Anybody have any luck drilling beans? Or is planting them better? All for food plots

Drilling works great. Rowcrop farmers plant late beans that way every year behind wheat. I don't know what the row spacing is, I'm sure 257 can tell you exactly what it should be.

On 7.5" spacing drilled plant 1-2 seed per ft. Drilling beans is perfect. Shades middles quicker for moisture and weed control.

The trick to drilling beans (versus using a planter) is seed to soil contact. In sandy dirt where the competition weeds have been eliminated (by tillage or herbicide) a standard duty drill will work fine.

In hard ground or where you will be spraying the existing weeds right before or just after planting you will likely need a no till drill. They usually are MUCH heavier (and heavier built) and will take a larger tractor to operate.


Getting the groove cut for the seed to fall into is only half the battle however. You also need to close the slot which will put the seed into good contact with the soil. In a regular drill the common method is a rubber closing wheel. Some will just use a chain and this will mean soft dirt and no trash present is required.

Keep in mind I knew all this and still screwed up the soybean planting on our club last year. We rented a drill and I could NOT catch a break weather wise. It was a total loss. We're gonna do something different this year but I haven't figured out (or been told) what or how yet.