Direct/Min Till

[Jsmith2211]

Chaps,

We've just bought a direct drill as I mentioned on another thread. Simtech T-Sem 300. Nice drill, had a go with drilling kale into some PP and seems to have worked (slightly to our surprise). The plan is to do all our arable with it, having traditionally been ploughing and combi-drilling with a sulky master 3 compact on a kuhn powerharrow. I've done a little combining so far, but looking over the stubble the fields just dont look level enough to drill into with the simtech, driving over the headland being bounced out of my seat. I fear that if i drill straight into it one leg will be 5" in and another will be out of the ground. I'm going to have to cultivate up the tramlines anyway, as there are foot deep ruts... Only cultivator i have is a superflow, which doesnt leave it level but does a good job for what it is. I suppose ideally I would disc it then put the rolls over it then drill... Only thing I can think to do is to cultivate with the superflow, then powerharrow it to get it level then roll pre-drilling. Hopefully only have to do it once then next year will be flatter as no ploughing? Interested in what other people's thoughts are on this, and if anybody had the same issue? I have got a set of opico vari discs sat in the hedge but it needs all the bearings doing, which im told is a hellish job and has no roller on the back as i pinched it for the superflow. perhaps have to fix that up? Fields looked level enough last autumn, I assume that the ploughing made the ground so fluffed up that maybe the combine has made it bumpy as its been driven over?

 

[Wombat]

I wouldn’t worry, I have a drill with sabre tines on and on a 3m you get a bit of that but a little upping of the seed rate and don’t worry.

 

[Woody j]

Chaps,

We've just bought a direct drill as I mentioned on another thread. Simtech T-Sem 300. Nice drill, had a go with drilling kale into some PP and seems to have worked (slightly to our surprise). The plan is to do all our arable with it, having traditionally been ploughing and combi-drilling with a sulky master 3 compact on a kuhn powerharrow. I've done a little combining so far, but looking over the stubble the fields just dont look level enough to drill into with the simtech, driving over the headland being bounced out of my seat. I fear that if i drill straight into it one leg will be 5" in and another will be out of the ground. I'm going to have to cultivate up the tramlines anyway, as there are foot deep ruts... Only cultivator i have is a superflow, which doesnt leave it level but does a good job for what it is. I suppose ideally I would disc it then put the rolls over it then drill... Only thing I can think to do is to cultivate with the superflow, then powerharrow it to get it level then roll pre-drilling. Hopefully only have to do it once then next year will be flatter as no ploughing? Interested in what other people's thoughts are on this, and if anybody had the same issue? I have got a set of opico vari discs sat in the hedge but it needs all the bearings doing, which im told is a hellish job and has no roller on the back as i pinched it for the superflow. perhaps have to fix that up? Fields looked level enough last autumn, I assume that the ploughing made the ground so fluffed up that maybe the combine has made it bumpy as its been driven over?

Get the plough back out . Ground needs to be level and free from ruts for direct drilling to be successful

 

[steveR]

Get the plough back out . Ground needs to be level and free from ruts for direct drilling to be successful

Not 100% that a plough is needed, but that level start is a massive Yes!

 

[Kevtherev]

Pull your stubbles down with cultivator or disc to level them then roll before drilling.
@neilo runs a simtech

 

[robs1]

Do you have a subsoiler that you can pull along the tramlines to bring them up, if you plough them it will be just as bad next year unless you move the tramlines, we have a simtech and the odd but of depth variations isn't a problem

 

[alomy75]

LD subsoiler across the whole lot on an angle

 

[mikep]

Depends how much straw or trash but the best leveling tool is a Dutch harrow. Much maligned by people who don't know how to use them but nothing better if set up properly.

 

[yellow belly]

Just fill in the ruts
when we cultivated and subsoiled we always had rutted tramlines in some places
notill for 10 years
tramlines in the same place every year
mole out the wet places to drains or redrain
do not travel when it is too wet to carry the load wide wheels if needed
after a few years the tramlines become less rutted
If subsoiling just the tramline it fills with water and makes the rut deeper as a rule do not drive through a rut straddle it or miss it out water logged patches never make any profit the only solution is drainage cultivation and subsoiling wet places just adds cost