FarmWithJunk opinion needed

[Farmwithjunk]

The Massey Ferguson #39 looks like a nice planter. About what I'd expect as far as price. Down side is finding seed plates. I've got a #39 and plates are scarce. Lincoln Ag has some, but they're specialty plates and not the normal "edge drop" plates that you would commonly use to plant corn.

Take a close look at the Deere planter and notice there's no fertilizer openers. They appear to be missing. Normally those would be coulter style openers just to the rear of the shoe openers on the seed drop. From what I can see in that picture, the fertilizer just runs out on top of the ground behind the seed openers. Not the ideal situation where fertilizer is placed just to the side and slightly BELOW the planted seed where new roots can find it.

But yes, those are examples of the alternatives to Deere #70/#71 unit planters.

My #39 MF planter

 

[toddler]

I'm ignorant here and just listed those because LabLuvR is in SC and not too far away.

But for my own education, it seems like you'd want these to drop a seed and a little fertilizer at some set spacing, right. So shouldn't there be a gear that opens a gate to let out a seed and the fertilizer at the same time?

If that's the case, then when you say "opener", do you mean the thing that opens to allow a little fertilizer out, or something that opens up the ground so the fertilizer is physically lower in the ground than the seed? Is a coulter style opener like a tiny plow or disk?

Thanks,

Todd (who grew up in urban NJ and has never seen a planter up close.)

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I'm ignorant here and just listed those because LabLuvR is in SC and not too far away.

But for my own education, it seems like you'd want these to drop a seed and a little fertilizer at some set spacing, right. So shouldn't there be a gear that opens a gate to let out a seed and the fertilizer at the same time?

If that's the case, then when you say "opener", do you mean the thing that opens to allow a little fertilizer out, or something that opens up the ground so the fertilizer is physically lower in the ground than the seed? Is a coulter style opener like a tiny plow or disk?

Thanks,

Todd (who grew up in urban NJ and has never seen a planter up close.)

Seed is dropped at a regular interval. (seed spacing) It's placed in the ground in a small furrow created by an "opener". That can be a sled-like "shoe" or a disc opener. Nowdays the disc opener is more preferable. The fertilizer usually runs out in a slow, controlled, steady stream. It would require too much "mechanics" to dole it out in intervals like the seed. It's placed (or SHOULD BE) in a seperate furrow that (again, SHOULD BE) is just to one side and slightly below the seed placement. Most granular fertilizers are high in salts. Those salts will burn a seed or the new plant if placed directly with the seed. Ideally, you want the fertilizer where it will be easy and CLOSE to where the new roots can find it.

Most nitrogen fertilizers will dissapate into the atmosphere when they come into contact with soil moisture if placed on the surface. It needs to be buried slightly. I've seen a few older planters with the shoe type openers on the fertilizer end, but for the most part, they've been disc openers for quite some time. Shoe openers or even single disc openers tend to "hair pin" stalks and debris rather than cut through it as the planter runs across that debris. That can effect the operational depth of the opener. Double disc openers are the preferred method in most cases. They form a "True Vee" (John Deere terminology) furrow for the seed to drop into. The press wheel/closing wheel at the back of the planter will push dirt back into that opening, covering the seed. On a well engineered planter that same closing wheel will just BARELY cover the furrow left by the fertilizer opener, while being directly centered over the seed furrow.

 

[toddler]

Cool! And thanks. Seems like fixing the fertilizer system by welding on an opener might be easier if the bins are already there like on the MF and Deere ones I saw. Disc ones would be harder to fit on the machine though.

Todd

 

[rdln]

FWJ, how would a liquid set up work with these? ya know ballast in the front?

 

[Farmwithjunk]

FWJ, how would a liquid set up work with these? ya know ballast in the front?

I used liquid fertilizer on my 4-row planter for years while I was still farming. I was buying in significant volume, had a nurse tank mounted on a trailer to keep the planter supplied in the field, transfer pumps, and in general, was equipped to operate with liquid. The economy of scale made it practical. You would need much of the same basic equipment, albiet smaller, to handle liquid even on a small scale. With dry granular, all you would need is bags of fertilizer, a pick-up truck and a strong back. It's easier for most of us to find a good source for dry granular. I won't eliminate liquid fertilizer from the list of possibilities, but it has it's own set of issues for small scale use.

A friend uses liquid fert. on his 2-row "deer plot planter". He brews his own, using a concentrated mix of water soluable Miracle Grow. His cost is outrageous for several acres, but it works and he's happy with the results.

 

[LabLuvR]

Hey FarmWithJun have you ever seen these? I wonder if they would work on the Flex 71'S

Gandy Products - Cam Gauge Row Applicators

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Hey FarmWithJun have you ever seen these? I wonder if they would work on the Flex 71'S

Gandy Products - Cam Gauge Row Applicators

Read back through a few of the threads of late dealing with #70/#71 planters and you'll see where they've been discussed. I've been begging and pleading with GANDY and several of their retailers to get me info on them and to let me know about availability. They apparently don't want to sell them all that bad. I can't get much reaction from them. Retail for a 2-row applicator and the less expensive electric drive is just under $900. Mechanical "ground drive" which I'd much prefer adds another $150 or so. You would also need some sort (Yetter?) of disc openers plus associated mounting hardware. Rough guess $1200 to $1500 by the time you had it functional.

 

[LabLuvR]

Well that is very pricey. I'm leaning toward trying the JD 7000 two row planter. The guy on EBAY says he thinks they weight around 850lbs. My 37hp Kubota should be able to handle that. Right now outside of something new, that seems to be the only way to go in order to apply fertilizer correctly.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Well that is very pricey. I'm leaning toward trying the JD 7000 two row planter. The guy on EBAY says he thinks they weight around 850lbs. My 37hp Kubota should be able to handle that. Right now outside of something new, that seems to be the only way to go in order to apply fertilizer correctly.

I'm not well versed in the model #'s, but the 7000 series has several variations. There was a standard planter and then a no-till version. The standard model could be outfitted as a no-till unit, but the dedicated no-till planters were built much heavier. That weigh is needed in many cases to get the planter to sink into hard ground. I'd bet the seller knows the shipping weights of his "product" better than either of us, so we'll just go with his number. Remember though, that's EMPTY weight. Add another 100lbs(+) for fertilizer and a few lbs for seed. Your tractor should still be able to handle that, but don't be shocked when you need a few suitcase weights to keep that front end down.

A big plus with those 7000 series planters, aftermarket parts and accessories will be abundant. Get a catalog from the likes of Shoup or Yetter and take a look at all the available options you'll have.