Choosing A Variable Rate Fertilizer Spreader

The demand and invention of mechanized equipment for use on collective farms initiated the renowned industrial era. Subsistence and manual farming techniques were quickly being replaced by large scale cultivation in a bid to produce enough food to feed the increasing number of people. Among the first products to be patented was the variable rate fertilizer spreader for broadcasting additives on prepared tracts of land.

Initially, broadcasters were purely manual with the operator responsible for dragging them in the fields during planting. In some cases, one worker pulled the implement while another ran the spreader by turning a crank. Within a short period of their existence, innovative developers figured out a means of running the spreading disc using the wheel motion. The transmission system was based on gears or pulleys or a combination of both.

The greatest onus to a proliferation of farm implement developers was the abolition of monopolies with the liberalization of the local economies in industrializing nations. Currently, there is a broad variety of broadcasters that can be dragged by motored machines. Popular movers include all terrain vehicles and tractors through the three point hitching method.

Large farming outfits will usually prefer heavy duty broadcasters to tackle their extensive tracts of land. A propeller with a universal joint is used to couple a disc to the motion on the power take off shaft. To scatter the solids about, centrifugal fins are machined on a rotating disc located in the tubular duct underneath the hopper.

Over the years, centrifugal broadcasting has been criticized because of the uneven spreading that results from its usage. For this reason, some innovators suggested a pendulum spread technique which was adopted on mid sized implements. Hopper material should be chosen upon consideration of chemical properties of materials to be handled. Metals are particularly prone to corrosion by most synthetic fertilizers.

Broadcasters are a must have tool for lawn owners and individuals investing in pasture grass for fodder. One may also come across them in the garages of outfits that offer high end sports such as polo and golf. They present the most effective way of spreading foliage feed, grass seeds and herbicides on a patch of land.

According to recent surveys, broadcasters whose spread rate is alterable are in greater demand. This is founded on the fact that different additives are not infused at the same rate. Ensure the spread pattern is right as it could mean the difference between a good crop and disastrous results. Uneven growth is the first indication of poor methods of input application.

Most farmers make the mistake of misplacing the owner manual supplied by dealers. It is possible that a machine cannot be calibrated unless one follows the step by step procedure recommended by manufacturers. With a variable rate fertilizer spreader, it may be necessary to seek online help to perform some tasks. Also important is the dragging speed thought this will be determined as your experience grows. Pay attention when working rugged terrains as the bumps may compromise on the first calibration.