First time using the Kasco for a large dove plot this weekend...here is a full review...

[rstallings1979]

the area was flat and had a good burn down so I considered just doing a one pass seed drop. The area is about 4 acres as well. I talked to a few contacts and most suggested tilling the dirt and that created a wrinkle in my plans.

After tilling the dirt with my 6 foot plow I hooked the Kasco up to start dropping and packing. After a few feet I realized the plow made the dirt too rough and uneven...too uneven to get a smooth drop in all three rows. I had my seed spaced about 26 inches in three rows per pass and the middle row was dropping seed but the cultipacker wasn't covering it up because the newly plowed ground was so rough and uneven. I stopped and closed up the seed holes.

I realized I had to get the field smoother and more level. I used the cultipacker and smoothed out the entire 4 acres. This took another 1.5 to 2 hours. In the low part of the field the soil is sandier and I noticed the cultipacker on the back would grab the sandier soil if I had a deeper depth on the discs. I had to raise it some to keep from grabbing the sandier soil. This isn't a large portion of the field but I had to be aware when I hit that sandier soil after it was broken up by the plow. Not sure if I would have had the same issue if I didn't plow first. I don't think I would have.

After smoothing the field the planting was much smoother. Hindsight is 20/20 but maybe I should have just done a single pass with the discs, seed drop, cultipack instead of breaking up the soil before hand. The field was smooth and burned down at the beginning. I decided to grab a bag of ICP for another smaller plot to test a one pass method instead of breaking up the dirt. Of course I need rain for my preemergent in the next week or week and half. Not sure I am going to get it.

Any thoughts. Should I have just planted right through the burn down?

 

[ChattBuck]

the area was flat and had a good burn down so I considered just doing a one pass seed drop. The area is about 4 acres as well. I talked to a few contacts and most suggested tilling the dirt and that created a wrinkle in my plans.

After tilling the dirt with my 6 foot plow I hooked the Kasco up to start dropping and packing. After a few feet I realized the plow made the dirt too rough and uneven...too uneven to get a smooth drop in all three rows. I had my seed spaced about 26 inches in three rows per pass and the middle row was dropping seed but the cultipacker wasn't covering it up because the newly plowed ground was so rough and uneven. I stopped and closed up the seed holes.

I realized I had to get the field smoother and more level. I used the cultipacker and smoothed out the entire 4 acres. This took another 1.5 to 2 hours. In the low part of the field the soil is sandier and I noticed the cultipacker on the back would grab the sandier soil if I had a deeper depth on the discs. I had to raise it some to keep from grabbing the sandier soil. This isn't a large portion of the field but I had to be aware when I hit that sandier soil after it was broken up by the plow. Not sure if I would have had the same issue if I didn't plow first. I don't think I would have.

After smoothing the field the planting was much smoother. Hindsight is 20/20 but maybe I should have just done a single pass with the discs, seed drop, cultipack instead of breaking up the soil before hand. The field was smooth and burned down at the beginning. I decided to grab a bag of ICP for another smaller plot to test a one pass method instead of breaking up the dirt. Of course I need rain for my preemergent in the next week or week and half. Not sure I am going to get it.

Any thoughts. Should I have just planted right through the burn down?

That second pic with the young man in it looks like a perfect seed bed. Is that the "after" pic?

After tilling my field, about 5 acres, I run a drag harrow over the whole thing to level it out better and even things up. Before I got the drag harrow I'd run the tiller over the whole field twice to build a good level seed bed. It's time intensive but well worth it.

In a perfect world I'd have a 6 foot wide cultipacker to run over my field but the drag harrow was MUCH cheaper!

 

[Gadestroyer74]

That second pic with the young man in it looks like a perfect seed bed. Is that the "after" pic?

After tilling my field, about 5 acres, I run a drag harrow over the whole thing to level it out better and even things up. Before I got the drag harrow I'd run the tiller over the whole field twice to build a good level seed bed. It's time intensive but well worth it.

In a perfect world I'd have a 6 foot wide cultipacker to run over my field but the drag harrow was MUCH cheaper!

I add that in a perfect world you would have a big heavy no till drill and plant through whatever is there lol

 

[rstallings1979]

That second pic with the young man in it looks like a perfect seed bed. Is that the "after" pic?

After tilling my field, about 5 acres, I run a drag harrow over the whole thing to level it out better and even things up. Before I got the drag harrow I'd run the tiller over the whole field twice to build a good level seed bed. It's time intensive but well worth it.

In a perfect world I'd have a 6 foot wide cultipacker to run over my field but the drag harrow was MUCH cheaper!

Yep. That is the result.

 

[doomtrpr_z71]

I would have planted right through the burn down with a drill

 

[Canuck5]

If you do choose to disc the burn down, you can always drag something behind the disc. If you don't have much "trash" on the surface, you can use a set of drag harrows behind the discs.

 

[Bucaramus]

So what's the review on the Kasco? What model did you get?

 

[rstallings1979]

So what's the review on the Kasco? What model did you get?

I got an Eco Drill at the end of 2022.... I think if you have a sandier soil on your club or land its probably not ideal. I also do not think it is ideal for planting a mix of different seed sizes without making two passes meaning you will need to make the first pass to plant the smaller seed in the mix and then open up the seed opening and make another pass to plant the larger seed. When it comes to planting clover or something really small you could simply broadcast it beforehand and then plant over it with the Kasco with the other seeds being dropped and covered. The cultipacker will pack the clover or smaller seed without a problem. I will add if you want to plant a summer plot of ICP right through a fall plot you could easily do that in one pass. I did a test run on a plot that I had a 5 way mix in. I didn't even burn it down. I just planted right through it. I added in a couple pounds of sunflower seeds that I had left. I hope the ICP comes up and takes care of the weeds on their own.

 

[rstallings1979]

A few updated pictures of the dove field this week after a nice rain.

 

[Jdlfarms]

Ive had one for 6 years now I just planted a mixture from sorghum seed to sunflowers a week ago Everything is up and growing I always worry about planting the mixtures in fall because of the small clover seeds In 6 years Ive never had the drill let me down Just load it up and trust it It gets the job done.

 

[rstallings1979]

Update….Finally got 3/4 inch of rain. It has been at least 14 days since the last rain. It was much needed.