Food Plots Fertilizer spreader question.

Inventry
Tennessee Deer Sporting & Deer Hunting Community Forum

Help Support TNDeer | Tennessee Deer:

Jcalder

Jcalder

Well-Known Member
Platinum Supporter
Joined
Sep 18, 2012
Messages
11,635
City & State/Province
Cookeville
I'm new to the whole tractor spreader thing. I purchased one from my aunt last fall and have tried to use it, but I've got a lot to learn lol. My question is in the bottom of the drum is a spinner that should help bust clumps and feed things thru. When I planted the other day I noticed a lot of dust coming out of the spreader and some fodder flying around. Is that spinner grinding my seed up? I mixed wheat and oats and some of what I seen floating around looked like the outer part of the wheat seed.
 
Not sure about that, as I've never mixed my seed with the fertilizer. I will say that when spreading fertilizer, it can get quite dusty.

And as a precaution, when you are done, get a hose a rinse that sucker out good on the inside and the spinner (the whole thing thoroughly). Fertilizer will eat straight through it if not cleaned......just in case you didn't know.
 
JCDEERMAN said:
Not sure about that, as I've never mixed my seed with the fertilizer. I will say that when spreading fertilizer, it can get quite dusty.

And as a precaution, when you are done, get a hose a rinse that sucker out good on the inside and the spinner (the whole thing thoroughly). Fertilizer will eat straight through it if not cleaned......just in case you didn't know.
Click to expand...
Just to be clear, I didn't use any fertilizer. I just mixed my seeds together
 
Jcalder said:
Just to be clear, I didn't use any fertilizer. I just mixed my seeds together
Click to expand...
HA I totally botched that then.

You will have some of the seed that is out of it's "seed shell", but that should just be marginal. I've never run into that problem. I'd check the ground and make sure it is just "marginal". I plan on doing the same this weekend with 1300 lbs of seed out of our spreader.
 
JCDEERMAN said:
HA I totally botched that then.

You will have some of the seed that is out of it's "seed shell", but that should just be marginal. I've never run into that problem. I'd check the ground and make sure it is just "marginal". I plan on doing the same this weekend with 1300 lbs of seed out of our spreader.
Click to expand...
Just making sure what I seen was normal. The ground looked like decent coverage. I'll know in a couple weeks when it comes up.
 
I've found that spin spreaders without an agitator do not spread fertilizer well. You have to have the agitator to break up clumps of fertilizer.
 
Weber Hickory Wood Chunks Outdoor Cooking Fuel, 4 lb – Premium BBQ Smoking & Grilling Chips for Rich, Subtly Sweet Flavor – Ideal for Beef, Lamb, Poultry & Pork – Long Lasting
See price on Amazon
Weber Hickory Wood Chunks Outdoor Cooking Fuel, 4 lb – Premium BBQ Smoking & Grilling Chips for Rich, Subtly Sweet Flavor – Ideal for Beef, Lamb, Poultry & Pork – Long Lasting
Old Potters Smoker Wood Chunks 13-16 lbs for Grilling, Smoking, and Wood Fire Cooking ~ 2 x 3 Inches, (Hickory, 790 Cu in.)
See price on Amazon
Old Potters Smoker Wood Chunks 13-16 lbs for Grilling, Smoking, and Wood Fire Cooking ~ 2 x 3 Inches, (Hickory, 790 Cu in.)
Hickory Pizza Oven Wood 6 Inch, 15 lbs Box – Kiln Dried & Bark-Free Firewood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ Smoking & Grilling – Premium Hickory Wood Logs for Ooni, Gozney, Solo Stove, Bertello
See price on Amazon
Hickory Pizza Oven Wood 6 Inch, 15 lbs Box – Kiln Dried & Bark-Free Firewood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ Smoking & Grilling – Premium Hickory Wood Logs for Ooni, Gozney, Solo Stove, Bertello
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 8” Splits (Approx 39.5 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
See price on Amazon
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 8” Splits (Approx 39.5 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 6” Splits (Approx. 42 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
See price on Amazon
Firewood Central Kiln-Dried PA Hickory – 6” Splits (Approx. 42 lb) – Bold Smoking Wood for Pizza Ovens, BBQ & Fire Pits – Easy Light, Low Smoke, USA Sourced
Inkbird ITC-308 Digital Temperature Controller 2-Stage Outlet Thermostat Heating and Cooling Mode Carboy Homebrew Fermenter Greenhouse Terrarium 110V 10A 1100W
See price on Amazon
Inkbird ITC-308 Digital Temperature Controller 2-Stage Outlet Thermostat Heating and Cooling Mode Carboy Homebrew Fermenter Greenhouse Terrarium 110V 10A 1100W
Greenworks 24V 6in BL Pruning Saw w/Auto Oiler, Tool Only
See price on Amazon
Greenworks 24V 6in BL Pruning Saw w/Auto Oiler, Tool Only
Old Potters Kiln Dried Firewood - Cherry, 1100 Cu. in, 16-18 Logs ~ 8" x 2.5" Logs. Solo Stove and Cooking Wood for Grilling, Smoking, and Firepits, Cherry.
See price on Amazon
Old Potters Kiln Dried Firewood - Cherry, 1100 Cu. in, 16-18 Logs ~ 8" x 2.5" Logs. Solo Stove and Cooking Wood for Grilling, Smoking, and Firepits, Cherry.
Heritage Smoke Wood Hickory Pizza Oven Wood with Fire Starter - Kiln Dried Firewood 6" Hardwood Logs for Brick Fire Pizza Ovens & Grills, 6 lb, Low Smoke, High Heat, Competition-Grade Clean Burn
See price on Amazon
Heritage Smoke Wood Hickory Pizza Oven Wood with Fire Starter - Kiln Dried Firewood 6" Hardwood Logs for Brick Fire Pizza Ovens & Grills, 6 lb, Low Smoke, High Heat, Competition-Grade Clean Burn
39" Fire Pits with Wood Storage for Outside, Large Wood Burning Outdoor Fireplace with Chimney, Mesh Spark Screen & Fire Poker, Idea for Backyard, Patio, Party, Camping, Picnic
See price on Amazon
39" Fire Pits with Wood Storage for Outside, Large Wood Burning Outdoor Fireplace with Chimney, Mesh Spark Screen & Fire Poker, Idea for Backyard, Patio, Party, Camping, Picnic
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change.
If it was a used spreader it could have been left over fertilizer. The old spreader I had did that for a few minutes the first time I used it, the clumps of fertilizer would fall into the bar where it would break up and come out like a puff of smoke.
 
I'm assuming you're using a cyclone spreader. If you had the slots open enough for the seed to come out, there shouldn't be any problems. I'm sure some seed does get busted up, but not enough to worry about. The only time I have seen much "dust" when sowing seed, is when I sow coated seed like Crimson Clover.
 
Some dust is not unusual. Don't think it is damaging your seed. When I dump wheat seed in the hopper, I usually have a bit of dust. Same with most cereal grains.
 
Omega said:
If it was a used spreader it could have been left over fertilizer. The old spreader I had did that for a few minutes the first time I used it, the clumps of fertilizer would fall into the bar where it would break up and come out like a puff of smoke.
Click to expand...
Until I used it this past weekend I couldn't tell you the last time it was used. The aunt that I got it from, her husband passed 12 years ago. So I'd guess it's sat that long. It's got rust, but not rusted out.




Thanks guys. Sounds like it went normal. Better than my spring adventure when I dumped all my seed in one half acre spot instead of the 2 plus acres I meant to plant lol.
 
Was your wheat certified seed wheat or the cheaper bin run wheat? Bin run wheat is not as clean as seed wheat and can contain other seeds and hulls. Most of the time it's ok but I have seen some so full of fodder that it wouldn't feed through an atv spreader.
 
Chief44 said:
Was your wheat certified seed wheat or the cheaper bin run wheat? Bin run wheat is not as clean as seed wheat and can contain other seeds and hulls. Most of the time it's ok but I have seen some so full of fodder that it wouldn't feed through an atv spreader.
Click to expand...
They didn't have any certified wheat when I got this. I've used both and haven't much issue, but I would have opted for certified if available.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top