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Here are some reasons a cultipacker should be used on a food plot.
Firming up your seed bed:
Many people choose either offset disks or roto-tillers to work up their soils.* These implements do a very nice job; however, when trying to plant into freshly disked or tilled fields, most will inadvertently incorporate the seed too deep into the seed bed, primarily because of the fluffiness of the soil.* A cultipacker will firm up the freshly tilled soil by compressing the air out of the soils surface which will allow you to plant seed firmly into the soils surface.* This is critically important when planting small sized seeds, such as clover, alfalfa and chicory.* If you incorporate any of these seeds deeper than a ¼ inch you will not have a good stand once germinated.
Breaking up soil clods:
When tilling soils with a little too much moisture in them you'll have the tendency to leave large chunks of soil, which at a later date will make it difficult when planting.* Most seeds need to be firmly pressed into the soils surface, which is difficult to do when you have large clods of dirt distributed throughout your*food plot.* A heavy cultipacker will help eliminate large clods making for a better, more consistent planting surface.
Moisture retention:
I've heard of people using flat-surfaced lawn rollers for compaction when planting their*food plots.* My first thought is. a flat-surfaced lawn roller is better than using nothing at all, and is considerably better than pulling a drag over your freshly planted plot.* However, a cast iron roller will do a much better job, primarily because of moisture retaining issues.* Why? Think of it this way.* If you pour a full glass of water on a counter-top, what happens?* The water will run every direction looking for the lowest point to run off the counter.* Pour the same glass of water over a flat, corrugated piece of steel and you'll notice much of the water will end up in the lower points of the corrugation.* This is exactly what happens in your fields.* The groves you leave help trap moisture in your field as the corrugation groves act as mini-reservoirs allowing your soil to bank moisture for future use.
Even out uneven terrain:
Cultipacking has the tendency to take the undulation out of your soils surface.* This helps you achieve a more even distribution of seed when you broadcast plant and will allow you a better uniformed planting depth when planting with a row-crop planting implement.* A field that is firm and smooth before planting will germinate quicker and grow more uniform, and this can only be accomplished by floating off the uneven terrain with a good cultipacker.
Planting into a firm seed bed:
The rule of thumb when planting seed is you never want to plant the seed any deeper than four times its diameter.* When you consider clover, alfalfa, chicory or any other like-sized cultivars, this calculates into depths of no more than a ¼ inch or less.* Incorporating seeds at this depth is almost impossible when using drags or disks.* The results from using a drag or disk will culminate in seeds either being planted too deep or too shallow.* The best planting practice to implement is to cultipack first, broadcasting your seed, and then cultipack once again.* You'll notice better seed germination as well as more uniform growth.* You'll be amazed at the difference you'll see.
Firming up your seed bed:
Many people choose either offset disks or roto-tillers to work up their soils.* These implements do a very nice job; however, when trying to plant into freshly disked or tilled fields, most will inadvertently incorporate the seed too deep into the seed bed, primarily because of the fluffiness of the soil.* A cultipacker will firm up the freshly tilled soil by compressing the air out of the soils surface which will allow you to plant seed firmly into the soils surface.* This is critically important when planting small sized seeds, such as clover, alfalfa and chicory.* If you incorporate any of these seeds deeper than a ¼ inch you will not have a good stand once germinated.
Breaking up soil clods:
When tilling soils with a little too much moisture in them you'll have the tendency to leave large chunks of soil, which at a later date will make it difficult when planting.* Most seeds need to be firmly pressed into the soils surface, which is difficult to do when you have large clods of dirt distributed throughout your*food plot.* A heavy cultipacker will help eliminate large clods making for a better, more consistent planting surface.
Moisture retention:
I've heard of people using flat-surfaced lawn rollers for compaction when planting their*food plots.* My first thought is. a flat-surfaced lawn roller is better than using nothing at all, and is considerably better than pulling a drag over your freshly planted plot.* However, a cast iron roller will do a much better job, primarily because of moisture retaining issues.* Why? Think of it this way.* If you pour a full glass of water on a counter-top, what happens?* The water will run every direction looking for the lowest point to run off the counter.* Pour the same glass of water over a flat, corrugated piece of steel and you'll notice much of the water will end up in the lower points of the corrugation.* This is exactly what happens in your fields.* The groves you leave help trap moisture in your field as the corrugation groves act as mini-reservoirs allowing your soil to bank moisture for future use.
Even out uneven terrain:
Cultipacking has the tendency to take the undulation out of your soils surface.* This helps you achieve a more even distribution of seed when you broadcast plant and will allow you a better uniformed planting depth when planting with a row-crop planting implement.* A field that is firm and smooth before planting will germinate quicker and grow more uniform, and this can only be accomplished by floating off the uneven terrain with a good cultipacker.
Planting into a firm seed bed:
The rule of thumb when planting seed is you never want to plant the seed any deeper than four times its diameter.* When you consider clover, alfalfa, chicory or any other like-sized cultivars, this calculates into depths of no more than a ¼ inch or less.* Incorporating seeds at this depth is almost impossible when using drags or disks.* The results from using a drag or disk will culminate in seeds either being planted too deep or too shallow.* The best planting practice to implement is to cultipack first, broadcasting your seed, and then cultipack once again.* You'll notice better seed germination as well as more uniform growth.* You'll be amazed at the difference you'll see.
