No till drill

[Post Oak]

Who makes a good affordable no till drill for a 45hp John Deere 5045D tractor? I have always been a 3 pass scratch, spread, and drag man ( i quit overseeding for winter pasture because of the time consumption), but would love to try the one pass no till way.

 

[greggy]

If it is scratch, spread and drag...

You could get that to 2 operations with spread and drag combined.

It will depend on soil, I tried growing in non tilled earth & zero came up, only the weed seed bank.

So, yeah, I say depends, but a light disc or plough where your only doing surface stuff on decent soil, then spread and drag, would be far cheaper than even the cheapest drill to buy..a chisel plough IMO in decent soil...

 

[Ebenezer]

Affordable will be a SWCD rental or a used one still in good shape. We still use an old Tye and it does fine.

 

[ga.prime]

Drilling is best by far over scratching, spreading, dragging, etc. Oftentimes seed will be planted too deep or sanded in too deep after scratching or discing. Seed distribution is also far superior with a drill. A standard drill will work just about as good as a no till if you wait until everything has gone dormant. I see drills reasonably priced almost daily on various internet marketplaces

 

[kentuckyguy]

Drilling is best by far over scratching, spreading, dragging, etc. Oftentimes seed will be planted too deep or sanded in too deep after scratching or discing. Seed distribution is also far superior with a drill. A standard drill will work just about as good as a no till if you wait until everything has gone dormant. I see drills reasonably priced almost daily on various internet marketplaces

Are you just talking a out using a grain drill? Is it able to penetrate the ground?

 

[ga.prime]

Drilling is best by far over scratching, spreading, dragging, etc. Oftentimes seed will be planted too deep or sanded in too deep after scratching or discing. Seed distribution is also far superior with a drill. A standard drill will work just about as good as a no till if you wait until everything has gone dormant. I see drills reasonably priced almost daily on various internet marketplaces

Are you just talking a out using a grain drill? Is it able to penetrate the ground?

Yes, set full or near full, whatever it takes, down pressure on the disc springs and it'll work if you're sowing in sod. Works with the old John Deere drill I use anyway, Depending on conditions, you might benefit from running over the ground lightly with a disc harrow prior to drilling.

 

[ValleyView]

I tried no till of annuals last year with a rented drill from the local NRCS office but ran into Herbicide residual problems. It was an expensive lesson I don't plan on making again. Will likely attempt to scratch and broadcast/oversees Crabgrass seed this year.

In an ideal world with limited weed competition (alleopathic) and no residual issues, I think it would've worked. However, I've got too many other issues worth handling (Sericea Lespedeza) before residual won't haunt my dreams.

Best of luck and keep us all posted!

 

[Col Reb]

In MS we can rent a no till drill from NRCS for cheap. I have a 75hp jd 2640 & it's a load. Super heavy! Made the mistake of returning it with My 1/2 ton truck & thought I was going to die or the trans would taken out before I got back with it

 

[ga.prime]

You need a new truck.

 

[Col Reb]

You need a new truck.

I have a 3/4 ton suburban with a 454 that i keep at the farm. It'll pull anything you can tie to it(so far) but I was lazy returning the drill so thought I could just run it back with my 1/2 ton to save from driving back to the farm.
Besides that .... I have cows, I can't afford a new truck. Lol

 

[ERNIBIGB]

I have pulled a 10' disc lightly, cultipacker,dropseeder(ez flow)second cultipacker all in one train. Poor mans no till rig. Ground should be grazed or cut close and baled for good germination.

 

[BlondeD]

I have an older model JD.....3010 LP..about 45hp....found a Tye Pasture Pleaser in excellent shape.....it pulls it real well but I would only use it when the grass is grazed or mowed down very short.

 

[callmefence]

Drilling is best by far over scratching, spreading, dragging, etc. Oftentimes seed will be planted too deep or sanded in too deep after scratching or discing. Seed distribution is also far superior with a drill. A standard drill will work just about as good as a no till if you wait until everything has gone dormant. I see drills reasonably priced almost daily on various internet marketplaces

Are you just talking a out using a grain drill? Is it able to penetrate the ground?

We've done this for years mostly with ryegrass and oats. You need a single disc type drill. The old jds work very well. No till in most cases is not a one pass deal. You can drill winter annuals into pasture or crop and get could results but trying to do warm season stuff without killing the competing stuff already there just doesn't work well.