Sowing Grass Seed

[Crex]

We plough and reseed about 3-4 hectares of ground a year. We currently use a contractor to sow the grass seed, he uses an ancient spring tine air seeder contraption. We are not particularly happy with the results, establishment is patchy, and the row spacing is too large, leaving lots of bare ground.
We would like to pick up something ourselves to do the work, but don't know what would be best. Budget maximum is £3000. An old Fiona drill? More up to date spring tine seeder, might also give us the option to overseed? We have a wag tail Vicon, but have never used it for grass seed, maybe an option? What does the forum say?

 

[Treemover]

Some of our best leys were spread by wagtail. Just calibrate to run at close bouts, I think I was going around 2-3 ft between tyre tracks.

I bought a accord drill to get more accurate rates, and as I lift the counters clear; I still get strips but don't bury the clover seed.

I don't power Harrow if sowing grass seed but I need it to drive belt driven fan.

You could purchase an einblock or equiv with an electric spinner or air seeder; but I'd want more use than simply a few acres a year.

I'd buy something else with your budget, and get to know how to use your wagtail more effectively.

Used a grass seed box, but they are the work of the devil- ESP the hired ones!

I was faced with your query, but bought the accord for €800. You could buy an air drill driven by pto for 800-1200 and it could be used for corn too?

I think the einblock options are very expensive for small acreages.

 

[Jim75]

Just out of your budget but my FIL has just bought a brand new 3m opico harrow with grass seeder for a sniff over £4k I believe. We don't do much more than you a year but will try too now

 

[General-Lee]

Just out of your budget but my FIL has just bought a brand new 3m opico harrow with grass seeder for a sniff over £4k I believe. We don't do much more than you a year but will try too now

That seems a lot for a 3m! How much would a seeder add on?

 

[Jim75]

No idea, he was dead set on doing it himself for stubble turnips aswell. Still to pick it up yet so Haven't seen if its radar or wheel drive yet.

 

[multi power]

Some of our best leys were spread by wagtail. Just calibrate to run at close bouts, I think I was going around 2-3 ft between tyre tracks.

I bought a accord drill to get more accurate rates, and as I lift the counters clear; I still get strips but don't bury the clover seed.

I don't power Harrow if sowing grass seed but I need it to drive belt driven fan.

You could purchase an einblock or equiv with an electric spinner or air seeder; but I'd want more use than simply a few acres a year.

I'd buy something else with your budget, and get to know how to use your wagtail more effectively.

Used a grass seed box, but they are the work of the devil- ESP the hired ones!

I was faced with your query, but bought the accord for €800. You could buy an air drill driven by pto for 800-1200 and it could be used for corn too?

I think the einblock options are very expensive for small acreages.

grass seed box is by far the best way to sow grassseed, einbock is no better than wagtail

 

[Cows 'n grass]

We do all of ours (50 acres +) a year with an old slug pelleter that goes on the back of the ATV. We ring roll before and after and it works very well.

 

[exmoor dave]

use a bullock tillage spinner here on the grass harrow but have thought bout putting it in the back of the landy.

think it will chuck grass seed 4m max and I have it set for 3m to match the centre section of the grass harrow.

 

[Treemover]

Like all things agricultural; I find too much homage is paid to the metal used!!

I believe that in our own case, it was the year in it or weather that made the difference. All our methods still resulted in seed falling onto a firm seedbed.

For me at least, I couldn't justify something costing €3-4k solely to sprinkle grass seed; when our wagtail did fine.

But my interest into the accord was due to move back into cereals, and also cereal based silage cropping; plus grass reseeds.

I wasn't happy with our use of a grass box. I let a fella off with it , he used them before and should have been able to calibrate it; but 11 bags on a 7 acre field, convinced me to look at addressing a more accurate method.

Cost of seed ain't cheap!

 

[exmoor dave]

 

[Great In Grass]

Like all things agricultural; I find too much homage is paid to the metal used!!

I believe that in our own case, it was the year in it or weather that made the difference. All our methods still resulted in seed falling onto a firm seedbed.

For me at least, I couldn't justify something costing €3-4k solely to sprinkle grass seed; when our wagtail did fine.

But my interest into the accord was due to move back into cereals, and also cereal based silage cropping; plus grass reseeds.

I wasn't happy with our use of a grass box. I let a fella off with it , he used them before and should have been able to calibrate it; but 11 bags on a 7 acre field, convinced me to look at addressing a more accurate method.

Cost of seed ain't cheap!

 

[Crex]

Wagtail is probably worth a try, worry is that grass seed is fairly expensive these days, don't want to spread an acres worth of seed in the first run.

 

[jerseycowsman]

Perfect your expertise on the wagtail. Used to do mine fine until I ran out of time and had to start using contractors. Just one tractor width between the bouts, roll before and after and bobs your uncle.

 

[KennyO]

Excuse my ignorance but is grass best dropped onto a firm surface with little or no tilth or is it better very lightly covered?

We have had good results using a contractor with rollers with an airseeder attatched for undersowing cereals straight behind cereal drill. This year (and last) spring barley was rolled by us normally (as rain was coming) and is now getting up and away. Would like to sow grass now but don't know if another pass of contractors rollers sowing grass will do the job or if I am better finding someone with a harrow based seeder?

 

[KennyO]

or I could dig out the old grass seed box however as stated calibration is non existent.

 

[robin banks]

Am I just incredibly lucky or are some of you looking to overcomplicate the sowing of grass. Grass will grow if you just throw it on by hand on bare earth with a roll after and then mother nature takes over.
The wagtail is a common cheap machine which works. It has a working width of around 3m and is able to be driven as fast as you can. 400 quid on ebay buys one. I think setting of 15 at 7mph is what I work at.

 

[Recoil]

I use the fert spinner. Works alright for me.

 

[herefordian]

See Ebay for sale an Overum pneumatic fertiliser spreader-land drive& probably 40ft spread with 20 outlets@£390.Roll with say 10 ft flat roll and follow wheel marks tosave on the gps!Works very well but ensure the variable rate adjuster works.Follow seeder with cambridge roll if dry or grass harrows if rain promised.Have a similar machine-cost £100 at farmsale including manual(essential).

 

[Kevtherev]

Vicon spreaders I use also the Teagle broadcasters are good on grass seed also have used an amazone. Broadcasting grass is the best way IMO.
Set the machine quite tight and travel close to last wheel mark.

 

[Radio]

Perfect your expertise on the wagtail. Used to do mine fine until I ran out of time and had to start using contractors. Just one tractor width between the bouts, roll before and after and bobs your uncle.

Same here wagtail on mf 135 1 tractor Width apart also ring roll before and twice afterwards in different directions. Used to light harrow to cover seed, but this does a better job.