Spring bean drilling with cultivator

[CAF]

Thinking of using an Amazone Cenius grubber for put in spring beans. Have most of what I need... front hopper.... distribution head etc. The question l was hoping someone could shed some light on was if I have the legs ( with 40mm points) at 6 inches and I drop the seed in behind the leg would I need to keep the seed up from the full depth of the leg..... is it too deep? Thinking strip till drill. The reason for the 6 inch depth.... on previously plough ground, now stubble... there is compaction present. And there is volunteer spring osr in the field and am hoping the 40mm points will disturb less soil. So do beans do better if the have some loose soil below them to root in?

 

[CPF]

I would say 6 inches to deep for spring beans .
We plant at 65 mm maybe 75 mm sometimes. (2.5 to 3 inches) to deep they will run out of vigour .

 

[Brisel]

How deep is the compaction? 6" is too deep for spring beans. 3" is plenty. I'd bite the bullet and get the plough out if the compaction is shallower than that & accept the soil disturbance. Otherwise just DD them 3" deep and accept that you'll have to fix the compaction in the autumn before the first wheat where you have more herbicide options.

Or find a contractor with a Claydon/Mzuri/DTS.

 

[Andy26]

Attach a Coulter tube with a deflector/tab at the end and set it three inches higher than the cultivator point.

 

[Brisel]

Attach a Coulter tube with a deflector/tab at the end and set it three inches higher than the cultivator point.

Claydon’s bean kit works on the same principle

 

[CAF]

How deep is the compaction? 6" is too deep for spring beans. 3" is plenty. I'd bite the bullet and get the plough out if the compaction is shallower than that & accept the soil disturbance. Otherwise just DD them 3" deep and accept that you'll have to fix the compaction in the autumn before the first wheat where you have more herbicide options.

Or find a contractor with a Claydon/Mzuri/DTS.

Thanks Brisel..... would have no major issue ploughing.... 75% of the ground at the moment is plough.... slowly moving away from it and beans seem to be one of the crops that yield equally well strip till drilled. The plough will bring up more volunteer rape and basagram can be hit and miss controlling them. Hoping the amazone grubber could be a cheap bean drill

 

[CAF]

Attach a Coulter tube with a deflector/tab at the end and set it three inches higher than the cultivator point.

Think this is worth a try.... any idea how far behind the leg the seed tube would need to be for the soil to flow in behind the cultivator leg to stop the seed dropping in too deep?

 

[Brisel]

Thanks Brisel..... would have no major issue ploughing.... 75% of the ground at the moment is plough.... slowly moving away from it and beans seem to be one of the crops that yield equally well strip till drilled. The plough will bring up more volunteer rape and basagram can be hit and miss controlling them. Hoping the amazone grubber could be a cheap bean drill

The Grubber isn't exactly "low disturbance!" I've seen a modified Shakerator with coulters behind the leg.

Think this is worth a try.... any idea how far behind the leg the seed tube would need to be for the soil to flow in behind the cultivator leg to stop the seed dropping in too deep?

What is your soil type? Cold wet clay will just be a smeared trench. Lighter land will close in more quickly. A couple of feet would be ok IMO. The further back you have the coulters the more susceptible they are to misplacement of seed by crabbing on slopes.

 

[CAF]

Medium to heavy clay... think l will just either grub the stubble or plough and drill with the Horsch kr. And keep an eye out for a Claydon or sumo dts toolbar and do strip till properly

 

[JCfarmer]

Medium to heavy clay... think l will just either grub the stubble or plough and drill with the Horsch kr. And keep an eye out for a Claydon or sumo dts toolbar and do strip till properly

I picked up a 3m Claydon SR on here for £8000 to drill osr and beans. Ideal for that job especially beans, spring beans this year and yield nye on 5t/ha.
Also use it for drilling maize in game covers, subsoil after with large packer.