Seed n Fertilizer spreaders

[Peanut]

My old spreader (3-point hitch) is trashed. That boy ran fertilizer through it several times and didn't wash it out afterwards. Also, I rarely used it the last few years I had cattle. Fertilizer comes on big spreader trucks these days. I can't remember the last time I spread fertilizer over 20 or 30 acres.

Today I was looking at some of the small tow behind spreaders. They make them to pulled by large garden/lawn mowers and ATV's. At the big box store I found one that holds about 120lbs, spread width of 12ft. They had ones with John Deere on them for about $260. Without the name brand and without a plastic housing around the gearing they were $199.

Has anyone one used these small pull behind spreaders? Or know of them? I've never used one or know anyone with one. Any info or practical experience would be appreciated

 

[Mountain trapper]

My old spreader (3-point hitch) is trashed. That boy ran fertilizer through it several times and didn't wash it out afterwards. Also, I rarely used it the last few years I had cattle. Fertilizer comes on big spreader trucks these days. I can't remember the last time I spread fertilizer over 20 or 30 acres.

Today I was looking at some of the small tow behind spreaders. They make them to pulled by large garden/lawn mowers and ATV's. At the big box store I found one that holds about 120lbs, spread width of 12ft. They had ones with John Deere on them for about $260. Without the name brand and without a plastic housing around the gearing they were $199.

Has anyone one used these small pull behind spreaders? Or know of them? I've never used one or know anyone with one. Any info or practical experience would be appreciated

Yep. I use one. I think it holds about 200 pounds of fertilizer or seed and spreads about 60' wide. It's kind of small but much of my property is too steep for my tractor, so it has its place. If I can get on the "list" I'm going to hire a guy to spray herbicide on a hundred acres or so this spring.

 

[backlash]

I have one of the smaller pull behind types. It works well for my yard. I'm not sure I would want to do 20 or 30 acres with it. If I remember correctly it's almost all plastic with the exception of the axle so corrosion isn't an issue.
I put mine in the barn and forgot to go back and dump out the leftover fertilizer. Six months later and it was a big hard clump but I was able to get it all out and cleaned up no damage done.
They're pretty cheap so it's probably worth trying one.

 

[zoomzoom]

I have a tow-behind spreader. Works decent.
A couple thoughts about it/them.
If you're in hilly terrain, get one with a wide wheel base. When you put 100# of fertilizer in one with a narrow wheel base, they can get tippy. It would suck to dump 100# in one spot.

As backlash mentioned, I'd go with a plastic hopper. What does suck is what parts are steel (bolts, axle, tongue...) don't like fertilizer left on them and in general corrode quicker than they should. I always wash the unit when done then hit the steel parts with Fluid Film.

 

[Peanut]

I might have found the best option... My old pto spreader was made by Cosmo. The metal spreader plate is about toast. Today I took a good look at it, even hooked it up to the old ford tractor. I believe it'll handle the 70lbs of Fescue seed & 5lbs of crimson clover I need to sow. Dad couldn't see it very well when he checked it.

Anyway, tonight I was running searches on seed spreaders and found this for about $100. The metal spreader plate with vanes already on it, made for cosmo spreaders. It fact they had about every part for Cosmo spreaders, even the big hopper.

 

[joel]

I used the the shoulder seed spreader & the walk behind fertilizer.
When I was doing yard maintenance, I used a Scotts fertilizer spreader.