3-point spreader - seed & fertilizer

[WinterDeere]

I'm looking for a 3-point spreader for my CUT, as the tow-behind I always used with my garden tractor is just too small to reach from the seat of the CUT, and is too short to easily back-up with the longer wheelbase of the CUT. The trouble is, so little info seems to exist on most of the 3-point spreaders I see.

Any recommendations on a spreader for use with tall fescue grass seed, and general lawn fertilizing, on a 3.5 acre yard? Most of these things say they throw 40 - 50 feet, which seems like an awfully wide pattern, for use around gardens, etc. Perhaps they're aimed more at other applications? Also, I have concerns with the internal agitator, as I had endless problems with seed bridging in the hopper of my tow-behind unit.

I was looking at County Line from Tractor Supply, 'cause they're local and I can go put my hands on one, and I have a few TSC gift cards I need to use on something. I was also looking at Cosmo, carried by ASC / AgriSupply.

 

[robbyr]

Mine is a baltimatic. Works pretty good. Casts ryegrass seed 15 - 20 feet and fertilizer maybe 50 - 60 feet. Pretty sure my father in law bought it at TSC. Good luck.

 

[WinterDeere]

How do you deal with casting fertilizer 50 - 60 feet? I have a big yard, 3.5 acres of grass, but around the perimeters, I imagine getting lots of fertilizer into the gardens with such a wide pattern. No big deal when you're throwing calcium, or something of the sort, but maybe a big problem when you're putting down spring-time pre-emergent weed killer.

 

[sam5570]

How do you deal with casting fertilizer 50 - 60 feet? I have a big yard, 3.5 acres of grass, but around the perimeters, I imagine getting lots of fertilizer into the gardens with such a wide pattern. No big deal when you're throwing calcium, or something of the sort, but maybe a big problem when you're putting down spring-time pre-emergent weed killer.

i been there done that and got a t shirt for it. was putting weed and feed on my 2 acre lawn one year and 4 days after i did it my wife said something has happened to my flower's in flower bed well i let it go for a few day's then i told her what happened. i fixed my problem with a good pull behind spreader. the cheap brands like ts carry just don't work well i don't know who makes the scott's brand but it does a great job with what ever i put in.[ grass seedd or fertilizer] and the spread width is very constant so you know how close you can get to flower beds and gardens they even have a plate you can install to not throw to one side or the other. not sure they still make them but be easy to fabricate one.

 

[WinterDeere]

Actually, most of the 3-point spreaders I've been looking at have the ability to set left/center/right broadcast, but I don't know how easy it is to switch this on the fly. I agree that my pull-behind spreader, with maybe 15 - 20 foot broadcast width is very consistent. Keep 7 - 10 feet from the gardens, and none of the weed killer ends up on the flowers.

The trouble with the pull-behind is it's ridiculously small behind a CUT, and more than a little difficult to switch on/off, back up, etc. I could solve some of these problems with just extending the control cable and moving the shutter control lever from the spreader frame to the tractor fender, but a nice self-contained 3-point spreader really sounds like a nicer option, if it can be made practical to use.

 

[jenkinsph]

What I do in areas that have lots of borders to deal with is use a pull behind drop spreader. This covers about a 4' width and allows me to run a band of seed or fertilizer with accurate control of the placement. After catching the borders I use a pull type broadcast spreader for the open areas. The biggest problem with most cheap spreaders is control of the gate, whether you stop the spinner platter or not the gate is still dropping the fertilizer so when you start up again it spills too much. That said setting any of these up where you can easily reach the controls is very important.

 

[LHS Inc]

I bought a Landpride poly 700 lb capacity 3pt spreader a couple of years ago. Its done ok after some trail and error.

I spaced my spreading about 45' to 50' and ended up streaking the lawn at just about that spacing. Still haven't figured out how that happened.

Since then I have cut the spreading rate back and tightened up the width to about 15' to 20' and it seems to do a better job.

Although its taking a little longer to spread at half the distance than I originally thought I'm still making better time with less frequent fill ups and less trips across the yard than the old pull type behind the four-wheeler.

If I had to do it over and if they didn't cost more than double what I paid I'd get a pendular type spreader. They are more accurate in spreading and you can divert the direction of the spout at the end to center, right, or left.

The Cosmo brand you mentioned offer that type.

 

[D7E]

If I had to do it over and if they didn't cost more than double what I paid I'd get a pendular type spreader. They are more accurate in spreading and you can divert the direction of the spout at the end to center, right, or left.

Those vicon waggers died out in europe 20 years ago and had a terrible name for striping and innacuracy in cereal crops as did single disc , Double disc or air boom is the most accurate .

 

[WinterDeere]

Thanks, guys! Some great info.

The biggest problem with most cheap spreaders is control of the gate, whether you stop the spinner platter or not the gate is still dropping the fertilizer so when you start up again it spills too much. That said setting any of these up where you can easily reach the controls is very important.

What do you mean by, "control of the gate"? Even my little pull-behind has a gate control, and I imagine all 3-point single disc broadcasts do, as well. Are you implying some gates just don't work well?

Double disc or air boom is the most accurate .

Yeah, but we're talking about a homeowner buying for residential use, covering 4 acres with fertilizer or seed roughly 6 times per year, not professional use. The cost of most double-disc machines might be hard to justify, in this case.

 

[jenkinsph]

Thanks, guys! Some great info.



What do you mean by, "control of the gate"? Even my little pull-behind has a gate control, and I imagine all 3-point single disc broadcasts do, as well. Are you implying some gates just don't work well?.

I would prefer to open/close the gate or chute quickly from the tractor seat. Most cheap ones don't work well even so.