One of the items that we get asked about quite often is the Johnnys Seeds 6-Row Seeder from the USA. It seems excellent but it is expensive, especially to import to the UK. This one is pushed forwards.
A few years ago, one of our customers seemed confident that he was going to be able to get something very similar produced for the UK market, but unfortunately that came to nothing.
More recently, I have become aware of the Sembdner 4-Row Seeder from Germany and have enquired about importing to the UK. Cost about £150, plus any Customs charges and/or import VAT. Seems to be the same as Johnnys Seeds sell as a 4-Row Pinpoint Seeder. Some slightly negative reviews on YouTube, mainly related to the axle being a little stiff. This one is pulled backwards.
Both the 6-Row and 4-Row Seeders above have a selection of dimples in their axles, and the correct size of dimple for the seed you are sowing is selected by sliding the axles from side to side.
Another one of interest is the Varomorus (also under different names) which is sold through eBay and seems to get some positive reviews on YouTube. The 5-Row version is shown, but the same chassis is also available in 2-, 3- or 4-Row versions. The hopper/seeder units are removable and movable. This one has its dimples on removable sleeves, so more work needed to change over seed sizes. Also pulled backwards. Cost around £110 delivered, plus any Customs and/or import VAT.
I have not yet used any of these, but you may have done! If so, it seems that there is a demand for multi-row seeders and there may be many other growers who would value your feedback.
PLEASE submit your comments and I will very quickly OK them for publication on this blog.
I've been looking into these alternatives to the Johnny's seeder and none of them compare unfortunately. The ones off eBay are absolutely terrible. This German one is entirely new to me tho. However, Johnny's 6-row also has some flaws, namely that you have to have an absolutely perfect bed in order for it to work effectively. I have heard that some people have given up using the 6-row and just stick to their Jang JP1 instead.
ReplyDeleteYou raise the most important point, in that it is so hard to get hold of these and other tools in the UK. I have *just* managed to find a UK based second hand earthway, after not being able to find one either new or used for the longest time. Next job is to find a suitably wide bed roller, although this is also proving problematic and I'm probably going to have to use an excessivley wide lawn roller instead
Thanks, Maeve. I am also trialling the Varomorus from Ukraine and so far, so good! You might find a bed roller from Terrateck in France. They have a UK agent, I can pass on his details if you would like to email me. GOOD NEWS is that there will very soon be a better and less expensive alternative to the EarthWay available in the UK, and we shall be selling it! Watch this space!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks already to Val and Dave for their advice. There is the FEFT grant for £670 and it is stipulates the following: "Manual push seeder which can sow a minimum of 5 rows. It must have soil openers at the front and roller(s) at the rear, and changeable seed wheels/rollers for different crops and spacing." I am getting a quote for the shipping at the moment from Johnny's but slightly think the only way to avoid the huge cost of the Jang Series JP5 types is to retrofit a mower roller onto one of the Varomorous. Has anyone daisychained the Earthway multiseeders and have a view on doing 5! Really needs to be a roller not a chain too I guess.
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