I get the ground worked up pretty good with a disk and drag. Here in upstate NY, I start my clover plots/wheat plots after September 1, on ground where I had corn the year prior.
To plant that “mix”, I broadcast wheat first, with a hand cranked broadcast spreader. Then I cultipack, which pushes the larger wheat seeds about 1/2” into the fluffy, fresh worked soil. Sometimes I’ll broadcast a some soybeans or awp along with the wheat, prior to that initial cultipack.
Those are also larger seeds that grow best when planted about 1/2” deep. They provide an early “sweetener” to the plots and are most favored by the deer, soon after they sprout.
After that first cultipacking, I broadcast the white clover. Then, I cultipack a second time, 90 degrees from the first direction. The clover seeds do best down about 1/8” - 1/4” , and I get that, because the ground is already partially compacted when I broadcast the clover.
The cultipacker, used like this, provides the precise depth control that maximizes germination. The ridges that it leaves behind help with drainage, from heavy rains, that might otherwise wash away lots of the expensive seed.
For brassicas, slightly larger seeds than clover, I get the ground worked up (not as fluffy as for wheat/clover plots) broadcast, then cultipack just once. I’m looking for a seed depth of about 3/8” on those.
