establishing cover crops.

[Boomerang]

Thinking about sowing some oats, and in another field phacelia, got this mad idea of rigging up a small hopper on powerharrow with some pipes to drop seeds down before packer only 3m wide shouldn't need too many outlets.
Would this work ? Wouldn't be any depth control but seed should be shallow and covered. Would be on ploughed land in spring and into tightly flailed stubble.
Once over job done . Or is it a non starter?

 

[steveR]

Thinking about sowing some oats, and in another field phacelia, got this mad idea of rigging up a small hopper on powerharrow with some pipes to drop seeds down before packer only 3m wide shouldn't need too many outlets.
Would this work ? Wouldn't be any depth control but seed should be shallow and covered. Would be on ploughed land in spring and into tightly flailed stubble.
Once over job done . Or is it a non starter?

Should be fine, but maybe "broadcast" with a spreader on the pipes?

 

[robbie]

I have an old horstine applicator fitted into my terradisc I have 8 outlets for 3.8m. I made some spreading plates to go on the end of the pipes which are mounted between the discs and crumbled roller.

I drill radish, mustard, rape, turnips, phacelia and utopia. They all come up just fine, the crumbler presses the seed in and covers it with a fine tilth.

 

[Boomerang]

I have an old horstine applicator fitted into my terradisc I have 8 outlets for 3.8m. I made some spreading plates to go on the end of the pipes which are mounted between the discs and crumbled roller.

I drill radish, mustard, rape, turnips, phacelia and utopia. They all come up just fine, the crumbler presses the seed in and covers it with a fine tilth.

Sounds promising, what soil type, ? Do you roll it in ? Or is crumbler enough.
Assume you're on kind land?
I'm on mostly grade one silt with the odd stronger patches.

 

[robbie]

Sounds promising, what soil type, ? Do you roll it in ? Or is crumbler enough.
Assume you're on kind land?
I'm on mostly grade one silt with the odd stronger patches.

Crumbler is usually enough but we sowed some rape the other week and did roll that in but mainly to help combat CSFB.

We are in kind land.

I have got a set of drill following harrows to go in the back after the crumbler but I've never felt the need for them

 

[Boomerang]

Crumbler is usually enough but we sowed some rape the other week and did roll that in but mainly to help combat CSFB.

We are in kind land.

I have got a set of drill following harrows to go in the back after the crumbler but I've never felt the need for them

Sounds like a good system worth a try on the power harrow. Thanks for your advice .