Maize seedbeds

[DeeGee]

Grown maize for many years but always had a contractor to power harrow immediately prior to sowing.
Our soil is light to medium and flows over well with fast ploughing. Rolled the furrows straight after the plough to keep in the moisture, and have Dutch harrows available for cultivations after a sub soiler/packer roller.
Admittedly the Dutch Harrow will never level from side to side as well as a power Harrow: but will the Dutch harrows repeatedly used at say 100mm depth give a good enough bed for maize without a power harrow?
Opinions welcome.

 

[dinderleat]

Just power Harrow. why scrimp it's a costly crop to grow as it is.

 

[Bald Rick]

If one pass with a PH does the trick why switch to multiple passes with a DH?

Think of the money David ..........

 

[DRC]

I have neighbours that are just discerating and drilling straight into it. Doesn't look as pretty, but worked ok.
I think we probably overwork maize seedbeds, more to get a better bed for the spray to work. Maize is a big seed, so shouldn't really need a seedbed like sugar beet.
Some of the land I was power harrowing this week, would've done with a dragharrow, but I used the power harrow very shallow and quick, mainly because I had it on the tractor.

 

[Shropshire Farmer]

Power harrow does a beautiful job cosmetically. Given a choice I would never use a power harrow ever. They need setting up properly. But for maize you want a loose seed bed not overworked.

 

[TripleSix]

We made the mistake of not working land down enough for maize, didn't do it any favours...

Have a pass with your dutchys, see how it looks....

 

[CrevisbigX]

We always dutch harrowed for maize in the 80s

 

[marshfarmer]

Don't own a ph. I just use my abt and front coil press same as beet. Seems to grow ok.

 

[DeeGee]

If one pass with a PH does the trick why switch to multiple passes with a DH?

Think of the money David ..........

I always do Baldrick; just as you count your turnips and keep a record of which make the best turnip soup, so do I spend most of my time counting my money, and it always comes to £21.34 no matter how many times I telephone the bank to double check my calculations.

Just trying to save a few pennies, as you do, but maybe a few passes with the harrow will mean the bill for the power harrow will be less?

Baldrick, Dr Johnson wishes to know is your first name still "Sod Off"?

As ever yours,
Edmund Blackadder.

 

[mo!]

Are folks using pre-ems this year? If not then no advantage in a fine seedbed. Leave it loose with as much moisture as you can.

 

[Brisel]

The big disadvantage with multiple passes is loss of moisture. Even in Wales! Multiple wheelings too.

I agree with comments about power harrows. In wet conditions the soil damage and smearing at depth is immense but not visible from the top. Used correctly it does a lot in one pass.

 

[Kevtherev]

Sorry to hijack but has anyone successfully DD ed maize into partly cultivated seed beds??

 

[Brisel]

That's hardly DD! What are you thinking of, strip tillage? There was a thread about different establishment systems a while ago. Using a Claydon didn't result in a great plant stand though I didn't see what the eventual cost/benefit was from final yield vs cost of establishment.

 

[Kevtherev]

That's hardly DD! What are you thinking of, strip tillage? There was a thread about different establishment systems a while ago. Using a Claydon didn't result in a great plant stand though I didn't see what the eventual cost/benefit was from final yield vs cost of establishment.

Yes strip till type of establishment I was thinking but using a DD of a sort but not actually direct drilling if you see what I mean?
Probably yields Would be significantly reduced this way.
In America they use strip tillage effectively for 'corn'

 

[Brisel]

Creating a shallow tilth is great for cereals etc that are planted 1-2" deep then sowing with a strip till drill that gives a good root channel but maize would need a deeper one for good soil to seed contact. How shallow can you plant maize? Is 2" enough if you've conserved moisture below that?

This shows a side view of the concept

Zooming in on the cross section of this Claydon one shows how the seed is placed onto the shoulders of the tine's channel.

You'd need a toolbar in front of the precision seeding units with the narrow tines and a levelling tool. You'd need something in front of the seeding unit to stop trash blocking up in front. It's perfectly doable & Horsch could so something with their set up if you combine a Focus TD unit with their seeder units.

 

[Brisel]

 

[d williams]

Yes strip till type of establishment I was thinking but using a DD of a sort but not actually direct drilling if you see what I mean?
Probably yields Would be significantly reduced this way.
In America they use strip tillage effectively for 'corn'

Will be putting some in this week with muzri hopefully will take some pis and let you know how goes first time into grass

 

[marshfarmer]

The big disadvantage with multiple passes is loss of moisture. Even in Wales! Multiple wheelings too.

I agree with comments about power harrows. In wet conditions the soil damage and smearing at depth is immense but not visible from the top. Used correctly it does a lot in one pass.

Wouldn't they be going over it loads of times with a dutch harrow as it was dry and cloddy though so not much to loose
I've recently bought a terradisc with a double crumbler,saved the day this spring on the winter ploughing. Moisture retention is everything here,but it's good land so works well. I shall plough press this week and jump on the one pass on and off as I go over the field then just roll it and they can drill into that. 10k with 4m machine on 150hp soon gets over it

 

[Will 1594]

Any difference in yield with the more conventional type drills to the presion drilled stuff.

 

[E_B]

Will be putting some in this week with muzri hopefully will take some pis and let you know how goes first time into grass

Also hopefully having a go with a mzuri this week, into oat stubbles mainly, and a tiny bit into last year's maize stubble.

Precision seed metering getting nearer production for Select models, personally we don't worry about seed spacings but an innovative development.