Press Wheel Closers Key To Interseeding Success

Press Wheel Closers Key To Interseeding Success PLANTERS Keith Hartmann is confident the closing wheels on his dual-purpose interseeder make the difference for his cover crops After trying rolling baskets that came with his Yetter Strip Fresheners he came up with his own press wheel design     “I built a 3-row prototype interseeder and used it last summer ” says Hartmann “I found that the Yetter rolling baskets crumbled the soil and the cover crop seed got too deep My press wheels firmed up seed-soil contact ”     Hartmann likes the Yetter units with their sharks-tooth wheels for their ability to do shallow tillage in early spring loosening and drying up the soil surface     This year he went from his 3-row prototype to a 12-row toolbar with a Great Plains NP4000 fertilizer applicator and a Gandy Orbit air seeder He also mounted 12 of the Yetter Strip Fresheners on the Great Plains toolbar     “The Yetter units are longer than anticipated and don’t fit in front of the toolbar’s assist wheels ” notes Hartmann “Next year they may be on their own toolbar ”     What won’t change are the press wheel units that Hartmann designed to replace the rolling baskets Clevis-type brackets pivot vertically from the rear of the strip freshener The Gandy seed delivery tubes are held in place by the brackets Cover crop seed is directed down and forward to land between the sharks-tooth wheels     “The sharks-tooth wheels throw a light layer of soil perhaps a quarter to half an inch over the seed just ahead of the press wheels ” says Hartmann     Hartmann is so enthused about the press wheels that he is now making them to sell He is finalizing pricing on the 3/8-in steel and the 16-in diameter 7 1/2-in wide wheels He expects them to come in between $350 and $375     “People who have the Yetter Strip Fresheners for their strip-till program can use them for cover crops too ” says Hartmann “Where I did interseeding last year the cover crops came through great They held nutrients in place and improved soil texture and health This year I no-till planted soybeans into the strips and they emerged in only 3 days ”     Hartman credits funding for his prototype unit to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s MDA Sustainable Ag Demonstration Grant MDA’s Nutrient Management Initiative MN Corn Growers’ Innovation Grant and the NRCS EQUIP program     “These organizations have been very supportive ” says Hartmann     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Keith Hartmann 34333 641st Ave Gibbon Minn 55335 keith hartmann88@gmail com

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.