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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Mechanical transplanters; was onion plants again

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  • From: "frank ventura" <frank.dragonflyfarms AT gmail.com>
  • To: "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Mechanical transplanters; was onion plants again
  • Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:24:23 -0500

I had the same question as we do transplant a lot into bare soil.  What I was told by Market Farms was to try it, you need one anyway for transplanting on plastic, and if it works for you on bare soil it is a bonus.  And the water wheel is a lot cheaper than the alternatives.  One trick I was told to try was to use an old inner tube around the planting wheel to keep bare soil from caking on it.  I have spoken to others who do use one on bare soil and just scrape the wheel off every so often.

 

The price does add up once you start adding spikes and different size wheels for your different plant spacing sizes.  Which is why I had to forgo it for this year.

 

Another alternative supplier is Nolts.  They sell a model that I think they fabricate.  So far the only difference I have found is that the row spacing is not as wide as the Rain-Flo and they use one water tank instead of two.  And you can’t add a third or fourth seat which is pretty critical if you want to plant on 6” spacing and your tractor does not have a creeper gear.  It is a little cheaper though.

 

 

 

From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of david purpura
Sent: Saturday, March 13, 2010 8:03 AM
To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Mechanical transplanters; was onion plants again

 

Thanks Frank, I have the same question.  We do lots of plugs, but some bare root onions and hands and knees planting is getting old.

I'm considering a water wheel type like the one sold at Market Farm.  Any recommendation on that vs a rainflo?  They don't list manufacturer, maybe it is a rainflo.  Any other recommendation on a  distributor (I'm in the NE).

One caveat is that they don't recommend planting on bare ground unless it's sandy.  Our soil is pretty sandy, I suppose if it's plugging and turning into a muddy mess you can just shut the water off?  We don't use any plastic.

thanks,
dave
middleboro, ma

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Carla,


Which mechanical transplanter do you use to plant the onions?  Will you
plant them bare root or as a plug?


Thanks,

Frank Ventura
**********************************************

 




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