Used too much grass seed...

Buncha Fives

Reseeded a few acres over the last couple of days, worked out well enough in general but long story short I ended up using almost twice the required amount of grass seed.

Got the barrow off the seed company who set it...they left the holes 7mm wide for the grass seed to come out. It was wrote on the top to the barrow that the holes should be 6mm wide to spread 1 bag to the acre, despite this I had a feeling just by looking at it that the holes were a bit wide.

Then after a couple of rounds I thought I had used too much seed but I left the settings the way they were assuming that it had been set by someone who would have far better knowledge of the machine than me.

Anyway it ended costing me a lot more on seed than I had anticipated:(, just wondering has anyone had a similar problem to this before? Have to say I found putting in the grass seeds a slow job, especially for a part-time farmer like myself...think I will get a contractor to put in the seeds the next time.

Sami23

I shake the grass seed with the ordinary Vicon spreader.
Never liked those seed barrows :mad: always ended up with a load of seed left in the bottom of them which is impossible to empty and too expensive to be leaving in it when leaving back to merchant.

grumpyfarmer

Sami23 wrote: »

I shake the grass seed with the ordinary Vicon spreader.
Never liked those seed barrows :mad: always ended up with a load of seed left in the bottom of them which is impossible to empty and too expensive to be leaving in it when leaving back to merchant.

Always empty it with the Hoover just put in a new bag to it and away you go... easy to pour the seed out of the bag too so it can be reused...

Buncha Fives

Sami23 wrote: »

I shake the grass seed with the ordinary Vicon spreader.
Never liked those seed barrows :mad: always ended up with a load of seed left in the bottom of them which is impossible to empty and too expensive to be leaving in it when leaving back to merchant.

I have an Amazone manure spreader, throws manure out 5m each side...how far would it throw the grass seed out and how would you know the correct setting for the spreader?

munkus

Buncha Fives wrote: »

I have an Amazone manure spreader, throws manure out 5m each side...how far would it throw the grass seed out and how would you know the correct setting for the spreader?

With a Vicon you need to drive side-by-side as it only throws the seed out the width of the tractor. I'm imagine neadly all wagtails would be the same.

Cran

munkus wrote: »

With a Vicon you need to drive side-by-side as it only throws the seed out the width of the tractor. I'm imagine neadly all wagtails would be the same.

How much do you close up the spreader for grass seed?

Figerty

About 1/2in opening on the three spaces.
Do a test run on an acre.

Cran

Figerty wrote: »

About 1/2in opening on the three spaces.
Do a test run on an acre.

Cheers, sorry for another question but do you mix the grass with Fertilser or just spread grass seed on its own?

just do it

Cran
You're asking the questions I was going to ask!

I think from reading older threads and posts the seed doesn't go as far as the fertiliser so my preference is to spread the seed seperately first. Then you can see exactly how you're getting on. Also if you put in a good bit the seed mightn't be mixed evenly through the fertiliser and may settle towards the bottom after a bit of driving around, all leading to an uneven spread.

Having said all that, using relligs techique of two passes across each other is a good safeguard.

49801

grumpyfarmer wrote: »

Always empty it with the Hoover just put in a new bag to it and away you go... easy to pour the seed out of the bag too so it can be reused...

+1

munkus

Cran wrote: »

How much do you close up the spreader for grass seed?

on our ould yoke (holds about 7 bags of fert) setting 9 I think.

Have to spread seed and fertilizer seperately.

nashmach

munkus wrote: »

on our ould yoke (holds about 7 bags of fert) setting 9 I think.

Have to spread seed and fertilizer seperately.

Setting 9 here too for a 3cyl Ford in H2 and that is leaving the width of the tractor between the runs and crossing them. Spreader is a Vicon 402.

Sam Kade

just do it wrote: »

Cran
You're asking the questions I was going to ask!

I think from reading older threads and posts the seed doesn't go as far as the fertiliser so my preference is to spread the seed seperately first. Then you can see exactly how you're getting on. Also if you put in a good bit the seed mightn't be mixed evenly through the fertiliser and may settle towards the bottom after a bit of driving around, all leading to an uneven spread.

Having said all that, using relligs techique of two passes across each other is a good safeguard.

I always spread fertilizer first then harrow it in then spread grass seed.

munkus

Sam Kade wrote: »

I always spread fertilizer first then harrow it in then spread grass seed.

Interesting, I'd always spread both then chain harrow, then roll.

yellow50HX

we use the wagtail to spread teh seed, grand job once it is not too windy.

we spread the fertilzer first then harrow it then spread the seed, cover with a run of the harrow to cover then roll.

has said before the runs with the wag tail need to be a lot closer then with fertilzer, teh seed is lighter so only gets thrown about 5-6 feet either side of the tractor.

we would usually throw in enough for 1 acre and adjust accordingly. seed barrow is a fine job when its windy

Sami23

Sam Kade wrote: »

I always spread fertilizer first then harrow it in then spread grass seed.

+1
as by harrowing after spreading the fertiliser you get a clean slate for spreading the seed. (ie - no wheel lines to confuse you ) then roll......

9935452

Buncha Fives wrote: »

Reseeded a few acres over the last couple of days, worked out well enough in general but long story short I ended up using almost twice the required amount of grass seed.

Got the barrow off the seed company who set it...they left the holes 7mm wide for the grass seed to come out. It was wrote on the top to the barrow that the holes should be 6mm wide to spread 1 bag to the acre, despite this I had a feeling just by looking at it that the holes were a bit wide.

Then after a couple of rounds I thought I had used too much seed but I left the settings the way they were assuming that it had been set by someone who would have far better knowledge of the machine than me.

Anyway it ended costing me a lot more on seed than I had anticipated:(, just wondering has anyone had a similar problem to this before? Have to say I found putting in the grass seeds a slow job, especially for a part-time farmer like myself...think I will get a contractor to put in the seeds the next time.

The setting was always two matchsticks wide. A few years back we found we were putting out less than a bag to the acre. We reckon the matches are being manufactured smaller than they used so now run it at 2.5 to 3
Always set it yourself but. It is better to put out too heavy than not enough.
People are only conscious of this as the price of grass seed has nearly doubled in the last ten years