Moore 240G, Instructions Manual

Practical recommendations 

33 

DRILLING INTO STRAW INCORPORATED SOIL AND TRASHY

CONDITIONS 

In heavy trash conditions it may be necessary to raise the tip of the seed tube coulter so that the disc will cut 
through the trash before the coulter opens the slit. In heavy maize trash,   especially in the direct drill or no-till 
situation, it may be necessary to raise the tip of the seed tube coulter 30 to 40 mm above the edge of the 
disc. The discs cut through the trash very positively. The weight of the press wheels keep the discs anchored 
and do not allow the discs to ride out of the soil, even when there is a lot of trash present. Bulldozing 
normally occurs when a disc meets trash, tries to ride up over the trash, then pushes it in front of the disc, 
thus causing bulldozing and blockages. If this happens it is usually due to the soil underneath being too 
loose. The drill will cut cleanly through, given that it has something to “bite on”. Consolidating the field with 
either rollers or a land packer, sufficient to allow the drill’s discs to turn, will usually cure the problem. A 
speed of 9  -  11 Km/hr works, 7  -  8 Km/hr doesn’t. 
The trash itself especially chaff, on decaying, produces acids, toxins, etc., which tend to damage or kill the 
germinating seed. If the trash is mixed with the soil and consolidated tightly to give a good straw/soil contact 
then the soil will absorb the toxins as they are formed , before they can harm the germinating seedlings. The 
press wheels on the UNIDRILL consolidated the trash, soil and seed in exactly the right manner to give very 
healthy plant stands even in the heaviest incorporated residues. If straw is incorporated into the soil to leave 
a loose fluffy seedbed then it must be consolidated first using either a roller or land packer, etc, before 
drilling. 
 

MINIMUM TILLAGE AND DIRECT DRILLING 

In certain soils, especially if they contain stone or brash, it is recommended that the top 1” or 2” should be 
cultivated or scratch tilled. This will encourage the germination of volunteer cereals and weed seeds. It will 
also help to level out the tramline and wheeled tracks. Also if stones are left undisturbed in the top layer, they 
become embedded and the disc will ride from stone to stone without getting good penetration. 
In soft field conditions it is essential to set the discs deep enough to cut through all the matt or surface trash. 
Seed will germinate and grow better when in contact with the soil. In wet, soft conditions the disc may be set 
to penetrate deeper than required. As the drill moves forward the seed is trapped by the sides of the slit and 
do not necessarily fall to the bottom of the slit. 

DIRECT DRILLING GRASS PASTURES

Four methods are suggested for direct reseeding grass into grass pastures

. 

A.  

If the pasture has been badly poached or there are bare patches due to frost kill etc., over     

      the winter, about 110 Kg/Hectare of a vigorous growing type of grass (e.g. Italian Rye   
      Grass) should be drilled just before growth starts (March / April). 

 
B.  

Where a first cut or second cut of silage is being taken, cut low to the ground and direct  

      drill the new grass mixture the next day. There should be enough moisture retained in  
      the soil to germinate the seed and get it growing before the cut sward can fully recover. 

 
C

.  Graze the pasture as bare as possible, then spray Gramoxone (1.4 Litres/Hectare) and  

      direct drill the new seed mixture. The Gramoxone used at a low rate will not kill all the    
      old grass sward but should retard its growth sufficiently to get the new seeds established.

Where the old pasture is very weedy and a complete reseed is required, spray with  

      Roundup to get a total kill of vegetation. Leave the field for the recommended period      
      and direct drill with the new seed mixture. To get a better grass cover, cross drilling at    
      an angle (30 - 45 degrees is recommended, especially with the wider row spacing   
      UNIDRILLS. Check the reseeds for Leather Jacket, slug or fruit fly damage and treat     
      accordingly. Grass sown after 1st August should be sprayed with pre-emergence with  
      Dursban or Spannit to protect from fruit fly and leather jackets. Slug pellets should be  
      used as required.