Food Plots No Cultipacker

[RobDooley]

The farm hands do a great job of discing food plot. In years past, I would have them lightly disc the seed in with average results. I know this process is probably burying some seed too deep for germination. I know I should use a cultipacker which I do not have. I'm sure the farmer has one at his farm which is several miles from food plot and I would incur additional expense even if he would agree to do. Anyone have any luck with something else. I was considering driving over food plot with my ATV or even my truck. Would the truck be too heavy? I was thinking his tractor with three discs weigh more than my truck. Plan on planting oats, clover and mix in some brassicas. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Good luck hunting.

 

[tellico4x4]

Drag a log, piece of weighted chain link fence, loading ramp off trailer or bed springs. Have done all the above before getting a cultipacker.

Sow the grain first, drag, then sow clover & brassica on top right before rain. No need to cover them since small seed.

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[ADR]

I have drug small cedar trees many a miles on food plots.

 

[RobDooley]

I appreciate the responses, thank you. I believe I can get a chain harrow or drag. I was just concerned about bunching the seed up when dragging. Thanks again.

 

[CATCHDAWG]

Any of the above will work to a extent but if I couldn't get the cultipacker, I'd drive over it with the atv. That's what I do where my cultipacker don't fit. Your not looking to just cover the seed, your goal is to have firm seed to soil contact. And pray for rain shortly after!

 

[4scout]

I've used old metal fence gates behind the atv that work well too. An atv drag harrow works great but cab be pricey to purchase. Some COOPs rent them out.

 

[HatchieLuvr]

I put in about 10-12 small plots (.25-.75acs) on my place ea fall. I have a 70hp Kubota 4x4 tractor and a 75hp Kubota skidsteer (on tracks). I certainly have many attachments for those machines but my "drag/harrow" is as simple and cheap as it comes. Every piece of equipment you put on a plot increases soil compaction and obviously is more time and money. I put out simple plots (wheat and oats) because they will flood (Hatchie River) typically sometime before the end of season. I've got to admit, a few years I've even skipped dragging anything over the seed after broadcasting it. (I try to get them planted just as a rain approaches and let the rain push the seed into the soil) But yes, you'll get better root and growth with a light covering of the seed. I use a tiller behind my tractor so the soil is very soft and easily moved.

Doesn't get anymore simple than this, I bought this chainlink gate at Home Depot and used simple bricks (6 spaced evenly across the gate, wired each brick on with galvanized fence wiring. Each brick weighs about 4-5#. Anysort of weight could be used, ever the "farmer" I just used what I had handy and that would work. ). Via a simple 10-12ft chain hooked to each corner of the gate will work. Throw the middle of the chain over your ATVs trailer hitch and have at it. Each plot only takes a couple minutes to lightly pass over. Then I chunk the "gate" up on the back rack and hightail it to the next plot. I can do all of my plots in well under 2hrs.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/YARDGARD-42 ... /100322403

Tiny seed like turnips, clover etc you DON'T WANT to work into the soil. Just simply broadcast it over prepped soil and let rain work it into the soil.

An old set of box springs will work about the same as well. And as funny as it sounds, a wooden pallet will also work! You're just using something hard, with enough weight, to knock down clods and better spread loose soil over broadcast seed. If you are using a standard disc to prep your soil then you likely have deep enough pockets in the soil anyway and don't want alot of earth and material moved over small seeds. A pallet is perfect for "closing the ground" over seeds.

 

[RobDooley]

Thanks for sharing all of your thoughts and experience. Helpful!

 

[Andy S.]

Great thread, I like simple unorthodox solutions to problems. :tu: