Seeder, Over seeder , Fetilize Spreader

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Jeff: Here are pictures of one of my favorite and most used implements that we talked about. It's a Ferguson Over seeder. It'll seed, over seed and spread fertilizer and even aerate the ground. My brother always comes around in the fall to use it for over seeding. He's the one with the magazine cover yard. I usually use it ever fall or spring for over seeding and also to lay seed doen for new yard. It also punches a hole in the ground which I figure helps to catch seed and hold moisture for seed.

 

[imajeepnut]

Thanks John,

I think I remember that pic now. It sure is an aerator and seeder in one isn't it. What causes the seeds to fall...is there any mechanism to create even distribution or is it all gravity fed using the vibration of the drum?

Here is the spreader/seeder that I mentioned also. I'm not familiar with this type, but it seems like it would lay down a nice even pattern of material.

Our Products - Vicon - Pendulum Spreaders

Read up on it a little and see what you think.

 

[Deano]

From what I can see, it is a typical drop spreader with a follow on spiked aerator that you add water for weight??

I looked to see where you were so I could rent it from you...too far!!!

Deano

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

If I were fertilizing big fields I would prefer using my broadcast spreader but I just do my yard. My roller spreader has a 4? sided bar inside at the bottom that turns by a chain on the end of the drum which keeps the seed dropping at a consistant rate determined by an adjustment plate under the bottom, open more lets more seed out and close it down lets less out.
Jeff: The broadcast spreader info you sent looks good and I'm sure it will do a good job. When I fill my broadcast spreader up with fertilizer and drive sort of across hills it sort of brings a bit of a pucker factor. Doubt it will turn my tractor over but I try to use the up and down hills with it. With my roller spreader I feel even more stable because it's down on the ground. I also avoid pto operated implements if I can.
Deano: You nailed it. It's a drop spreader with the big wheel behind that can be filled with water for more ground penetration of spikes. It also presses the seed down to the ground for better contact and the spikes cut the ground which makes holes for seed to drop into. Maryland isn't to far, just a good long days drive and I will rent it to you cheap if you drive that far.

 

[Deano]

Deano: You nailed it. It's a drop spreader with the big wheel behind that can be filled with water for more ground penetration of spikes. It also presses the seed down to the ground for better contact and the spikes cut the ground which makes holes for seed to drop into. Maryland isn't to far, just a good long days drive and I will rent it to you cheap if you drive that far.

Actually, I just had my pasture disced and then I used my 42" drop spreader and my neighbors leinbach roller. If I attached the two together, it would look exactly like yours!!

Deano

 

[EE_Bota]

Man....I tell you what! If I had JohnThomas money, I would BURN mine.

I dont want to go all "there's children starving in China" on ya, but to look at that fine aerator, after just finishing an acre yard using a butter knife, sowing one lousy weed seed per hole, and saying an earnest prayer over each, I feel a little envious. I got blisters on blisters, but I might be able to catch me a critter, or find (make) some roadkill, and make me some gloves for next aeration. Before any of you write "What! You have a butter knife?!" let me say I am kidding! (I borrowed the knife)

I borrowed this plugger, and it does pretty good for the price. I drilled the tubes between the star wheels and put grease fittings in. (My social worker gave me the grease fittings.)

Agri-Fab at Lowe's: 48" Plug Aerator

I borrowed this too, and it is not worth a darn until you build a rack to hold some weight, and then it does pretty good.

Brinly-Hardy Co. | Lawn Care Products | Aerators | Aerator-Spreaders | AS-40BH

They call it a plug aerator, but its a spike. What I do is:

Plug the heck out of the yard. Then use that slitter/drop seeder over the yard. I like that better than any broadcast spreader because it drops the seed straight down. (It doesn't have a laser guide for each seed path like JohnThomas aerator, but poor folks like me can borrow a flashlight and shine it in front of each seed. Use a sparkler for a more random pattern.) You get a good amount of seed in each plugger hole, and maybe some in the slits too.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

Man....I tell you what! If I had JohnThomas money, I would BURN mine.

EE you know I don't have any money. I spend what I get on cars, tractors and implements.

 

[EE_Bota]

A least you have got a good piece of equipment. I discussed mine and how I use it because it works. A couple of days later I was all done, and the grass seed is starting to show up in some of the earlier seeding areas.

BUT...when I was outside getting the plugger and the slit aerator ready for storage for another year, I bet it took me a half a day to get it ready to store.

I washed all the dirt out of the spoons (plugger) and the stars (slitter). I touched up all the scratches in the paint. I wiped down all metal non-painted surfaces with oil. I greased and I oiled. Think about that:

Am I an extraordinary clean freak? NO. The fact is, my equipment is so lightly built that if I did not do that, I doubt it would last five years. It would all just turn to red powder. That is a fundamental difference between the equipment you bought, and the equipment I bought.

By the way, that "if I had your money, I'd burn mine" is a popular line around my area. We use is at work sometimes before we go into our comedy skit about your rich our co-workers are vs how poor we are. It is lots of fun at break time or during lunch.

 

[JOHNTHOMAS]

A least you have got a good piece of equipment. I discussed mine and how I use it because it works. A couple of days later I was all done, and the grass seed is starting to show up in some of the earlier seeding areas.

BUT...when I was outside getting the plugger and the slit aerator ready for storage for another year, I bet it took me a half a day to get it ready to store.

I washed all the dirt out of the spoons (plugger) and the stars (slitter). I touched up all the scratches in the paint. I wiped down all metal non-painted surfaces with oil. I greased and I oiled. Think about that:

Am I an extraordinary clean freak? NO. The fact is, my equipment is so lightly built that if I did not do that, I doubt it would last five years. It would all just turn to red powder. That is a fundamental difference between the equipment you bought, and the equipment I bought.

By the way, that "if I had your money, I'd burn mine" is a popular line around my area. We use is at work sometimes before we go into our comedy skit about your rich our co-workers are vs how poor we are. It is lots of fun at break time or during lunch.

EE I know you are part of that Bota family in the Carolinas but you do know many Kentuckians came through the Carolinas before they finally came on to Ky. My ancestors did over 200 years ago. Well, actually they spent alot of time in Maryland before moving to Carolinas. We use that expression alot here and it actually can go for days back and forth of how rich your co worker is compared to yourself. Two of my brothers went searching for wives in the late 50's and found 2 in NC and brought them back. Maybe they imported it. They were from the Gastonia and New Bern area. Will be passing through your fair state in a couple of weeks going to the beach in SC. I drive to Richburg and sleep on the side of the road then drive on the second day. If I had your money I'd stay in a motel or maybe even fly down.

 

[ChuckinNH]

Man....I tell you what! If I had JohnThomas money, I would BURN mine.

I dont want to go all "there's children starving in China" on ya, but to look at that fine aerator, after just finishing an acre yard using a butter knife, sowing one lousy weed seed per hole, and saying an earnest prayer over each, I feel a little envious. I got blisters on blisters, but I might be able to catch me a critter, or find (make) some roadkill, and make me some gloves for next aeration. Before any of you write "What! You have a butter knife?!" let me say I am kidding! (I borrowed the knife)

I borrowed this plugger, and it does pretty good for the price. I drilled the tubes between the star wheels and put grease fittings in. (My social worker gave me the grease fittings.)

Agri-Fab at Lowe's: 48" Plug Aerator

I borrowed this too, and it is not worth a darn until you build a rack to hold some weight, and then it does pretty good.

Brinly-Hardy Co. | Lawn Care Products | Aerators | Aerator-Spreaders | AS-40BH

They call it a plug aerator, but its a spike. What I do is:

Plug the heck out of the yard. Then use that slitter/drop seeder over the yard. I like that better than any broadcast spreader because it drops the seed straight down. (It doesn't have a laser guide for each seed path like JohnThomas aerator, but poor folks like me can borrow a flashlight and shine it in front of each seed. Use a sparkler for a more random pattern.) You get a good amount of seed in each plugger hole, and maybe some in the slits too.

Around these Yankee parts, folks that talk like this usually have more stashed away than any three average folks.

These methods, and the same equipment do work just fine for me too. With some weight I get good penetration with the Agri Fab aerator, and good results with the seeding described here too.