Covington TP-46 Combo Planter/Cultivator

[saxon11]

I found this Covington TP-46 which seems like it can plant, and then i can take off the planter and opening plow and cultivate around my plants. I'm looking use for both planting and cultivate my sweet corn and various other vegetables on my 6 acre of garden with my compact tractor (31" between rear tires, and 64" outside of tires).

• Has anyone had an experience with this implement for either planting or cultivating?
• Without the planter wondering how well it could work on that initial soil prep prior to planting (my soil here in MN used to be farmland 2 years ago, and appears fairly easy to break up)?
• How hard/easy is it to remove the planter and adjust the shanks? Thank you

 

[sweettractors]

We have sold several of those units over the years and doing what you describe should not be a problem, Just may take a while to prepare your seedbed as multiple passes with the cultivator will be required. Maybe a 10 minute job to remove seeder from cultivator. Ken Sweet

 

[barkerwc4362]

Your soil prep needs to be done with a moldboard plow when it is done the first time. The cultivator frame can be used to prep the soil just prior to planting. When I work my garden down here in Alabama, I turn the cover crop under with the moldboard plow, then disk. Since I have a 3 point tiller I use that to do final seed bed prep prior to planting with my Cole 12MX planter. This is basically the same prep that was used for row crop operations in Eastern Iowa where I grew up in the 60s-70s. This gets all the trash turned under so it doesn't get hung up on the planter. The Covington is very popular here in the South. It was originally manufactured in South Alabama before moving to South Georgia. Covington currently owns Cole.
Bill

 

[Wyobuckaroo]

Here in our far north, very short zone 2 season many things do not grow well.. However.. Many vegie and fruits do grow well surprisingly..

I have a used garage sale cheap Earthway Planter ($15).. This a walk behind that came with 6 (?) extra seed plates.. Our ground is loose enough I did a light pass with a disk, and used the Earthway in a kind of no, minimum till fashion.. This to produce what fodder I could cut from some old garage sale sweet corn seed.. This for our small livestock..

There are a number of videos, articles of adapting an Earthway to a 3 point set up..

If I had the growing season, and need I think I would go with the Covington planter.. There are about a dozen seed plates for it, however they seem to range near $50 each.. But if you have the need, worth the price..

My 5 cents of experience and opinion..