Cultipacker/Food Plots

[Moonshine]

I am putting in my fall food plots this weekend and I was hoping to use a cultipacker this year based on numerous recommendations to do so. I am putting the plots in the Backus, MN area and I cannot find one for rent. The sale price on those things are a little high for what use I would get. I was thinking of using a lawn roller in its place. Anyone have any thoughts or recommendations for getting the soil a little more compacted when seeding?

My thinking in using the lawn roller with water fill would be to use less weight after tilling to just smooth out the seed bed, spread seed and then use a heavier roller to get the soil and seed in good contact. Thoughts???

[fishermatt]

A lawn roller works great to pack the soil after you have planted and covered the seed. After you do your tillage, do your seeding in whatever manner you choose, then pull a drag section or old bed spring over the area to cover the seed. Final step is to go over it with the lawn roller to pack it down and smooth it out.

I have even just used my 4 wheeler to drive back and forth to pack the seed and soil, but that takes a long time. Lawn roller works great for that step!

[Boosey]

I second the lawn roller. That is what I use. Much more economical. I'll be using mine this weekend.

[PerchJerker]

I just use my drag.

I have really nice soil, fairly heavy loam with a lot of clay in it so it packs together well. After I do my tilling I spread my fertilizer and lime, then pull my drag over it with the teeth down, to break up the clumps and smooth it down.

After that I turn the drag over so the teeth are up. This does a nice job of smoothing, leveling, and compacting my seed bed.

Then I do my seeding, then whip over it again with the drag, with the teeth up. Between the tires on my atv and the weight of my drag, it works great for seeding / cultipacking.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

[ScottsShopInHawl]

I made my first packer from an old, home, water heater tank. Drilled 3/4" holes in the center of the top and bottom then welded in a piece of pipe leaving 3" sticking out of each end. Then used 1" strap iron, drilled it to fit over the holes, added washers on both sides to make it beefier, then made it in to a hitch to be pulled with my 4 wheeler. Cost about $20 total including the welding rods. After welding the holes, etc. to seal all but one hole I filled it with water and put in a pipe plug. Been using it for years and it's pretty dented up from debris, stumps, etc.

Now I'm building a new one from corrugated black plastic culvert pipe to work on my tractor 3 point. I will also later put a piece over the top of my old water heater packer which is what I should have done the first time I built it.

[ScottsShopInHawl]

Normally I would edit my previous post but don't see how it's done. Anyone know?

Anyway here's a pic of the project I threw together this afternoon. I made the arms stick out the back to add weights if needed. The plan is to fill it with sand and go packin tomorrow.

[treefarmer]

Scott,

Great job! What did you use for the end plates and does your axle go all the way through? Is there a zirc on the bearings and where did you get them?

How are you going to put the sand in the middle?

I have been looking for a cultipacker, but they are too expensive for a small food plot. Yours looks like something even I could make.

Thanks for any help.

[BLACKJACK]

Normally I would edit my previous post but don't see how it's done. Anyone know?

Anyway here's a pic of the project I threw together this afternoon. I made the arms stick out the back to add weights if needed. The plan is to fill it with sand and go packin tomorrow.

The only problem I see is that its going to be a three point instead of pull behind. With any three point equipment, when the front end of the tractor goes down (into a rut or hole), the three point implement goes up - you'll lose ground contact. Unless the three point on the tractor has a 'float' setting you'll occasionally lose ground contact.

Looking at your picture, I have a roller/packer made out of truck tires, my roller has the same type of bearing that you used.