A sectional control apparatus and method prompts the operator of an implement when the implement, or portion thereof, is traversing over land that has already been seeded and/or disturbed. The apparatus includes a GPS or GNSS receiver that communicates with a GPS or GNSS system and a controller that maps movement of the implement so that real-time positional data for the implement can be compared to the movement map. When the position of the implement, or portion thereof, is detected as moving over previously seeded and/or disturbed land, the controller activates an alert mechanism in the operator cab of the implement to notify the operator that sectional control, i.e., shutting down metering of product or raising the tool bar, needs to be implemented.

A small hand-guided self-propelled garlic planter includes a rack, a driving mechanism connected to an upright planting mechanism and a material taking mechanism in a stock bin by using a clutch mechanism. The stock bin is fixedly connected to the rack. The planting mechanism includes a material receiving mechanism fixed to the rack and an insertion type planting mechanism disposed below the material receiving mechanism. The insertion type planting mechanism is connected to a turnable mechanism mounted to the rack, which is connected to the driving mechanism. A plurality of first feed bowls are disposed on the material receiving mechanism. The first feed bowls are connected to a first opening mechanism. A first acting member is disposed on the insertion type planting mechanism. A plurality of duckbills connected to a second opening are disposed on the insertion type planting mechanism. A second acting member is disposed on the rack.

A pneumatic on-demand seed delivery system wherein seed from the auxiliary hopper enters the seed meter through an opening beginning rearward of the vertical axis of the seed meter. And a retrofit kit for existing on-demand seed delivery systems, and method of retrofitting such existing pneumatic on-demand seed delivery systems, so as to provide an auxiliary hopper that communicates seed to the seed meter through an opening beginning rearward of the vertical axis of the seed meter.

Disclosed herein is a planter for planting seedlings, such as potatoes or other tuberous or bulbous plants, and related methods for controlling and converting such a planter. The planter can include: a bunker for keeping seedlings to be planted; a planting element for planting these seedlings; a feed device for feeding the seedlings from the bunker to the planting element; a feed opening allowing a quantity of seedlings to pass from the bunker towards the planting element; a feed sensor for recording a feed parameter of the feed of seedlings; and an evaluation device, adjusted for generating a feed opening adjusting signal based on a data set of the feed parameter, for adjusting the feed opening.

Disclosed herein is a planter for planting seedlings, such as potatoes or other tuberous or bulbous plants, and related methods for controlling and converting such a planter. The planter can include: a bunker for keeping seedlings to be planted; a planting element for planting these seedlings; a feed device for feeding the seedlings from the bunker to the planting element; a feed opening allowing a quantity of seedlings to pass from the bunker towards the planting element; a feed sensor for recording a feed parameter of the feed of seedlings; and an evaluation device, adjusted for generating a feed opening adjusting signal based on a data set of the feed parameter, for adjusting the feed opening.

A seed singulator for use with a vacuum disk having a seed face and a shoulder. The seed singulator has a first member and a second member supported by biasing members. The first member has upper lobes disposed at a radius of curvature slightly less than the outside radius of a row of apertures on a seed plane of the vacuum disk. The seed member has lower lobes disposed at a radius of curvature slightly greater than the inside radius than the row of apradius. The biasing members permit the lobes to move with the seed plane and the shoulder as the vacuum disk rotates thereby maintaining their position with respect to the apertures.

A pneumatic on-demand seed delivery system wherein seed from the auxiliary hopper enters the seed meter through an opening beginning rearward of the vertical axis of the seed meter. And a retrofit kit for existing on-demand seed delivery systems, and method of retrofitting such existing pneumatic on-demand seed delivery systems, so as to provide an auxiliary hopper that communicates seed to the seed meter through an opening beginning rearward of the vertical axis of the seed meter.

The method for planting potatoes at high speed includes the steps of providing a press wheel behind the seed release mechanism; opening a furrow in a soil; dropping potato seed pieces at spaced intervals in the furrow such that each seed piece or a portion thereof intersects a forward shadow of the press wheel, and catching and decelerating each seed piece against the soil in the furrow thereby reducing set roll in each seed piece. In an alternate embodiment a pair of spaced-apart press wheels are used. These alternate press wheels are mounted astride the furrow in a positive-camber alignment for moving the soil of the furrow against the seed piece.

The method for planting potatoes at high speed includes the steps of providing a press wheel behind the seed release mechanism; opening a furrow in a soil; dropping potato seed pieces at spaced intervals in the furrow such that each seed piece or a portion thereof intersects a forward shadow of the press wheel, and catching and decelerating each seed piece against the soil in the furrow thereby reducing set roll in each seed piece. In an alternate embodiment a pair of spaced-apart press wheels are used. These alternate press wheels are mounted astride the furrow in a positive-camber alignment for moving the soil of the furrow against the seed piece.

The method for planting potatoes at high speed includes the steps of providing a press wheel behind the seed release mechanism; opening a furrow in a soil; dropping potato seed pieces at spaced intervals in the furrow such that each seed piece or a portion thereof intersects a forward shadow of the press wheel, and catching and decelerating each seed piece against the soil in the furrow thereby reducing set roll in each seed piece. In an alternate embodiment a pair of spaced-apart press wheels are used. These alternate press wheels are mounted astride the furrow in a positive-camber alignment for moving the soil of the furrow against the seed piece.