Grain Drill vs. Grass Drill

[bota7800]

We have a few unirrigated acres that I want to improve for horse pasture (to remain unirrigated) the Extension agent said to seed before April 15 and to make sure the grass was seeded with a grass drill - not a grain drill.

I looked at a nice refurbished John Deere 8' drill for sale at what I think is a very good price. If I bought it I could reseed more often rather than paying someone with the equipment.

In front of the large tray is a thin tray with smaller holes that the salesman said is for small seeds like grass. It is calibrated in pounds per acre. Is this a grass drill or is the delivery entirely different? Will this place the seed at the right depth?

 

[Farmwithjunk]

We have a few unirrigated acres that I want to improve for horse pasture (to remain unirrigated) the Extension agent said to seed before April 15 and to make sure the grass was seeded with a grass drill - not a grain drill.

I looked at a nice refurbished John Deere 8' drill for sale at what I think is a very good price. If I bought it I could reseed more often rather than paying someone with the equipment.

In front of the large tray is a thin tray with smaller holes that the salesman said is for small seeds like grass. It is calibrated in pounds per acre. Is this a grass drill or is the delivery entirely different? Will this place the seed at the right depth?

What you're describing sounds like an F series Deere GRAIN DRILL with small seed attachment. They'll do the job, but not as well as a dedicated "grass drill" or overseeder/power seeder. The grain drill will use the disc openers to disturb the soil, then the small seed attachment merely drops seed on top of that soil, with "cover chains" dragging some dirt over the seed. That worked OK for years. Now there's a better way.

I'd imagine ypour county agent could get more specific with his recommendation. Around here, they either offer to rent you our county's HAYBUSTER brand drill OR refer you to a local equipment dealer who rents out a BRILLION SURE STAND seeder.

It's a difference between an "OK" job and a "GOOD" job. Most of the newer generation of "grass drills" will have closing wheels that firm soil and press seed into the dirt. MAny closing wheel designs resemble a good ol' CULTIPACKER. Our state and county "specs" when doing funded waterway/filter strip seeding REQUIRE a seeder with, or followed by a CULTIPACKER to complete the job.

 

[MarkV]

FWJ, I sure enjoy the experience you share with everyone on the forum and it is always so well stated. Knowing nothing about grain or grass drills are you saying that if one were to use a grain drill with a small seed plate and take the extra step of going back over the area with a cultipacker or roller you get similar results to a grass drill?

Thanks,
MarkV

 

[bota7800]

Thanks, FWJ. As Mark said, excellent description.

Our agent did not mention a seeder being available - he just said to use one. I'll check around. I have seen many discussions of overseeders but did not realize that was equivalent to a grass drill.

I will look at the overseeder posts.

Thanks again

 

[Farmwithjunk]

FWJ, I sure enjoy the experience you share with everyone on the forum and it is always so well stated. Knowing nothing about grain or grass drills are you saying that if one were to use a grain drill with a small seed plate and take the extra step of going back over the area with a cultipacker or roller you get similar results to a grass drill?

Thanks,
MarkV

Similar, but not always the same. a dedicated "grass drill" will place seed more accurately in MOST cases.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Thanks, FWJ. As Mark said, excellent description.

Our agent did not mention a seeder being available - he just said to use one. I'll check around. I have seen many discussions of overseeders but did not realize that was equivalent to a grass drill.

I will look at the overseeder posts.

Thanks again

Not all "overseeders" would specifically qualify as a "grass drill". Very similar, but not always the same exact item.

 

[North Dakota]

If you can rent a grass drill I'd do that unless buying the grain drill with the small seed inserts is cheaper. If you are just planting for pasture the grain drill should do a plenty good. Heck maybe they will rent you the grain drill.

 

[bota7800]

Not all "overseeders" would specifically qualify as a "grass drill". Very similar, but not always the same exact item.

I was on Brillion's website. They have overseeders listed in a different category than the agricultural Sure Stand units. The site specifically says the overseeder is not for pasture or rough conditions. Another problem is they are all too heavy for my 3ph.

There is a small 64" tow behind Brillion GLP64-1 grass drill for sale on eBay. I will watch that one and may bid on it. About 600 miles away, however.

If you use a grass drill do you have to harrow or aerate before or after? Any other prep work I am missing?

Is there anything I need to do to the existing grass?

 

[North Dakota]

If the existing grass is unsuitable for your uses I'd kill it and any other vegitation. If the existing grass is OK you can leave it if the seeder you are getting is a no-till setup. If the seeder is not a no-till then work the soil. If you have time it would be best to kill existing vegitation (if Unwanted) with chemical, till the soil then let any weed seeds germinate and kill them off with chemical and then seed. Once you break up the soil all dormant weed seeds will sprout.

 

[art]

Grass seed needs to be distributed into the top 1/2 normally were many of the other seeds need to be deeper. The spacing is also much closer with a grass drill on the outlets for the seed vs the grain drills. To go over twice with the grain drill in different directions will normally help the seed with a better distribution. Some customers just use a broadcast seeder with full tillage of the field with a packer after.

 

[flusher]

We have a few unirrigated acres that I want to improve for horse pasture (to remain unirrigated) the Extension agent said to seed before April 15 and to make sure the grass was seeded with a grass drill - not a grain drill.

I looked at a nice refurbished John Deere 8' drill for sale at what I think is a very good price. If I bought it I could reseed more often rather than paying someone with the equipment.

In front of the large tray is a thin tray with smaller holes that the salesman said is for small seeds like grass. It is calibrated in pounds per acre. Is this a grass drill or is the delivery entirely different? Will this place the seed at the right depth?

Gee, I wish one of those JD 8-footers would show up are my neighborhood. I'd grab it in a microsecond.

I'm in the same boat as you--about 7 acres of pasture land that I plan to make into a hayfield. I'm looking for a grain drill with a grass box to plant an orchardgrass/rye mix.

For small scale stuff like you and I are doing, borrowing or renting the equipment makes sense. Some folks are lucky enough to live in areas where the county ag extension office has things like seeders and cultipackers to rent. Alas, not here in Tehama County. But a few of my neighbors farm hay so borrowing or renting from them is a possiblity.

However, if you're like me, you want to enjoy the complete ownership experience. Hence, the sometimes frustrating search for used equipment that still has some like left. There are plenty of usable grain drills with grass box attachments for sale on eBay and craigslist. These things are pretty heavy (10 footers weigh nearly 2000 lb), so shipping expense becomes a factor.

One thing to consider if you're buying a pre-owned drill: be careful of drills that have been stored out-of-doors. There are many small moving parts in a drill that have to work properly to get good seed metering. If the drill you're looking at has a lot of rust and corrosion, you may want to pass on it.

There's a lot of practical advice on using grain drills for grass seeding in Spencer Yost's book "Small Scale Haymaking".

 

[bota7800]

Thanks flusher, I will check that book out.

The dealer that has the drill I talked about actually has 4 or 5 on his small lot. Sorry they are less available in your area. Now that I know what a grass drill looks like I will look at one seeder that he had that had not been refurbished yet. It looked kind similar but I did not look close.


I would like to keep the existing grass as I think it is good grass, just too sparse to stand up to much grazing.


I have heard the term often but what is a no-till drill? What distinguishes it from a non-no-till drill? If the book will answer these basic questions just tell me to shut up.

 

[flusher]

Thanks flusher, I will check that book out.

The dealer that has the drill I talked about actually has 4 or 5 on his small lot. Sorry they are less available in your area. Now that I know what a grass drill looks like I will look at one seeder that he had that had not been refurbished yet. It looked kind similar but I did not look close.


I would like to keep the existing grass as I think it is good grass, just too sparse to stand up to much grazing.


I have heard the term often but what is a no-till drill? What distinguishes it from a non-no-till drill? If the book will answer these basic questions just tell me to shut up.

Nope, that book doesn't go into no-till haying.

No-till means that the seed is planted without first plowing or discing the soil.

I'm no expert at no-till, but it seems to me that a no-till rig either has to be heavy or has to have some kind of down-force mechanism so slots can be cut in the tough turf to receive the seed. Someone will undoubtedly chime in and give us the straight skinny on no-till.

 

[North Dakota]

Here is an article on what I think you are trying to do with your acreage. It deals with pasture renovation and might be helpful. Hopefully you can rent the equipment you need in your area. I'm pretty sure no-till set ups are heavy and expensive.

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1097.pdf No Till method

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1008.pdf Conventional method

 

[mark.r]

Could someone be so kind as to point out which model of seed drill on the Brillion website would be appropriate for seeding small to medium acreage (i.e. 5-20) for hay production.

 

[deereguy]

http://www.brillionfarmeq.com/productpdf/26_SureStands.pdf

 

[bota7800]

Thank North Dakota,

I will read those articles. I am sure they will help.