Planet Jr, what size hole to use for planting veggies

[tony d]

the first thing to check is the adjitater, the paddle in the seed box. there 3 available. 10039x for small seeds looks like a little round brush. K817 for medium seeds, has a crinkle edge when looking down on it. K720 looks like a spiral ribbon for large seeds. using the wrong adjitater will break seeds. the K720 will work with everything down to carrot.
the seed plates, if you turn them over you will see that the hole is slightly countersunk which will allow more seeds to flow through than the top side.
with the seed box out the frame choose a hole that the seeds will pass through easily put a few seeds in the box and turn drive shaft a watch to see if any seeds jam or break when they flow through the hole. adjust the seed plate untill they flow through easily. remount the seed box in the frame. remove the opener plow. lay a piece of carpet on the ground. push the seeder along the carpet ( the living room will do as long as the wife is out shopping) put yard stick beside the seeds that have fallen, count the seeds and divide by 3 and then you will have the seed count per foot then adjust the seed plate. larger for more. smaller for less. REMEMBER the countersunk side of the plate drops more seed.
if you need any more help ask roger at helpfull gardener for my email address and I will send you copies of the parts list that I have.
your planet jr was an invesment, mine is over 60 years old seeded 20 acres a year and still works. I hope this helps. all the best tony d

[rootsy]

I have an earthway that I use once in a great while. works well in loose non compacted soil... Rocks are a PITA... The only complaint about the earthway is that it is light, made from aluminum and polymer... I added 15 lbs of lead to mine... With all of the plates they offer you can plant many things... but it still is just a plate planter and multiples are very common unless your seed exactly fits the plate you are using. Also plants pretty heavily so you have to use some modeling clay or tape to block off unwanted holes in the plates...

Doubt I'll even get it out and use it this year... I mostly just use it for small test plots and what not but I am not planting rows of any seed this year...

[Jeff H]

Thanks Tony...I have the wavey disc in the seed hopper. It seems to handle the seed well except corn seed. I poured a few in the hopper to see how well it would work. I have another planter I use for corn so that is not a problem. I appreciate the info on determining which hole to use. I was beginning to wonder if anyone on the fourm was using a planet jr. I plante six double rows of beans yesterday and I still had a fear that I was not familiar enough with the planet jr so I used my corn planter. I have some more okra to plant so I will use your recommendation on choosing the proper hole.

Thanks!!

[cassidja]

I have an old (60+ years) Planet Jr. Model 300 that works great however, it is missing the seed covering arms that push the soil over the planted furrow. Anyone know where I can get parts for an old unit like mine?

Also, looking for alternative seed agitator wheels for it.

Love this thing!

Thanks!

James

[tony d]

in answer to your question regarding the seed coverers, and adjitators. there are 2 coverers available, 8695X used with wide seed opening plows, 8915X used with narrower seed plows.
there are 3 adjitators available, 537A a brush for small seeds, K817 a crinkle shape for medium seeds, K730 a spiral ribbon used for larger seeds, but I have seen these used for carrot seeds.
when I lived in Canada I bought my supplies from John C Graham 905 326 5051 in leamington ontairio.
the main suppliers are cole planter company 229 888 2032.
John C Graham has been in business for more than 60 years and has many parts in stock which are now obsolete so if cole do not have the parts in stock try them. Nancy Graham who runs the company is very knowlegable she has worked with her father and grandfather who started the company in the early 1900's

hope this helps tony d

[cassidja]

That's great info tony d. Thanks!

James

[FarmerJ]

Planet Jr. is the best vegetable planter I have found. Simply find the hole on plates that seed will just fit through with out sticking. Mine is tractor mounted,We pant a variety of vegetables for home use ,corn and greens for cash crops. One planet jr. mounted on the front cultivator frame of a Super AV Farmall plants up to 20 acres of corn or greens, with precision.Earthway can not keep up,when they went from the metal back to the plastic we had static electical problems and seeds stuck to the hopper. We then went from using 3 earthway push planters to one planet jr and just love it