Do you hate filling spreader bags?

[Tap]

The reason I left the earthways was because those gears seemed to seize up or strip out after about two years, and the plastic jiggler also broke on one of the two I had. Never ran any fertilizer through it either.

I always hose it off inside and out when I'm done.
The only thing that's ever broke on my EW was the stupid plastic stays they added that were supposed to hold the bag upright while filling. It's what led me to come up with the bucket idea.

 

[Doe Shooter]

Fella's spreading small seed with ANY spreader is a snap by taping a small card in the bottom of the spreader with a 1/4"( or what ever) size hole to restrict the flow to a manageable rate. Been doing it for years. I changed the strap on my solo. That 5 gallon bucket looks like a problem if you stumble. Being naturally clumsy in one of my curses.

 

[Tap]

That 5 gallon bucket looks like a problem if you stumble. Being naturally clumsy in one of my curses.

I don't leave the bucket in the bag after I fill it. I pull it out and since the bottom is cut out, the seeds remain in the spreader. The whole idea of the bucket is that it holds the bag open and upright while filling it.

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[DocHolladay]

Mix your small seeds with sand when spreading, you can use fertilizer too and kill 2 birds with a shotgun. The seed mixed in the sand comes out better and more even.

I am a big EW user too. I wouldn't have anything else..... other than a tractor and 3pt spreader for large plots.

 

[Jason Broom]

I bought an EW 2750 about 7 years ago and have used it every single season to broadcast small seed in multiple plots each year. I've never had a single problem with it and if I ever do, you can bet I'll replace it with the same unit. That idea of taping a piece of card material in the bottom to restrict the flow of very small seeds makes good sense, although I've never had an issue with that. I typically mix clovers and chicory seed together, but broadcast larger seed, like radish, separately. The only seed "mixes" I use are the ones I mix myself, so I can keep the seed sizes together. I have always used a larger tow-behind spreader for pell lime, fertilizer, and larger seed types.

 

[yellowdog00]

I seeded with my Earthway this past week and experienced similar issues with filling it. I had brought a large Rubbermaid plastic container that had some plastic bags of seed that had busted during shipment. I put the seeder in the Rubbermaid tub when filling and it would capture any spillage. Worked well.

Got home and watched a "Growing Deer" video that mentioned the same tip. Not the first to think of this.

I really like my Earthway because I can develop a feel for how much seed is coming out and can adjust where I walk and in what pattern to get even distribution.

 

[shawn cox]

I started this thread to pass on a tip to users of bag spreaders, not to debate which brand is best. But since some of you guys brought it up...
I've only owned shoulder speaders. I never had an ATV or 3 point unit and I've been spreading seed and fertilizer for 25 years. I started out with a canvas bag Earthway, then got a nylon bag EW and I hated it because of the difficulty to fill it. So I bought the largest size EW hopper style. It sure was easy to fill but it was just way too large to have hanging in front of me. I couldn't see where I was walking.
So I sold it and got a Solo. It was smaller that the huge EW so I liked that, but the filler hole should be much larger and the stinkin strap across the back of the neck is a horrible design.
I still have that Solo but after inventing the bucket method, I know I'll never use that Solo again. Anybody want to buy it?
So, with the EW bag unit and with the bucket, I realize the Solo can't hold a candle to the EW.
I did some comparison measurements and pics.
The main advantage of the EW (with the cut bucket) is ease of filling. It's almost instant and no seed or fertilizer gets spilled...NONE at all.
With the Solo, the filler hole need care when pouring into it and some seed still gets spilled.
Size is another issue. The EW will hold a full 5 gallon bucket of product (which is half a bag/bushel of rye).
The Solo only holds about 3 and 1/2 gallons of product.
And as I mentioned earlier, the EW sits on the hip not in front like a Solo. Visibility to much better with the EW.
Now that I have a good method of filling the bag without spillage, there is no way the Solo can compare IMO.
I admit the floppy bags suck...

Which one would you rather fill? Not a single seed was spilled...

That's a full 5 gallon bucket of seed that it holds. The Solo has much less capacity...

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Thanks for this tip, I have struggled with this for the last two seasons. I will try the bucket deal very ingenious. I have a busted one at the house I can use.