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No till drill

I am considering purchasing a no-till drill. Don't know much about them other than what I have watched on YouTube and read. Would like to hear thoughts from those who have experience with them. Are they worth the investment? I have a 32 hp kubota so it would need to be something that would be compatible.

Thanks Mike - TN

Not many ag type no till drills for a 32hp tractor. For that size the genisis 5 should work. Not as heavy duty as an ag built drill, but more than good enough for most food plotters. As a side note, I had a kubota L3130 and sold it because the local coop would not rent me their 10' sodbuster no-till drill if I did not have at least 60 hp. I traded for an M6040 and rented the drill. I will tell you that the L3130DT (gear, not hydro) with the R1 ag tires and fluid plus heavier loader would have most certainly pulled that drill, even in my rough terrain. Now I chisel plow, disk, and use an old 8' conventional drill pulling a 8' double cultipacker, as my clay/shale soil would just not mellow out and success was hit and miss. I have had great stands every year since.

To your original post. No-till can be challenging in clay soils, make sure the soil is plenty warm and not wet. Drilling into wet soil may cause the seed trench walls to turn hard and make germination spotty. In sandy soils No-till is far superior as it keeps moisture in the soil instead of drying it out. Also, weed control is more challenging in no-till. Winter annuals can give folks fits and many of these are now round up resistant. This can be overcome by using the three mode of action herbicides in a pre-emerge application.

Another option if you are just thinking about corn/beans/sunflowers. For around $ 3000 you can get a 2 row John deere 7000/7100 planter with no-till coulters and even the big (front) fertilizer boxes, and your 32hp is perfect. Also these planters use less seed and much higher germination rate for soybeans than drills. I am aware of 3 different places that make and sell them, PM me if you need more on this. This is the direction I am looking to go, that JD 7000 series will give a great stand in pavement.....they named it "max emerge" for a reason.

I bought a used Kasco versa drillfrom kasco it would be considered a minimum till drill

With that small of a tractor, you will only be able to use a Genesis 3 or get something that can only be pulled rather than 3 pt. I have a 50 hp Kubota and it really isn't quite big enough for my Genesis 5.

I just bought property in north central Idaho. About 25 acres of tillable prairie grass. Not farmed in many years. Some flat and some sloped and along a river. Erosion a big issue and we have wet springs. I was told not to plow because of that. I could do some disking with my 2 row 6footer but not sure how well it would penetrate the thatch layer. I have a 42 hp Kubota. I’d like to plant alfalfa, clover + chicory, and winter wheat. Maybe some brassicas too. I will have some irrigation. What would be the best no till option equipment? Thx

I would lightly disc the ground. Then sow the clover-alfalfa-chicory mix and run a cultipack across the sowed seed to press in. Then after a good crop is up go back and spray a grass killer. That way the erosion will be very limited in my mind. Sure you may have some grass left over but you should have a decent crop of clover-alfalfa-chicory.

Thanks MK. I'll probably end up that way. Can't find any used equipment around here and nothing to rent or hire. I'll spray with gly first. Hopefully not too much grass.

Anybody here use a Dew Drop Drill? $7500 new. Pretty cool but quite pricey.

I am probably going to sell this JD drill that was modified to make it down the small paths and plots. Works great behind my ATV and price is right for 2K. I had a bunch of dozer work done and I can get bigger equipment in now. Very rare to find one like this, I have only seen one like it.

Is that a mini till drill or does it need to have a completely prepped seedbed?

Seed bed needs to get prepped, We have sprayed then burned off fields and used it but soil can’t be hard compact stuff.

For that small of a tractor, look into a overseeder, more expensive than a no till drill but much more versatile, basically a straight toned tiller on front of a seeder

Does it have double disc openings, XMan?

2 seed compartments as well, correct?

Yes on double discs openings and yes definitely two seed compartments, but it might have three compartments, I can’t remember if it’s two or three, it’s at my farm.

I appreciate the comments . I ended up purchasing a 5ft Woods planter/seeder which I think will meet my objectives.

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