Plotmaster vs multiple implements

[Mitigator33]

I have an 83 HP JD 5083E. Have been planting food plots for two years now. Question is this...is the Frontier Plotmaster better than using specific implements. I have a cultipacker, disk and spreader that I use for food plotting. The Plotmaster has the following in order.

Disk harrows
Cultivator
Seed planter
Cultipacker
Drag

Here is a link to the model I am discussing for a visual. http://www.plotmasters.com/fp_1208.html

Most everything I plant (clover, alfalfa, etc...) calls for disk, pack, spread seed, pack again. It seems like for planting clover the Plotmaster would plant the seeds too deep with the order of implements. Is this correct? I know that they must do something right or they would not be selling them but seems out of whack to me. Thoughts? Experience?

Thanks

 

[remington270]

I would stick with using the implements separately. These things seem like they would not plant your clover correctly either. Most likely the reason they sell is that they're quicker to use, with one pass getting the job done. But if you want a job done right, I wouldn't risk all my seed money on a shortcut.

 

[LeadPoison]

Stick with what you have. Some of the reviews I read we're enough to make me not consider one.

 

[VA MTN MAN]

you would be far better buying a no till drill for food plots. i hardly ever use my disk ,plows or drag etc any more. with the no till i can go back in a clover field in sept and drill oats or wheat and groundhog radishes or turnips for the fall without killing the clover. when i need to redo a field i spray with roundup and drill the new crop a couple weeks later. With the drill i get a 90% or better germination and i dont have to keep fooling with new rocks or eroision. The best money I ever spent. just my opionon.

 

[remington270]

Well no till drills are incredibly expensive.

 

[foggy1111]

Well no till drills are incredibly expensive.

They dont exactly give away the plotmaster's either. I don't see a need for one. I work my ground up....broadcast the clover seeds either with a hand-held seeder or my ATV Herd seeder.......and then cultipack 'em. Works good for me.

Same goes for brassica....except I light drag those before cultipacking.

Same goes for beans....but I drag those more agressively (deeper) before packing.

I'm not sure how many acres of clover your planting.....but it would take lots of ground to make one of those units pay off IMO.....and then you give up some versatility.

 

[remington270]

Agree. My point was both are expensive compared to more traditional disc/ cultipacker type equipment.

 

[Mitigator33]

you would be far better buying a no till drill for food plots. i hardly ever use my disk ,plows or drag etc any more. with the no till i can go back in a clover field in sept and drill oats or wheat and groundhog radishes or turnips for the fall without killing the clover. when i need to redo a field i spray with roundup and drill the new crop a couple weeks later. With the drill i get a 90% or better germination and i dont have to keep fooling with new rocks or eroision. The best money I ever spent. just my opionon.

I need the implements that I have for various task. The only one I would not need if I had a no till would be the cultipacker.

I can afford the no till just can't justify it for what I would use it for and no more land than I plant.

Thanks for the input and I will keep in mind for future.