A potato planter for a walk-behind tractor is a device whose purpose is to quickly plant vegetables. People who grow potatoes themselves know that this is not an easy task. To make the task easier, save energy and save time, use a walk-behind tractor. And a potato planter is already adapted to it.
The device can be purchased at a specialized store or made independently. And this is not difficult to do. The device is completely subordinate to the person when controlling it.
Quick landing
The development of technology makes agricultural work easier for humans. Walk-behind tractors, mini-tractors and other attachments appeared on the market. With its help, a person can improve soil cultivation. The result is a high yield.
Owners of small plots of land and farmers increasingly prefer walk-behind tractors. Their main feature is the ability to install various attachments. The most popular is the potato planter.
Advantages of a potato planter
A homemade potato planter differs from the traditional method of planting a vegetable under a shovel. Its advantages are as follows:
- requires minimal physical effort;
- reduces planting time;
- promotes uniform distribution of tubers in the pits;
- planting depth is the same;
- easy to use;
- has high performance;
- repairable;
- low cost;
- long service life.
Using a potato planter, you can plant a vegetable regardless of its variety. Productivity increases due to the uniform distribution of tubers to the desired depth. Also maintains the distance between holes.
Types of devices
To plant vegetables, you can use a manual potato planter or attachments for a mini-tractor and walk-behind tractor.
Operating principle of manual view
A potato planter is a great helper when planting vegetables in small and medium-sized areas. The operating principle of the equipment is as follows:
- The planting material is poured into a receiving container.
- The planter is placed on the surface of the earth and pressed with your foot on the limiting bar, deepening the blade into the soil as much as possible.
- After this, remove the leg from the limiter bar. Holding the handle of the potato planter with your hands, tilt it away from you.This allows you to create free space for the receiving container. After this, the cutting easily returns to its original position.
- The cutting continues to be in the soil, and at this time the movable handle is activated. She opens the receiving container so that the potatoes can fall into the hole.
- After this, the foot is removed from the thrust bar.
During planting, the receiving container may become clogged with soil. It is very easy to clean. To do this, just use the movable handle to make up and down movements. After this, the potatoes will be able to fall out of the container again without any problems.
To ensure that the vegetable is distributed evenly in the soil, it is recommended to use the planter on pre-treated soil. In this case, a person will spend less physical effort.
Mechanical potato planter: operating principle and advantages
A potato planter for a mini-tractor is usually equipped with a small plow, which is needed to form furrows. The seeder distributes the vegetable tubers evenly, while maintaining the same distance. The hiller loosens and covers the potatoes with soil.
Advantages of the planter
Farmers and amateur gardeners value the device for:
- the time for planting crops is reduced significantly;
- the same distance is maintained between planted tubers;
- automatic formation of furrows and backfilling of potatoes;
- light weight of the device;
- compact dimensions of the device;
- A do-it-yourself planter for a walk-behind tractor has an affordable price.
Despite a lot of advantages, the device also has disadvantages. Operating a homemade potato planter is difficult. This will require two people at once. This approach makes it easier to plant potatoes.
A DIY potato planter for a mini-tractor will only work well on prepared soil. If the soil is too dense, this may cause the potato planter to lie on its side. Due to the fact that the blade will not sink well into the soil, a person will not be able to plant a crop. This will take a lot of time and effort. Before planting, the soil should be prepared by fluffing it up.
Additional accessories
Potato planters for a tractor or walk-behind tractor can be equipped with additional parts. Typically, farmers who have to cultivate large plots of land are interested in such “improvements.” It may also be of interest to amateur gardeners. In any case, additional devices allow you to perform not only planting potatoes and other vegetables, but also engage in various land works.
One of these additional “conveniences” is the height regulator. You can also install it yourself and fix the height of the planter. It is very convenient when the planter is equipped with a special section into which excess vegetables fall. After this, the potatoes are sent back to the planting container. This is a really useful and convenient feature.
The potato planter can also have a hopper that will act as a fertilizer dispenser.
Conclusion
As a rule, a manual potato planter is single-row. It is convenient and few people think about improving it a little. A two-row potato planter is more suitable for a walk-behind tractor or mini-tractor. Its size differs from single-row. Used on large plots of land.
People who keep a small garden prefer single-row potato planters.They are enough to cultivate a plot of land near the house or in the country.
With the help of a potato planter, a person can plant potatoes quickly and without much effort. This device not only saves time, but also energy. This is much better than planting a vegetable under a shovel. The advantage is that a person can make a potato planter himself. You can choose a manual or mounted version for a walk-behind tractor or mini-tractor. Many summer residents have already tried this device at work, and speak only positively about it.
