If you had a choice

[Buck268]

If you had about 10 acres that you can plant food plots, what would be your pick between a small dill or a row planter? And why?
Been pondering this question for over a year and really want to make the plunge by spring, looking at a refurbished John deere flex 7100 and a custom refurbished 6' drill.

 

[Seabee]

Where my place is in the Midwest. Nothing brings the deer in like row crops.


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[Buck268]

Where my place is in the Midwest. Nothing brings the deer in like row crops.


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Thanks, I hope some others can weigh in.

 

[Brokenbear]

But you do know you can drill beans,milo,wheat,winter rye ...about the only thing that really needs rows is corn

bear

 

[swat1018]

I went with a drill. You can plant beans, cereal grains, milo, brassica, clover, alfalfa, and even corn. It doesn't do perfect corn, but good enough for deer.

 

[buckdeer1]

I have a kasco versa drill I bought used from kasco and it works fine,I also have a JD vanbrundt drill but it's got to where i don't use it much.Actually I have 2 of them.If I till I would just as soon broadcast winter wheat and drill soybeans

 

[Buck268]

Thanks for the input, I like most people have limited time and have used throw & mow, disc and spread with a cyclone spreader and use an atv spreader for the brassicas and clover. Now that I've seen the good results, I want to step up my game. I started out planting a 2 acre food plot and this year have a total of 10 acres. The drill gives me a lot of diversity however; most of the seed can be spread pretty easily with the exception of having to apply a higher rate per acre. The prices I've seen for both are pretty comparable 2 row JD or 6' drill.

 

[j-bird]

Are you looking at a conventional or a no-till for the drill and planter? Reason I ask is that those of the conventional design will only benefit you by reducing the seed application rate vs broadcasting. No-till, however, will reduce the tillage needed and thus reduce the time needed to put in a plot......they however tend to be far more expensive. Make sure you know what your buying and what the ground/soil conditions need to be to work well.

 

[northwoods whitetails]

Have any of you tried planting corn with a JD Van Brunt

 

[Buck268]

Are you looking at a conventional or a no-till for the drill and planter? Reason I ask is that those of the conventional design will only benefit you by reducing the seed application rate vs broadcasting. No-till, however, will reduce the tillage needed and thus reduce the time needed to put in a plot......they however tend to be far more expensive. Make sure you know what your buying and what the ground/soil conditions need to be to work well.

Most likely conventional drill, not sure a cut down version even with no till will have the weight to do true no till.

 

[Buck268]

Here's the one I'm looking at.

 

[swat1018]

Here's the one I'm looking at.

No small seed box? I wouldn't own one without a small seed box.

 

[Buck268]

No small seed box? I wouldn't own one without a small seed box.

True, I got caught up in the decision and didn't pay attention to this unit not having the small box.

 

[buckdeer1]

You will still have to work the ground prior to planting with that drill.I never have had a small seed box on a drill but with my kasco I can plant everything from corn to alfalfa

 

[Buck268]

You will still have to work the ground prior to planting with that drill.I never have had a small seed box on a drill but with my kasco I can plant everything from corn to alfalfa

Agreed, I figured I'd still need to loosen the ground a little with the disc. I looked at the kasco, firminator and
woods in this process.

 

[swat1018]

You can plant everything, but with a small seed box, you can meter the small seeds at one rate and what's in the big box at another. Sometimes I'm planting 5-6 seeds in one pass, using both boxes.

 

[j-bird]

A row planter will have more limitations than a drill. A drill will help with seeding rate over broadcasting. However a conventional drill or planter will still require working of the soil to much the same level as broadcasti g in my opinion. So your only saving seed costs. Just make sure you understand the limitations of the equipment and your getting the capabilities your looking for.

 

[Buck268]

A row planter will have more limitations than a drill. A drill will help with seeding rate over broadcasting. However a conventional drill or planter will still require working of the soil to much the same level as broadcasti g in my opinion. So your only saving seed costs. Just make sure you understand the limitations of the equipment and your getting the capabilities your looking for.

Right now I broadcast WW, PPT, radishes, sunflowers, cow peas and clover. Since corn is a little expensive, I'd like to try a small area to see how it works out.

 

[j-bird]

Right now I broadcast WW, PPT, radishes, sunflowers, cow peas and clover. Since corn is a little expensive, I'd like to try a small area to see how it works out.

Corn......for the best results will need to be planted in rows. You can broadcast it, but planting density and planting depth can work against you much more easily by broadcasting. I know others do and have done it with some success, I have not.....broadcast it that is. I have an old school 2 row plate planter form the 60's that I got on the cheap. Row planting of corn ensures it gets the spacing needed to perform well.....and due to the expense of the seed and fertilizers I put as much in my favor as I can when it comes to dealing with corn......and you still have things that are beyond your control to cause issues as it is. Just my opinion here.....corn is one of the best late fall/winter foodplots you can have as it provides food and cover for animals......however it tends to come at a steep price and risk. Also keep in mind that MANY other critters live corn, turkey love to pull the just sprouted seed form the ground, squirrels, coons all love corns and can do plenty of damage themselves. if you have hogs or bears corn may pose problematic with them around as well.

I personally would NOT invest big $ into a row planter simply to plant corn. If I didn't have my planter I wouldn't be messing with planting corn myself.

Is there an option to have a local farmer plant your corn for you, or maybe reach out to other plotters in your area? Just some lower investment options for you maybe?

 

[Buck268]

Corn......for the best results will need to be planted in rows. You can broadcast it, but planting density and planting depth can work against you much more easily by broadcasting. I know others do and have done it with some success, I have not.....broadcast it that is. I have an old school 2 row plate planter form the 60's that I got on the cheap. Row planting of corn ensures it gets the spacing needed to perform well.....and due to the expense of the seed and fertilizers I put as much in my favor as I can when it comes to dealing with corn......and you still have things that are beyond your control to cause issues as it is. Just my opinion here.....corn is one of the best late fall/winter foodplots you can have as it provides food and cover for animals......however it tends to come at a steep price and risk. Also keep in mind that MANY other critters live corn, turkey love to pull the just sprouted seed form the ground, squirrels, coons all love corns and can do plenty of damage themselves. if you have hogs or bears corn may pose problematic with them around as well.

I personally would NOT invest big $ into a row planter simply to plant corn. If I didn't have my planter I wouldn't be messing with planting corn myself.

Is there an option to have a local farmer plant your corn for you, or maybe reach out to other plotters in your area? Just some lower investment options for you maybe?

Your answer is what I've been trying to tell myself for a while now. All the farming in this area has dried up so that's not an option but, a fiend has an old 2 row that I can use just doesn't have a fertilizer box.