Using high seed rates to make no-till work on heavier soil?

[Richard III]

That sounds low for S beans. Given the TGW of ours this time I needed 330kg/ha to get the 45-50 seeds / m2 that PGRO recommend.
The seed cleaners said all of the tests that they had done this time had given high TGWs.

I've found that using low seed rates tends to give a very high TGW crop, so requiring a higher seed rate next year anyway (if home saving obviously).

 

[SilliamWhale]

That sounds low for S beans. Given the TGW of ours this time I needed 330kg/ha to get the 45-50 seeds / m2 that PGRO recommend.
The seed cleaners said all of the tests that they had done this time had given high TGWs.

I did high seed rate beans one year and they went so high they went over my head (im not that tall mind) and the reel and the chopper didnt like it much at all. The Irish (@Louis Mc ) reckon gb high seed rates for beans are insane. Maybe it depends on rainfall?

 

[britt]

I did high seed rate beans one year and they went so high they went over my head (im not that tall mind) and the reel and the chopper didnt like it much at all. The Irish (@Louis Mc ) reckon gb high seed rates for beans are insane. Maybe it depends on rainfall?

40-50 plants/m2 is the optimum according to PGRO, rather than high.

I've found that using low seed rates tends to give a very high TGW crop, so requiring a higher seed rate next year anyway (if home saving obviously).

The low plant population last year (due to having worn the discs too small and ground a bit too wet) would explain the higher TGW.
A good plan might be to plant the area you intend to keep for seed thicker to reduce the weight you keep to re sow (more to sell).

 

[Louis Mc]

35 plants about right in these parts aparantly but I'm not one for counting