Seeders Seeder advice

sagaponack · Feb 6, 2002

I am looking to seed wildflowers, sunflowers, and feed corn.
On 2 acres.

One dealer has recommended a befco greenrite 58" 100 lb. seeder/aertor. It seems like buying a ferrari to go to the supermarket.

Wouldn't a spreader do the job for the wild flowers? What would I use then to pack it into the ground?

For the corn, is there something simpler and lighter (and less expensive) to plant the feed corn?

All help much appreciated. This would be used behind a JD 4300.

Rob

Egon · Feb 6, 2002

For two acres you might be able to do it by broadcasting by hand and then harrowing.

Egon

RobS · Feb 6, 2002

Check with your local co-op, ducks unlimited, pheasants unlimited etc. Sometimes they have seeders available for free to people putting in wildlife food plots. In our area pheasants unlimited has access (or owns?) a Brillion seeder that they will loan. Your DNR may be of help also /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

IndianaPaul · Feb 6, 2002

With 2 acres, I would go with a hand broadcaster/over the shoulder model. When I planted about 1/5 acres to flower that is what I did. Then I used a lawn roller when finished.

Paul

Rch · Feb 6, 2002

I helped a friend plant 2 acres of wildflowers. The seed was so small they mixed it with vermiculite and hand broadcasted it in order to see where they had been. 10 years ago that was $2700 worth of seed !

DDT · Feb 6, 2002

sagaponack
The guys are right. for a one time thing so broad cast the seed, if your going to plant wildlike plots alot then a 4' landpride is what I use.
If your were closer to me you could borrow it.
To plant corn this is what I used, a 2 row dempster planter. I built a new 1 row so this one is going to the auction this month.

DDT · Feb 6, 2002

Well I will try to get the pic on

sagaponack · Feb 6, 2002

It seems like a broadcast spreader with a lawn roller would be best for wildflowers (any disagreement?).

What would be a decent attachment for the JD 4300 to plant the feed corn without going all the way to the $3500 1,000 pound device by befco. I noted that JD has an $1,100 seeder for its compacts.

Thanks again

Rob

sagaponack · Feb 6, 2002

Thanks. So you use that with what size tractor?

ecard · Feb 6, 2002

My suggestion for the seed corn is to look for an old 1R or 2R 3pt planter - there is a couple on ebay from time to time or try <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.sweettractors.com/>Sweet Tractor</A>

Another alternative - more hand work - but it might be worth it just to plant seed corn is a hand seeder by <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.green-n-easy.com/1001-b.htm/>earthway</A> .

I purchased a used John Deere 71 Flexi Planter for sweet corn off ebay for $650. But these go for $1000+ new. Sweet Tractor has both new and used - a little pricey. Used 2R go for at least $200 in operating condition.

Hope this helps.

Eric

rdln · Feb 7, 2002

Dana, I can't feed seed corn through my 6' foot Landpride, are your cups different? It's not the cups actually but the steel funnel just above the diffuser bar thingy. The opening is not wide enough.

DDT · Feb 7, 2002

JD 4300 pulls it just fine. I have taken 1 row off and centered the other row in the middle of the tractor for 40" rows.

DDT · Feb 7, 2002

I can't feed seed corn through my 6' foot Landpride, are your cups different
See what happens when I talk about 2 things at once.
For corn I used the corn planter. and for grass seed I use my 48" landpride primary seeder.

sagaponack · Feb 10, 2002

What do you think of the JD flexiplanter? Could it handle feed corn?

Rob

DDT · Feb 10, 2002

What do you think of the JD flexiplanter
I priced one last summer. I was told they were the same old style plates and they wanted $1250 with no tow bar. I tought it was too much $$ for what I was going to get. I'm sure they do a nice job. I wanted to up grade my old planter so I built one. I used a 1-row off of a JD 7000 planter and found a planter bone yard, got a transmision and 4' tool bar, international planter wheel assembly and a few hours later I was figureing out the tranny for seed population.

ecard · Feb 11, 2002

The JD 71 Flexi Planter worked great. I think it takes all the standard seed plates that the 7000 and 7100 models take - which is nice. But the manual lists all kinds of specialty plates. It is a big unit with a lot of weight so storage is kind of a pain. For a guy who has never planted anything mechanically, I had the stratightest 2 acres of silver queen I have seen. The planter units are easy to maintain and do follow the contour of the land very well. They are pricey and my guess is they were marketed (at least the 2R models) to research companies for small test plots. When I get to full capacity (7 acres) I know I will love it, but 2 acres is a little small for this unit. I would be glad to post pictures or give any more info if anybody is interested.

Eric

sagaponack · Feb 14, 2002

Is it overkill for an acre or two of corn? Is there an attachment alternative that is smaller than the flexiplanter that would suffice? How big is it? It would be great if you could post a photo if it is not too mcuh trouble.

All the best (thanks for the info)

Rob

ecard · Feb 14, 2002

I think a 1 row 3pt planter is a nice compromise - I attached a picture from Sweet Tractor - see link earlier in thread or the earthway for hand planting. I will also take a pic of my Flexi.

Hope this helps - Eric