Acorn and nut planter

[Anonymous Poster]

I have spent many days this fall planting acorns, hickory, and walnuts. Doing it like the squirrels do, one at a time. But there must be a mechanical method. I've got about 60 acres of old farm fields that I would like to "replant."

Could a single row corn planter or grain drill be used for this? Ideally, I would like to do this without plowing and discing. I'm thinking of a large coulter wheel and shoe to slit open the soil, deposit the seed, then a wheel to roll over and pack back down. How big of a "seed" can some of these planters handle?

The other idea was to use a subsoiler with a metal elbow. This would require someone walking behind, or to fabricate a seat to ride on, while dropping the "seeds" down a tube to the elbow and into the soil.

Any thoughts or comments are greatly appreciated.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Many years ago i made a 3pl planter. This was used for planting seedlings but there would be no reason why you could not make something based on the same design, basically it is V cutting the ground with press wheels to close the opening maybe add a coulter to the front.

 

[BB_TX]

Even if a planter or drill would handle the large seeds (which I don't think they would), I don't think I would do it that way. With that many acres, I would think you would be planting them many feet apart. And not in straight lines.
The subsoiler sounds like a good idea. With a rigid 90 degree tube attached to the rear of the subsoiler and a long flexible tube up to the tractor seat, you could ride around the area periodically lowering the subsoiler, dropping an acorn, hickory, or walnut down the tube, and raising the subsoiler back up. You would not need another person. You could drive in random patterns so that you got a more natural planting.
You probably don't want to plant too deep. I have 3 oaks in my back yard that I planted acorns by just dropping them in cracks in the ground and stepping on them to mash them in. That was in early fall about 10 years ago when the ground was still cracked from a dry summer. Now they are about 12 feet tall. The first 4 or 5 years they don't do too much, but then they take off.

 

[Hoeman00]

Drills or corn planters won't plant THAT big of seed.
Subsoiler w/ tube would be one way.
A middle buster to open trench up,drop seeds in, then make
something like a V to pull along and pull dirt back into trench.
I've got an extra rear blade now and thought about cutting in 2 pcs.
then make V shape w/ center open to fill trenches back in after
trencher work.

 

[Ron_NY]

Rather than planting the individual seeds (nuts) out in the field, I would start them 6 - 12 inches apart in nursery beds in a garden area. Advantages include: 1. easier to deal with those that do not germinate 2. much easier to weed and water 3. avoid headache of mowing around acres of tiny trees. I would use the extra time to improve the soil, planting cover crops and plowing/disking under. This will also help reduce the weed population. If you don't want to plant/plow/disk cover crops, just keep bush hogging to add organic matter on top of soil and prevent weeds from going to seed.

After 2 or 3 years, i would dig up plants (would only require a hand trowel), put into flats and then plant using a 1 row transplanter behind tractor. The transplanter will allow you to water and fertilize at the time of planting.

Just my $.02. Ron in Central New York

 

[MDblackd]

Here's another thought. In MD there should be a surplus of tobacco planters because the state is paying the farmers to NOT grow. These typically are 1-3 row planters. Most take a second person on the planter to place the plants in the chutes. So if you grow plants here is a made to order planter that should be cheap.

 

[TurtleRiverWhitetails]

Try the squirrel. It is made in Mi. and works great. You can find under www.nutplanter.com

 

[workinonit]

Tobacco transplanters work well for plants. I have a 1 row that I plant tomatoes and greens with. Mine is a fast hitch that goes behind my Farmall 140. 2 people ride it to feed the plants but one person will do. You would have to do some mods if you wanted to no till plant and probably wouldn't be very successful. We plant on raised beds.