One drill, different options

The Claydon drill was designed as a direct strip-till drill nearly two decades ago. The front tine loosens and aerates the soil in the rooting and seeding zone and the following seeding share places the seed in a moist tilth in bands.

Moisture is retained in the banks of undisturbed soil either side of the seeded band whilst draining away from the seed. With optimum tillage, restricted to the growing zone, soil structure remains intact, worm populations thrive and crops flourish, therefore establishments costs are dramatically reduced.

The Claydon Hybrid drill can also be used in min-tilled and ploughed soil, following consolidation with a heavy set of rolls. The Hybrid drill is at the centre of the Claydon Opti-Till crop establishment system of drills and stubble management machinery.

New LD Low Disturbance options

The Claydon front tine / 7 inch A share is standard on the Hybrid drill but now there is a full range of “pick and mix” LD lower disturbance options right through to zero till which can be specified new or ordered as retrofit for the mounted and trailed drill range. The new LD twin tine kit can be used either with the Claydon front tine, to relieve compaction and aerate the soil, or with double cutting discs that minimise soil disturbance and reduce power requirement.

The great benefits of the ‘swap-in, swap-out’ kits is the ease and speed of changing from a standard direct strip till set-up to the LD option. The standard A-Share can be replaced with the twin tine simply by undoing three bolts and changing them over, while the standard leading tine can be replaced with the double disc unit in seconds by removing just one pin.

The LD twin tine kit consists of two 44mm x 12mm hardened steel tines which are fitted with 15mm points and double-leaf helper springs. These make it possible to maintain consistent seeding depth even in very dry, hard, soil conditions, yet permit enough lateral movement to displace surface residues and prevent blockages.

Providing a more traditional finish than band seeding, the seeded rows from the twin tine set-up are spaced 150mm apart but the brackets which hold the tines in place can be moved in by 50mm – this allows the width of the seeded band to be reduced to 100mm.

Where conditions allow ultra-low-disturbance, the Hybrid drill’s standard leading tine can be replaced with twin 330mm-diameter front cutting discs. The plain cutting disc offers minimal soil disturbance whilst the fluted Claydon Spiradisk cuts through trash without ‘hairpinning’ material into the slot. It also creates a slightly wider channel and a small quantity of tilth. Both are equipped with an integral scraper to keep them running cleanly.

Direct into grass

Drilling direct into grass leys is key for mixed and dairy farmers. To refresh a grass ley that is to be used for sileage for another year, stitch in ryegrass using the LD low disturbance kit while leaving the grass sward intact. Set up the twin tine/double Spiradisk combination to drop seed half an inch in the soil, 150mm apart, into a nice tilth and then flat roll to consolidate for fast germination.

Twin tine/double Spiradisk stitching Italian ryegrass into 2-year grass ley.

It’s not only the LD set up which can drill into grass. To establish wheat following grass, the standard set-up of front tine/7 inch A share will drill direct and will also take out the wheelings and compaction from sileage- making traffic – foragers, trailers, bailers, muck spreaders, slurry tankers. The grass ley can be sprayed off and then drilled into when died back, reducing drilling speed so as not to bust out the sward and disturb rooting.

Cotswolds wheat established with the standard Claydon front tine and 7 inch A share.

Direct into maize stubbles

The standard front tine and 7 inch A share will drill wheat into maize stubbles, with the front tine alleviating compaction from the harvesters and cutting though the stalks. Drilling at an angle to the foragers will help level out fields. On trailed drills the cutting discs on the front toolbar will also help cut through surface residues.

Drilling maize into wheat with the standard set-up, with the resultant crop from the same field.

Cover crops? Got it covered

Drilling directly into cover crops, the plain double cutting discs on the LD kit slice through the green material and the twin tine set up keeps soil disturbance to a minimum and helps keep root matter in the soil where it is most beneficial.

Drilling direct into a cover crop with LD plain double disc/twin tine combination.

The standard tine and 7 inch A share also drill direct into cover crop and establish a strong healthy crop with consistent emergence. This combination may be used, for instance, where compaction caused by wheelings needs to be alleviated, soil has slumped or conditions are wetter or drier than ideal for low disturbance drilling.

October drilling with standard front tine with 7” A share and resultant crop in December.

With a few simple, quick modifications Hybrid drills can now be used for conventional sowing, low-disturbance establishment and zero-till seeding.  Fertiliser can be placed between or in the seeded rows. Simply assess the conditions and what you want to achieve, and pick the kit.

The versatile Hybrid drill gives you all the options – all in one drill. To discuss the right set-up for you, call your dealer direct or Claydon on 01440 820327.