2 Row Planter recommendations for no-till vegetables

[3LTFarms]

Hey y'all. New to the site. North Central Florida area. I was raised on a 140 Farmall and a cole planter farming about 25 acres of vegetables. We got out of vegetables a little over 30 years ago and got into cattle. I'm looking to get back into growing a few vegetables to market.

I no longer have the 140's but have a 40hp loader tractor. I've been no-tilling rye and mixed cover crops the past few years for grazing with a drill. Currently in the process of building a roller crimper to terminate the covers not being grazed and wanting to plant vegetables into the residue to market. Looking for the ability to plant summer squash, zukes, cukes, melons, okra...etc.

What make/model 2 row planter should I be looking for? Plates and parts available? Budget 1.5 - 2k. Would need for it to be able to plant into standing covers or into rolled covers behind a loader mounted roller crimper.

Thanks,
3LT

 

[Brendon-KS]

Welcome to YT! For planting a wide range of crops on a small scale you can't go wrong with the Deere #71 unit planter. New ones are actually still
produced by Yetter and parts are very easy to find. Plates for about any kind of seed are also readily available - they use the same plates as all Deere
planters made in the last 70+ years. The base unit itself wouldn't be able to plant directly into heavy mulch but you could easily rig up a toolbar with
coulters in front.

 

[crsutton81]

My suggestion for a self sufficient
planter to no-till without a bunch
of modifications would be a CIH 900
plate planter. They made 2 different
styles of them. One kind each of the
row units are driven from a line
shaft via a central transmission.
The other style each unit is driven
separately directly via the closing/
packing wheel. This would be the
easiest style to assemble in a
smaller row count. Plates for these
planters can still be bought new. If
so desired, a no-till Coulter can be
added on the front of each planter
unit. I have had great luck no-
tilling soybeans into standing or
picked wheat straw with these units as they have variable down pressure springs on the row units and closing disks.

 

[HILLTOPHARV]

I'm in Ohio, growing produce for over 30 years. I second the Yetter- Jr 71 planter for versitility. Pumpkins and squash have preformed
decently in notill situations. They are a larger seed and soil contact is easier. The old JD 71's may not be made heavy enough for notill. It
may take a newer planter to succeed. The produce production industry has changed A LOT in the past 30 years. Start small and learn a lot
with your hands and eyes! Just as corn and soybean production is GREATLY different than 30 years ago.... so is produce!! Tom

 

[3LTFarms]

Thanks for the replies. I've seen a few wore out 2 row JD 71 units locally for 7-800 bucks, which I think is way too much, considering they would probably need to be rehabbed. I'll definitely look into the Yetter and CIH units.

Starting small is the plan for sure, as I have a day job to pay for my cattle/farm habits. Sure am having a hard time finding info on anything other than small vegetable garden no-till stuff. Are the vegetable guys not trying it like the corn and bean guys as much? Or has nobody been able to make it work?

3LT

 

[DeltaRed]

Cant beat a JD 70/71 unit planter. IH 185 is also a good planter,identical,except for color. The JD has an abundance of plates available.Yetter sitll makes the #71.BTW,I still use a JD 71. Set up for four 30
inch rows.

 

[560Dennis]

I feel the ihc c-272 has potential as one of the best set ups . Its an old design but I rate high with many attachments which would make idea
for small tractors

 

[caterpillar guy]

You will want one of the newer like 7000 up number Deere or 6000 series whites for this as you need down pressure to cut through the trash as you plant. With all the newer variations of notill options to mount on planters I would go look at some of the planters on line. You can also buy a 4-8 row unit for less that the 2 row you want. Then have parts left over. They drive off the wheels with a main shaft then a chain to each row unit on both planters. Depending on your dirt you may need more or less down pressure than the planter will offer. Planting in trash with vegetable is also a moisture holding mold creating thing that can become somewhat of a problem. I have to deal with this each years as dad wants to throw the weeds in around the plants to keep the weeds from coming through. Problem is I then get a lot of slug and insect damage from the trash inviting them as a host for them. Also holds moisture to cause molds and mildew and other less desirable things. With the newer models I'm mentioning you can get most all parts either dealer or a lot aftermarket. I think a corn plate would plant both corn and pumpkins and maybe squash depending on the size of the seed or ho thick you want it. Looking on tractor house is one option for planters. You will just have to look at what you find.

 

[Leroy]

Most are thinking about you using a 3 point planter It
would have to be modified to very heavy unless you have a
sandy soil that does not take much weight to get planter
into ground. I question if your tractor has enough lift
capacity to lift one of those. I have a friend in Indiana
that in past, don't know if he is still doing it, took the
7000 Deere planters and cut them down to 2 row units with a
groung drive lift. Not sure how he did it but he converted
them for pulling behind horses. Few Years ago when I was at
his place he was just getting ready to ship a semi load to
Wisconsin to be polled by horses for the Amish. If you
would get even a 4 row 7000 I dought your tractor would be
able to lift it with the hydrolics. I am guessing your
tractor is a small compact tractor that is rated by engine
horsepower and not PTO HP or drawbar HP That the compacts
are never tested for as most people do not pull loads with
them so might be short of power, now if it is PTO hp you
might be OK powerwise. The modern compacts 40 Hp tractors
are actually smaller than the old Ford NAA tractors when it
comes to drawbar work. So before looking for a planter
determine if your tractor can even handle one if you would
get one. Many even thought the 3020 Deere was too small to
handle a 4 row 7000 series no till planter. So first thing
check your tractor out on tractordata to see if it is
capable of pulling a planter like that before you spend the
money on a planter. I have no idea if some of the planters
were even made as a no till planter.

 

[IAfarmguy]

Some good suggestions given here. Im a John Deere guy so would lean toward the cut down 7000 series pull type or the #71 units on a toolbar. Do you have any neighbors doing what you propose? Check with them to see what works in your area. Perhaps talk to your county extension agent for advice. These are my thoughts. Good luck.

 

[3LTFarms]

Thanks for the suggestions and conversation. Tractor is sufficient enough to pull/lift a 5 foot no till drill, I do it every year with ease. I would assume I'd have enough tractor to handle a 2 row unit. Ground is fairly light so I doubt I'd need a super heavy planter. I wouldn't have an issue cutting down a 4 row unit as I am fairly handy.

I do have a job in town that keeps me fairly busy. I am planning on treating this as a hobby for now with the potential for a return on investment if I can get it figured out.

3LT

 

[Leroy]

In my area you would need that heavy planter to get it in the
ground, Remember if you try to cut down a 7000 planter you
will need the transport wheels to not only carry planter but
to drive the units and you will need a remote cylinder on
planter to lift it. Could not be made to work off the 3 point
hitch as you need the wheels to drive the seeding units that
I only know plate and nothing about plateless units. And
remember if you would fertilize the hopper for 2 rows would
hold around 500# of fertilize.