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Spreading or drilling
#2378267
01/19/18 06:48 AM
01/19/18 06:48 AM
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jwillinfl
OP
Unregistered
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jwillinfl
OP
Unregistered
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Just looking for opinions from those that have done both, or experience/knowledge with both. We are considering drilling next year for our food plots versus broadcast spreading. It seems that drilling definitely gives better results, but just wasn't sure if you felt it was worth it. Would welcome your opinions, pros and cons.
Thanks.
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Re: Spreading or drilling
[Re: ]
#2378300
01/19/18 07:17 AM
01/19/18 07:17 AM
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 12,481 Pike County, AL
Fuzzy_Bunny
Booner
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Booner
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 12,481
Pike County, AL
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Drilling is definately the best method in my opinion, but it would take a lot of seed to offset the purchase cost and upkeep.
If I was buying a drill I would make sure it came with a small seed box for things like clover, as I think you would see a good return on investment with small seeds like that.
Edited to add: I am referring to a no-till drill.
Last edited by Fuzzy_Bunny; 01/19/18 01:29 PM.
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Re: Spreading or drilling
[Re: ]
#2378307
01/19/18 07:18 AM
01/19/18 07:18 AM
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 6,615 Lake View, AL
Joe4majors
14 point
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14 point
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 6,615
Lake View, AL
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Are you talking no-till drill vs. discing then broadcasting the seed? If I had the opportunity to no-till drill, that's certainly what I would go with.
Can't they been somewhat a pain to keep calibrated though? I have no experience. I have a hand spreader and consider myself fancy.
Last edited by Joe4majors; 01/19/18 07:24 AM.
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Re: Spreading or drilling
[Re: NightHunter]
#2378354
01/19/18 07:52 AM
01/19/18 07:52 AM
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 9,166 B'ham
Goatkiller
14 point
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14 point
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 9,166
B'ham
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I'm with NightHunter.
My question is when you say "drill" what exactly are planning on doing this "drilling" with because that makes a big difference. Unless you've got access to a real drill like a Great Plains or Haybuster or something I'm going to tell you to there is no magic about to happen. You'll either be disappointed or not accomplish really anything you could not do with another implement in about as many steps.
No government employees were harmed in the making of this mess.
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Re: Spreading or drilling
[Re: bambam32]
#2378464
01/19/18 09:47 AM
01/19/18 09:47 AM
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,150 Satsuma, AL
Robert D.
12 point
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12 point
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,150
Satsuma, AL
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Does the ground have to perfectly level for a drill to work correctly? No but depending on the drill it may need to be prepared (disked) dirt. The standard duty drill will have single or dual disc openers followed by a tire or drag chain. The discs are usually set up in a gang fashion and come up and down with hydraulic power. These kinds of drills will do little to nothing besides spread seed in very hard ground or ground having a lot of cover (grass, etc.). No-Till drills will have much heavier setups to use their disc to cut open a trench in harder ground. The JD ones I'm familiar with had a VERY large spring on each opener arm but used the tractor hydraulics in constant flow to keep penetration constant. They also had a small wheel that pressed the seed into the trench then a cast iron wheel that closed the trench from a different angle. They came in 10, 15, or 20' widths and needed around 8-12 hp per foot for a tractor. There is no free lunch. If you don't take care of whats already on top of the dirt (grass, weeds, last years plot) with tillage or chemical you won't get a good stand. No Till Drills aren't the magic pill many people believe them to be. They also aren't cheap. The last new 10' I sold (YEARS ago) was better than $30k and the 20' was nearly $55k.
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Re: Spreading or drilling
[Re: ]
#2378652
01/19/18 12:59 PM
01/19/18 12:59 PM
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jwillinfl
OP
Unregistered
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jwillinfl
OP
Unregistered
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Was considering no-till drilling. I appreciate everyone’s input. Great insights. Not sure what we’ll do, but probably opt to use the extra $ it would take to drill and use it for other things to improve the land.
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Re: Spreading or drilling
[Re: ]
#2378891
01/19/18 04:13 PM
01/19/18 04:13 PM
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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,386 South Alabama
bambam32
8 point
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8 point
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,386
South Alabama
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Does the ground have to perfectly level for a drill to work correctly? No but depending on the drill it may need to be prepared (disked) dirt. The standard duty drill will have single or dual disc openers followed by a tire or drag chain. The discs are usually set up in a gang fashion and come up and down with hydraulic power. These kinds of drills will do little to nothing besides spread seed in very hard ground or ground having a lot of cover (grass, etc.). No-Till drills will have much heavier setups to use their disc to cut open a trench in harder ground. The JD ones I'm familiar with had a VERY large spring on each opener arm but used the tractor hydraulics in constant flow to keep penetration constant. They also had a small wheel that pressed the seed into the trench then a cast iron wheel that closed the trench from a different angle. They came in 10, 15, or 20' widths and needed around 8-12 hp per foot for a tractor. There is no free lunch. If you don't take care of whats already on top of the dirt (grass, weeds, last years plot) with tillage or chemical you won't get a good stand. No Till Drills aren't the magic pill many people believe them to be. They also aren't cheap. The last new 10' I sold (YEARS ago) was better than $30k and the 20' was nearly $55k. Thanks for the explanation. More complicated than I thought.
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Re: Spreading or drilling
[Re: ]
#2380048
01/20/18 05:04 PM
01/20/18 05:04 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 38,489 N. Bama
257wbymag
Boo Boo Head
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Boo Boo Head
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 38,489
N. Bama
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And not putting dead hrs on tractors disking is nice too.
Quietly killing turkeys where youre not!!! My tank full of give a fraks been runnin on empty I'm the paterfamilias
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Re: Spreading or drilling
[Re: ]
#2383887
01/23/18 04:20 PM
01/23/18 04:20 PM
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Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 804 Lower AL
Cynical
6 point
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6 point
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 804
Lower AL
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Was considering no-till drilling. I appreciate everyone’s input. Great insights. Not sure what we’ll do, but probably opt to use the extra $ it would take to drill and use it for other things to improve the land. I have a no till drill and do NOT prefer it for food plots. It will plant and get germination just fine. But, since the deer whack the plots and do not let the plants crown, you end up with perfect neat little rows of little growth that looks like crap. Same number of plants as broadcasting, just in rows, so not as visually appealing as a random broadcast. Your club mates will think you're a failur even though you have just as much green except it's in perfect rows with dormant growth visible between the rows. If you have a low deer population it would change my mind completely. But with a high deer density, broadcast "looks" better since there is green across the plot not just in perfect munched-down rows.
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