different size seeds with this type of set up? I would like to experiment and try it. Any advise that you can offer?

 

[SWIFFY]

I would think it would work fine for similar sized seeds like corn/beans/peas. I dont think they make plates small enough for brassicas/clovers/etc??

Also youll have to make sure everything you plant is resistant to the same herbicides or that could be an issue. It could be a fun experiment.

 

[yoderjac]

I have a JD 71 flex planter. For anyone that uses a seed plate type planter, have you had any luck trying to plant a seed blend with different size seeds with this type of set up? I would like to experiment and try it. Any advise that you can offer?

In general, the difference between planters and drills is that drills use a "controlled spill" of seeds and planters use a higher precision placement of the same seed using plates or some mechanism specific to the seed being planted. They are generally used with large seeded row crops.

So, when you use a planter for a mix, you are swimming up hill. That is not to say it would not put seed in the ground, but how much and how well it would work would be trial and error.

Good luck if you try it and be sure to report back.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

I believe Gabe brown plants all of his mixes without fancy planters. 3 different plates should be more than adequate.


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[ProcraftMike]

I think I will experiment one of these rainy weekends. I think as long as I use a seed plate that has openings slightly larger than the largest seed, it might work. Trying to control how much seed I put down will be the tricky part. I can adjust that somewhat with different size plates and sprockets. I am also not sure if the seed plate will allow an even dispersion of a seed mix, or if it will want to favor the smaller seeds over the larger ones. I have a fear that all of the smaller seeds will run through the planter, followed by the larger seeds, vs keeping them mixed. If that is the case, I may have to plant the same field twice, with the bigger seeds first, then a smaller seed plate for the smaller seeds, or different seeds in each hopper.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

You’ll be fine. Mix the seed up good and dump it in.


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[ACCMan]

I use a 71 and it does a pretty good job with a mix. I planted a soybean, sunflower, iron clay pea mix that did great. I just stop at the end of the runs and mix again after checking the level of the hopper.

 

[ProcraftMike]

Well, my curiosity got the best of me and I had to experiment on Sunday. I mixed up some soybeans, sunflower, buckwheat, trophy rape, forage radish and winter rye. I used a round style corn plate, just slightly larger than the soybean seed, which was the largest seed in the mix. It worked like a charm. It dispersed the seeds in a random fashion. From my calculations, it would put down around 56 lbs. per acre. I will have to work with the seed mix a bit, or just purchase a premix type for my planting needs. I should probably include some annual clover, but those seeds are even smaller than the rape seeds.

 

[j-bird]

I typically plant my large seed with a row planter (I have an old ford 307 planter) and then broadcast my smaller seed over that. I have been concerned about the ability to control the small seed like clovers and turnip both with seeding rate/distribution as well as being covered too deep.

 

[ACCMan]

You can put coulters on the 71 and turn it into no till.

 

[ProcraftMike]

I am actually able to use the planter as a no till. I have very soft soils by me...very high in organic matter. They are referred to as "muck" soils. My current openers do a good job of penetrating the ground, even on my ridge, which is more sandy.

 

[ACCMan]

You are lucky, I am in Va with red clay and rocks.