Drill seeder help

[cat fever]

I have a John Deere Van Brunt drill seeder. As you can see from the picture it does not have the small seed box.




Here's my question; could I duct tape the seed outlet mostly closed and then seed with alfalfa? In my head it would work but I'm not sure it would in the field. :laughing:
Hopefully TXJim see's this post and replies.:thumbsup:

 

[npalen]

Is there a seed rate chart with the drill? Sometimes they are attached to the underside of the lid. You should be able to slow the seed rate with the change gears although I'm not familiar with this particular drill.

 

[cat fever]

Yes there is a chart but for all bigger type seeds. My thought was if I block enough of the flow out of the seed bin then it would work with smaller seeds. Next year I'm still going to plant Oats and Peas. 2018 I was hoping to plant alfalfa. So I have some time. :thumbsup:

 

[flusher]

I have a John Deere Van Brunt drill seeder. As you can see from the picture it does not have the small seed box.

View attachment 489219


Here's my question; could I duct tape the seed outlet mostly closed and then seed with alfalfa? In my head it would work but I'm not sure it would in the field. :laughing:
Hopefully TXJim see's this post and replies.:thumbsup:

Sure. It's worth a try. Alfalfa seed is very small compared to oats, wheat, and granulated fertilizer that you would use with your large box. But taping the feed cup inputs should work in a pinch.

Fortunately my restored Minneapolis Moline P3-6 drill (10 ft wide, 20 drops, single disc openers) has the small seed boxes so I could use that drill to plant grass seed overcrops. I used it most to plant oats.




Good luck.

 

[Tx Jim]

My knowledge of Alfalfa is very limited as only a very small amount of Alfalfa has been attempted grown around me. BUT I think you'll have much difficultly trying to limit #s of seed dispersed by utilizing duct tap on seed openings. JD still offers plastic snap in seed opening covers that you could drill holes in to limited seed flow. M60725 FEED STOP ADD 2.81 USD but I think that would not work very well either for Alfalfa.

Have you considered contacting Burrell's to determine if they have a small seed attachment for your model B drill? Burrell Implement Co., HC 60, Box 8, Fairview, Okla. 73737 (ph 580 227-4494 or 580 227-3200; www.burrells.net).

 

[BHD]

I have van brunts, and I do not think it will work to your satisfaction as my small seed box on one drill, I have about 5 or 6 of the drills, (and I did plant some alfalfa), if one did even get additional plates and cover the feeds, (regardless if you have the double cup or the large fluted feed, as in a B drill) with out the cup or feed moving the small hole I think would plug over,

one would most likely have better results mixing the seed with dry sand or millet or other small seed and seeding it that way, the closer the sized the seed or carrier is to the alfalfa the better, if you have large seed and small the seed will separate out and will not work as well,

but using a carrier and mixing the alfalfa in to it I think is your best bet or borrowing or renting a drill that is capable of planting it,

 

[cat fever]

Thanks Tx Jim and BHD,
I figured it was long shot. I'll call Burrell's and see what options they have for me.

 

[super55]

I would not recommend running alfalfa through your grain bin at all. It will be a costly mistake with the cost of alfalfa and I can almost certainly guarantee you will would run out of seed long before you would finish planting. Further alfalfa usually only needs to be planted a 1/4 deep so running it with the drill risks the possibility of planting too deep.

I actually have the same drill with a small seed box on mine and I hardly ever use it when planting clover or alfalfa but I still use the drill to plant the nurse/companion crop. I have had very good success by just broadcasting my small seeds with an ATV spreader and then following immediately after with my drill planting oats or rye as the companion crop to help the slower legumes get established. The drag chains usually move the dirt just enough to get the seeds covered.

 

[cat fever]

It took awhile, but I finally got the hitch welded up for the drill seeder. I'm at work now but will post some pictures when I get it bolted on. Seeding could happen early next month depending on weather.

PS
After reading the thread I realize it must have been in a different thread that I mentioned the hitch on this seeder would not hook to my tractor draw bar. So I made a different one that just needed some welding. I will bolt it in place and get a picture so you'all can see what I'm talking about.

 

[cat fever]

I got the new hitch bolted on. It should work just fine. Here's a few pics.

 

[Tx Jim]

Nice fabrication. Your hitch appears to be a lot stronger than factory hitch.

 

[flusher]

I have a John Deere Van Brunt drill seeder. As you can see from the picture it does not have the small seed box.

View attachment 489219


Here's my question; could I duct tape the seed outlet mostly closed and then seed with alfalfa? In my head it would work but I'm not sure it would in the field. :laughing:
Hopefully TXJim see's this post and replies.:thumbsup:

If you plan to plant more than a few acres of alfalfa, I'd use a Brillion seeder that's designed for tiny seeds such as alfalfa.

Brillion 64 Inch Landscape Seeder | eBay

Good luck

 

[cat fever]

Nice fabrication. Your hitch appears to be a lot stronger than factory hitch.

Thanks Jim, the factory one would not slip over the 1 1/4" draw bar on my tractor so that's why the new one. It's 3/4" steel which is way over kill, but didn't want to take any chances of it bending.

Flusher I'll keep that in mind. I may just stay with oats and peas for a while. Not sure yet. Worst case scenario I can borrow a seeder if needed. I just wanted to be self sufficient.

 

[Turbys_1700]

We have an old Van Brunt Model B just like yours. Ours is a 14 drop on 7" centers in great condition. Looks like with your fabrication skills you may be bale to fabricate a plate to insert over the openers. I would try that first. The Brillion on E-Bay is another option. Good luck and keep us posted. Nice job on the hitch.

 

[Tx Jim]

Looks like with your fabrication skills you may be bale to fabricate a plate to insert over the openers. I would try that first.

Why fabricate a plate to cover openings when they can be purchased cheeep from JD? M60725 FEED STOP ADD 2.81 USD

 

[Turbys_1700]

That feed stop is designed to stop the flow of seed. I am not sure if you can modify it to allow small grain feed or not. If you can that is a good option. If that was a viable option I wonder if it was used in conjunction with the small seed box?

 

[Tx Jim]

I doubt one can fabricate a seed opening cover for large seed box that would allow the correct amount of small seed such as Alfalfa to be planted. Seed opening cover I listed is made of plastic & it's designed for large seedbox only.

 

[cat fever]

I will certainly look into this option Jim.

 

[HarryVanderpool]

I just wanted to throw my two cents in....
I would NEVER, NEVER, NEVER use that fine machine for spreading fertilizer.
That is the fastest way to ruin.
Spread fertilizer with a cheapy hopper broadcaster, NOT your fine drill.
Good job on the hitch!

 

[Shaneard]

I don't know how small alfalfa seed is but I have sown clover before by mixing it with fertilizer and put it in a broadcast spreader then cultipacking it, worked great and clover seed is tiny.