Broadcast your seed rather than drill in rows?

[Niels]

According to this Danish study it is better to broadcast seed rather than drill in rows if you're suffering from a weed problem: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150113111615.htm?utm_source=feedburner

So are we doing it all wrong? I can see some truth in that, where crops as wheat smother weeds, but to get accurate seed placement you would still need to develop a drill that can broadcast. Maybe it will help with the UK black grass problems?

Sorry if this has already been posted elsewhere.

 

[Gong Farmer]

Specifically you need a drill that can broadcast but still place the seed at depth, otherwise you can't use pre-em residuals.

 

[Baling Hay]

According to this Danish study it is better to broadcast seed rather than drill in rows if you're suffering from a weed problem: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150113111615.htm?utm_source=feedburner

So are we doing it all wrong? I can see some truth in that, where crops as wheat smother weeds, but to get accurate seed placement you would still need to develop a drill that can broadcast. Maybe it will help with the UK black grass problems?

Sorry if this has already been posted elsewhere.

In @Clive 's drill trial the broadcasted plot outyielded all the drileld plots!

 

[Kevtherev]

What about tramlines?

 

[YorkshireAndrew]

What about tramlines?

Garden canes & carrier bags !

 

[Against_the_grain]

Tramlines really are a thing of the past as far as i am concerned. Just put them on with gps on sprayer. I was making this point about broadcasted seed in the thread 'what are we trying to achieve', Broadcast it on, tickle it in with a light cultivation....Not very fashionable though is it!

 

[bovrill]

I was wondering about broadcasting spring wheat (with a pneumatic fert spreader) into a standing cover crop, then possibly topping.
It would save all the bother about which (if any) coulters would work!

 

[Baling Hay]

I was wondering about broadcasting spring wheat (with a pneumatic fert spreader) into a standing cover crop, then possibly topping.
It would save all the bother about which (if any) coulters would work!

Problem with spring wheat is that it would be an incredibly high seed rate which would be even higher with broadcasting into a cover.

 

[warksfarmer]

I was wondering about broadcasting spring wheat (with a pneumatic fert spreader) into a standing cover crop, then possibly topping.
It would save all the bother about which (if any) coulters would work!

If you broadcast then you need a way of covering the seed really so maybe do it then run a carrier to chop the cover whilst also covering the seed?

 

[Baling Hay]

If you broadcast then you need a way of covering the seed really so maybe do it then run a carrier to chop the cover whilst also covering the seed?

problem is it then gives weed seeds soil contact.

 

[bovrill]

problem is it then gives weed seeds soil contact.

That's what I was thinking.
This clay is very, very sticky, and not disturbing the soil would give me weeks of head start. A Moore drill I was hoping would ride on the greenery and get the seed in slots, but I'm not sure if that's going to be any better than blowing it straight on to the ground, and then covering it in chopped material.
If conditions are right to germinate and grow quickly, would it get away before any harm from the cover crop decomposition?
Would there be any harm from rotting greenery?

 

[rob1]

That's what I was thinking.
This clay is very, very sticky, and not disturbing the soil would give me weeks of head start. A Moore drill I was hoping would ride on the greenery and get the seed in slots, but I'm not sure if that's going to be any better than blowing it straight on to the ground, and then covering it in chopped material.
If conditions are right to germinate and grow quickly, would it get away before any harm from the cover crop decomposition?
Would there be any harm from rotting greenery?

Maybe chopping the crop at say 3 inches high with a flail chopper to cover the seed and protect it from birds could work if it didnt rain too heavily until the seed had chitted, if it was followed by heavy rain I can see the seed rotting, cant see a problem with pre ems tho because I would have thought the point is to reduce chem use

 

[Baling Hay]

Maybe chopping the crop at say 3 inches high with a flail chopper to cover the seed and protect it from birds could work if it didnt rain too heavily until the seed had chitted, if it was followed by heavy rain I can see the seed rotting, cant see a problem with pre ems tho because I would have thought the point is to reduce chem use

What about broadcasting the seed from the front linkage and a crimper roller running behind the tractor to kill the cover?

 

[Brisel]

Specifically you need a drill that can broadcast but still place the seed at depth, otherwise you can't use pre-em residuals.

TAG trial maybe? Looking at broadcasting/harrowing a month later than ordinary drilling/rolling/pre em herbicide on some blackgrass land to see how it establishes, yields & what the weed control is like? Just an idea.

 

[Baling Hay]

If you broadcast then you need a way of covering the seed really so maybe do it then run a carrier to chop the cover whilst also covering the seed?

What is a carrier? Which make?

 

[Gong Farmer]

TAG trial maybe? Looking at broadcasting/harrowing a month later than ordinary drilling/rolling/pre em herbicide on some blackgrass land to see how it establishes, yields & what the weed control is like? Just an idea.

I will pass on the suggestion. We have loads of data on broadcasting but possibly not specifically looking at the implications for grass weed control.

 

[warksfarmer]

What is a carrier? Which make?

Vaderstad

 

[Baling Hay]

Vaderstad

Do you think it would work in a standing cover?

 

[warksfarmer]

Do you think it would work in a standing cover?

No idea but as long as the carrier was used anything stuck in the plants would get covered you'd think?

 

[Dim Reaper]

Broadcast seed and have it buried at an accurate depth. That sounds like the Kockerling AT Universal drill. I have one to sell in the classifieds section. Good machine.