Weaving here, new to us this autumn
Have you had any modifications done to yours? Ours is an earlier one, a few mods from Sumo helped a lot!
No mods. I understand that the extended stagger kit really helps. What is happening this year is clay is sticking to the covering disc and blocking them solid and/or the same is happening to the press wheels. Everything that happens in front of the covering disc and press wheels is fantastic which is what makes me question if a Claydon would be a more versatile drill as it’s just a tine and coulter. We have been DDing for 6 years and can definitely say that our soil is coping much better than it did in 2012.
We put the extended stagger kit on and use the newer front leg design creating more of a gap between the ripper leg and coulter leg. Has helped a lot. That said those mods dont sound like they would help with soil sticking to the covering discs and rear press wheels. Its probably the drills biggest downfall IMO as it relies on the press wheels which in dry or reasonable conditions do a great job, in wet conditions they are not ideal but it probably means we shouldn't be using it in those conditions. We have seen some great improvements in our soil as well over just 4 years. I have toyed with the idea of making a following harrow bar to go behind the press wheels when working in wetter conditions but its going to be a fair contraption to fit on the drill and work well.
We have the new type legs with the forward sweep which are much better. Its a great drill and has made a real difference to our soil and business. This is just one of those years which highlights these problems.
Mzuri are very good at demos, and have been great to me, I think the pro till is a great drill, but I would say that as I have one
It’s surprised me at how well it works in conditions like this year, just walked my last bit I did last week today, after 30mm of rain yesterday, seed is away and not sitting drowning because of the leading leg making a drainage channel.
I think it’s a massive learning curve but hope to get plenty of advice from you lot on here.i think chopped straw is cleared straw would depend on the year or season.i would be keen to do some cover cropping but again a big learning curve.maybe do a couple of fields and experiment.maybe 35% of land is pretty heavy and the rest is medium.have sold straw in the past for good money but the traffic could be troublesome in a wet year with extra wheelmarks.no root crops now.saw the light and gave up beet about 4 years ago.
@Brisel @Clive ,so how do we do it ,intensive root cropped land harvested in less than ideal conditions at times , but are doing some covers gets some muck ,some structureless sand some grade one silt and black and every thing inbetween , doing less cultivation and is slowly working but the spuds undo it all , drilled 100 acre is other day with combi ,after beans and rape its in good order ,like a giant sponge as you keep going on about structure superb ,we want to go to the next step with different drill but want to stay on narrow spacing .?
