Time for another look at DD

Possibly going to try a couple of fields of DD this autumn ,,,,,, there may be a few of you who remember my first go back in 2011 / 2012 which was fairly well documented on BFF

Anyway have a 2 or 3 fields that we might have another go on this year ,,,,, first field is possibly our heaviest field which is just coming out of a 2 year temp lay , just took the trio into the field to see what it might look like and after 20 yds I stopped because I realised that I might be missing a trick ,,,, originally I dismissed the idea of DD because of the compaction from trailer traffic but having taken a spade to the field I was quite pleased to see how well it dug , we were also pleased to see what a good root system the clover had put down over 2 years , so that's the first field ,,,,,,, the second is after winter beans , lovely friable tilth on the top 2 inches and not bad underneath that just a bit wetter .
The one concern I have is that this field is on a fair bank and the combine scratched itself in a bit leaving tyre marks up hill but no where near as bad as in years gone by ....

So weapon of choice ,,,,,, in a perfect world I would probably of liked a cross slot on the turf and a JD on the bean stubble , but no JD in the area so a cross slot it will be as I have one not many miles away which could possibly come to me next week ,,,,, will be a interesting little experiment for us
 

tr250

Member
Location
Northants
Put a field in wheat today after 2 year grass ley will see how it goes
IMG_0066.JPG
 

Fuzzy

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Bedfordshire
Possibly going to try a couple of fields of DD this autumn ,,,,,, there may be a few of you who remember my first go back in 2011 / 2012 which was fairly well documented on BFF

Anyway have a 2 or 3 fields that we might have another go on this year ,,,,, first field is possibly our heaviest field which is just coming out of a 2 year temp lay , just took the trio into the field to see what it might look like and after 20 yds I stopped because I realised that I might be missing a trick ,,,, originally I dismissed the idea of DD because of the compaction from trailer traffic but having taken a spade to the field I was quite pleased to see how well it dug , we were also pleased to see what a good root system the clover had put down over 2 years , so that's the first field ,,,,,,, the second is after winter beans , lovely friable tilth on the top 2 inches and not bad underneath that just a bit wetter .
The one concern I have is that this field is on a fair bank and the combine scratched itself in a bit leaving tyre marks up hill but no where near as bad as in years gone by ....

So weapon of choice ,,,,,, in a perfect world I would probably of liked a cross slot on the turf and a JD on the bean stubble , but no JD in the area so a cross slot it will be as I have one not many miles away which could possibly come to me next week ,,,,, will be a interesting little experiment for us
I found weaving to be very helpful with a demo when i was looking at drills. Not too far from you either!
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
Possibly going to try a couple of fields of DD this autumn ,,,,,, there may be a few of you who remember my first go back in 2011 / 2012 which was fairly well documented on BFF

Anyway have a 2 or 3 fields that we might have another go on this year ,,,,, first field is possibly our heaviest field which is just coming out of a 2 year temp lay , just took the trio into the field to see what it might look like and after 20 yds I stopped because I realised that I might be missing a trick ,,,, originally I dismissed the idea of DD because of the compaction from trailer traffic but having taken a spade to the field I was quite pleased to see how well it dug , we were also pleased to see what a good root system the clover had put down over 2 years , so that's the first field ,,,,,,, the second is after winter beans , lovely friable tilth on the top 2 inches and not bad underneath that just a bit wetter .
The one concern I have is that this field is on a fair bank and the combine scratched itself in a bit leaving tyre marks up hill but no where near as bad as in years gone by ....

So weapon of choice ,,,,,, in a perfect world I would probably of liked a cross slot on the turf and a JD on the bean stubble , but no JD in the area so a cross slot it will be as I have one not many miles away which could possibly come to me next week ,,,,, will be a interesting little experiment for us

750a or something with a narrow (15mm or less tine)

JD have demo machine these days and Dale do hire per acre IIRC for those that want to try one

cross slot is a good machine but the price tag and HP is still no less scary than it ever was

the weaving is investing and people seem to either love or hate them, not seem one enough to judge for myself yet however. Think the Sly drill looks good and would be worth a look as well
 
So one quaddy and cross slot turned up yesterday ,,,, after turf the slots were still left fairly open but we have run the cultipress at an angle ( tines taken out ) and it has done a good job of closing slots up ,,,,,, the bean land I would of been happier with a lighter outfit but nothing available ,,,, it was plenty damp enough under neath , that that has gone in well should be okay ,,,, some not so good , will be interesting to see what it can grow through
 

Tractor Boy

Member
Location
Suffolk
So one quaddy and cross slot turned up yesterday ,,,, after turf the slots were still left fairly open but we have run the cultipress at an angle ( tines taken out ) and it has done a good job of closing slots up ,,,,,, the bean land I would of been happier with a lighter outfit but nothing available ,,,, it was plenty damp enough under neath , that that has gone in well should be okay ,,,, some not so good , will be interesting to see what it can grow through
Why were you worried about closing the slots? Surely the whole point of a cross slot is that it doesn't matter about closing the vertical slot as that's not where the seed is.
 
Why were you worried about closing the slots? Surely the whole point of a cross slot is that it doesn't matter about closing the vertical slot as that's not where the seed is.
Very heavy clay , by the time the side cutters had moved the turf to the side the press wheels couldn't cover the seed . Not nice land and as such you can't expect miracles , hence a nip over with cultipress to help cover some seed
 
Time for a quick report ,,,,, wheat after beans is coming along well , we borrowed a neighbours rolls with paddles , did a good job of wiping soil into the slots , a bit of a issue on the bank where the drill hung down the bank which meant that we have paired rows ,,,, seems to me to be a big downside of the cross slot to me in that the slightest curve and it pairs the coulters up .
Wheat after grass has been a bit more concerning but the rain we had last week has helped fill in some of the rows ,,,,,, weed control is not going to be easy
 

James W

Member
Very heavy clay , by the time the side cutters had moved the turf to the side the press wheels couldn't cover the seed . Not nice land and as such you can't expect miracles , hence a nip over with cultipress to help cover some seed
At £150,000 for a 4m seed drill... i would infact expect miracles ! have you seen the 750a v cross-slot on the Thriplow Farms website. Really useful and informative yield comparison.
 
At £150,000 for a 4m seed drill... i would infact expect miracles ! have you seen the 750a v cross-slot on the Thriplow Farms website. Really useful and informative yield comparison.

I did see most of it ,,,,,, but for me it was what drill was available at the time , I've paid a fair price for the work and fairly pleased now it has emerged ,
 

tr250

Member
Location
Northants
I did see most of it ,,,,,, but for me it was what drill was available at the time , I've paid a fair price for the work and fairly pleased now it has emerged ,
I've never had anything to do with crossslot but we have a weaving and are really pleased with results into turf slot closure is very good and near enough zero disturbance
 
Time for a quick report ,,,,, wheat after beans is coming along well , we borrowed a neighbours rolls with paddles , did a good job of wiping soil into the slots , a bit of a issue on the bank where the drill hung down the bank which meant that we have paired rows ,,,, seems to me to be a big downside of the cross slot to me in that the slightest curve and it pairs the coulters up .
Wheat after grass has been a bit more concerning but the rain we had last week has helped fill in some of the rows ,,,,,, weed control is not going to be easy

pairing on all drills is a problem on slopes and curves
the answer is to drill straight and not across slopes
but drilling across slopes is better regarding erosion and combine levelling

gravity on side slopes is the problem this is less with deep soil engaging drills but they need more hp and cost more to pull
 
pairing on all drills is a problem on slopes and curves
the answer is to drill straight and not across slopes
but drilling across slopes is better regarding erosion and combine levelling

gravity on side slopes is the problem this is less with deep soil engaging drills but they need more hp and cost more to pull

He tried pulling cross slot up the bank but it's fairly steep , lacked grip and wanted another 200 donkeys on the front ,,,,, but I can live with the pairiing if it meant no trench digging pulling the drill uphill ,,,,,, did think tho that all those straight running discs would help steer it straight
 

Richard III

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
CW5 Cheshire
He tried pulling cross slot up the bank but it's fairly steep , lacked grip and wanted another 200 donkeys on the front ,,,,, but I can live with the pairiing if it meant no trench digging pulling the drill uphill ,,,,,, did think tho that all those straight running discs would help steer it straight

The Cross-slot must have the greatest distance between the front and rear coulters of just about any drill on the market? This is the main cause of the problem IMO, it's never been an issue here until I bought a Weaving GD, but I see it now. The Weaving is happy to drill round slight corners because of the pivot on the discs, it pairs quite badly then.
 
Well both fields have been cut and the scores are on the doors ,,,,,,,, I know what I'm about to say will ruffle a few feathers but ,,,,,,,,,,,
Wheat after a 3 year lay was very disapointing , 2.5 tons / acre on heavy clay , should of been our best wheat crop this year really as it keeps the moisture
Wheat after beans should just about scrape 3 ton , which is .5 of a ton down on rest of farm average ,,,,

Time to take a spade to the fields and have a look I think
But first comment would be that the pairing of what is already a wide row drill did not help ,,,,,, various wildlife just couldn't help roam whole fields instead of sticking to just the tramlines
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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