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  • From: KAKerby AT aol.com
  • To: market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Earthway Push Seeder
  • Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2010 10:17:48 EDT

Not to get totally geeky, but I'd be curious if you happened to know how much weight they applied per unit area.  I have resisted this idea for years, not wanting to squash all that hard-earned airiness out of my soils.  But I've had to resort to tray plantings to get the germination I need and I'm sure that lack of seed-to-soil contact is one big reason.  I'd love to direct seed but I have yet to capture that oh-so-elusive Goldilocks amount of "just right" compression of the soil pre-seeding.  Anyone have any good rules of thumb for how much tamping is "enough"???
Kathryn Kerby
frogchorusfarm.com
Snohomish, WA
 
In a message dated 4/26/2010 5:43:17 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, wshoemak AT illinois.edu writes:
I knew a family who had one of the largest vegetable farms in the country (2000 acres). They raised mostly greens on raised beds. They direct-seeded them but they always used a roller to press down the surface first. This increases the seed-to-soil contact that is important for uniform germination. It can be overdone but it's a good technique when done right.

I'm familiar with the roller jitterbugs because I was a concrete finisher for several years. They might work but I'm a little skeptical that its the best choice for seedbeds, especially for small-seeded crops. The Rousenelos family used solid rollers for their seedbeds. But it might help with the Earthway. Soil prep before rolling is probably just as important.

Bill

---- Original message ----
>Date: Sun, 25 Apr 2010 07:04:23 -0400
>From: "MAsteveINE" <MAsteveINE AT 207me.com> 
>Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Earthway Push Seeder 
>To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
>
>   
>   Okay, all cleaned and lubed, I have added a 30"
>   cross bar to the handle but to me
>   Earthway has always  felt uncomfortable when pushing
>   it in the row; like it is being lifted in the rear,
>   when it should be pushed down. Any ideas? does the
>   handle extension help?
>   
>   Does anyone run a roller ahead of an Earthway in
>   real loose soil, given a choise I would like firmer
>   seed cover and less sinking of the whole machine.
>   
>   It is a great tool for the money spent, way ahead of
>   my hundred year old Ames planter,
>   but still, I think they could do something for user
>   comfort!
>   
>   MAsteveINE
>   
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William H Shoemaker, UI-Crop Sciences
Sr Research Specialist, Food Crops
St Charles Horticulture Research Center
535 Randall Road  St Charles, IL  60174
630-584-7254; FAX-584-4610
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