mid row banders

[shamus]

I recently contracted to have mid row banders installed on my 8800 Bourgault cult.Am also intending on pulling an anhydrous cart to meet my nitrogen needs. I have always had the gang packers on since new. Will these be heavy enough to do the job and also any pros and cons on the banders.

[oakboy]

I don't use the bourgault seeding system myself,but I do direct seed. I believe the machine will do a fine job. My concern would not be with the pressure of the packers but if they will give you on row packing? I don't believe much pressure is needed on the seed but it should be either on or to the side. Opposed to random packing. Will the packers follow the seed bed in a corner or will they be out to lunch? Also will this be a problem if they aren't perfect? I guess if you have wide open fields, no problem, if you do nothing but turn all day ex. sloughs or bluffs. Well then I guess I'd be a bit concerned. My thought on mid row banders would be that their extremely safe. Nitrogen wize especially anhydrous which could be a little tough on the seed.That's the good about mid row banding, the bad if you can call it that would be : I would guess the fertilizer is never exactly where you want it. The weed can be closer to the N than your crop is. While your crop is out looking for the N there is a band of weeds thriving on it. No system is perfect they all seem to grow crop. Maybe we just worry to much about detail? Maybe not?

[highwood]

I have used the mid row banders now for four years. I am quite happy with the job they do placing the fertilizer. We have a 5710 air drill 41ft. and annually crop 3200 acres a year. I guess the only thing I am disappointed with is the wear on the coultersand the sc****rs.. We have to replace both the coulters and the sc****rs every second year, so we are getting approximately 5000 acres to a set of coulters and sc****rs. We lift the coulters when we seed peas cutting back on wear and tear on the banders. overall though I am quite pleased. I use granular fertilizer on my operation and a neighbour of mine uses anhydrous and he is happy with his results.

[kmitch]

I bought a 63' 5710 and used it two years now. My decision to go with midrow banders was decided from examining my neighbours fields using the system. And the ability to use anhydrous ammonia which should save me 5000.00 a year in the long run on the price of my fertilizer. I used 4 different rates last year and my auto rate controller had the fertilizer put on to withing 1/4 pound per acre when all was done. No callibrating needed and the local service was excellent, never had to wait for delivery on the 3000 acres that I farm. My spacing is 12.5 inches and have not seen any problem with my crop not reaching the fertilizer in time. I have been growing , flax , canola, wheat , barley, peas, canary seed. Have not noticed much for weeds growing in the midrow band. Likely cause that area is not packed, actually some weeds do grow there if there is a heavy rain fall. I think my seed bed makes up for the fact that the nitrogen is further away. I find that packing is not so critical as long as there is some packing and over the seed row. I use mid row shanks with carbide tip 3/4 inch nock on knives. Never had a plugged run. Mine are mounted 1 1/4 inch lower than the seeding knives with the spacer between the shank and the trip assembly. The carbide on the knock on knives is lighter than the bolt on knives and on the midrow shanks the tips are near finished as in the last 200 acres I did break some tips. The seed knives are still good for another year. My soil is quite heavy. so this is 6000 acres now. another thing, I have 220 trips on my seed shanks which no one anywhere should go heavier than that. I even think my mid row shanks which are 330 trips should have been 220s. Reasoning is that with a carbid tip knife that is all you need, the only thing you would be doing with heavier trips is digging up more rocks and in the long run causing more damage to your planter etc. There is where coulters may have an advantage.