Help! Broadcasting Soybeans ?'s

[Swens]

Have any of you guys broadcast Round Up Ready soybeans and had good or bad luck?

Here's my scenario. 3/4 acre of a pasture that hasn't been turned over in 20+ years. Wasn't able to plow it over, just went through with disc a few times. There is a lot of grass (mostly dead grass) mixed in with the dirt. Probably got about 6-8 inches deep digging it up.

1) Would you rake as much of the dead grass off or just leave it? It would take a few hours to do this.

2) When broadcasting the seeds, would you drag them in or try to find a roller to pack them in?

3) Would you mix in any fertilizer or a cover crop?

I have never planted soybeans without a planter and need some suggestions. Thanks.

[pbrown5205]

check with your local co-op or seed provider, they will tell you if you need to spray preplant to kill grass roots. I definitely wouldnt roll soybean seeds, they need less compacted soil to establish a root base. In your case it may be better to run over several times more with a disc to pulverise the soil as much as possible, broadcast then drag. Go with the experts advice on herbicide use. As far as fertilizer goes, most virgin ground doesnt need fertilizing and a cover crop may choke out the beans.

[hawkeye]

Here are some helpful answers from the QDMA website on broadcasting soybeans.

1. I have planted soybeans by broadcasting the last 2 years with great results. After broadcasting either disc them in or drag to cover the seed and then cultipack.

2. I broadcast soybeans all the time and a cultipacker works great to cover them if you lack a drag or a disc.
Beans can be planted 1 to 2" deep so a light discing or dragging and then cultipacking would really be best.
If your talking about just broadcasting on bare ground and not covering at all then you would lose a lot although with enough rain they will germinate eventually.

3. That is the only way we plant beans. We just broadcast and drag a few times with the wheeler and they have come up great every year.

4. You will have better luck if you can disc first, at least 3-4 inches deep though. Been doing this for years and it works great. I hardly ever plant anything in rows anymore except for corn. I like to mix soybeans, sunflowers, milo and some type of millet together for most of my plots and broadcast pretty heavy. Then fertilize the snot out of it. The deer will absolutely love you for it.

5. same here, that's how I have planted them for years. Dics, broadcast, drag and hit them with fert 3 times during the summer and I get a great crop. Now keep the deer out of them long enough to get them to produce beans is something I haven't got a clue on This year I will be using my new to me JD290 to plant them between my corn rows though

6. I prepare a good seedbed and broadcast at the rate of 80 to 100lbs/acre. I like a very thick stand that will help shade out the grass and weeds. I planted at the rate of 100 lbs./acre last year and had a good thick stand.

[Swens]

Here's my brother (Peewee) dragging the beans in Friday night. Hopefully we have a good "after" photo later on this summer to show a good stand of beans.

We didn't use any fertilizer. Do any of you guys think it would be a good idea to throw a little on? If so, which fertilizer and how much?

[Grasshopper]

Looks like a great spot, Swens

I have had great luck broadcasting beans. Since they are RR, I'd let them go for awhile, then hit them with RU if the weeds start to poke their ugly heads up. I never had to fertilize mine, but they were growing in some pretty good soil...Man, did the deer like those things

[ale89]

The best way to get healthier and higher soybean yield is to use a good fertilizer. try read more about it here:http://www.haifa-group.com/knowledge...ean_yield.aspx