ATTRA Question of the Week

J.T.
Washington

Answer: I am pleased to provide you with information on sourcing or building a no-till vegetable transplanter.

The following resources reflect current research and practice with no-till vegetable production. Steve Groff and Dr. Ron Morse, both mentioned on Rodale’s No-till website, have developed no-till translanters. I am sure with a few phone calls you could obtain plans or advice on converting a no-till planter or transplanter to a no-till transplanter.

Steve Groff, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
steve@cedarmeadowfarm.com
717-284-5152
Steve has customized an RJ Equipment carousel transplanter for no-till transplanting of tomatoes into killed cover crops. This transplanter has a spring-loaded 20-inch, turbo coulter, followed by a double disk opener and a short shoe to place the transplant in. Angled press wheels tuck the soil firmly around the plant. The package leaves virtually no soil showing after the crop is planted, giving good full coverage mulch for the whole season. Pictures of the transplanter can be found at the Cedar Meadow Farm website at:
http://www.cedarmeadowfarm.com/OurEquipment/NoTillVegPlanter.html

RJ Equipment
75 Industrial Ave.
PO Box 1180
Blenheim Ont. N0P 10
519-676-4110
According to Steve Groff’s website, RJ Equipment is custom-making no-till transplanters.

Dr. Ron Morse
Professor of Horticulture
Virginia Tech.
Blacksburg, VA 24061
540-231-6724;
morser@vt.edu
Dr. Morse is conducting research on no-till cover crop mulch systems for organic vegetable production. He has modified a Holland transplanter to perform no-till plantings.

Transplanter and Stalk-Chopper Modifications: Customized tools handle heavy cover crop residue. Sustainable Farming Connection.

Darren Shenk
Agricultural Resource Conservationist
Southeastern Pennsylvania Resource Conservation and Development Council (RC&D)
Willowdale Town Center
688 Unionville Road Suite 200
Kennett Square, PA 19348
610-925-4920 x120
dshenk@chesco.org
The RS&D has developed a horse drawn no-till transplanter that will be available for Spring 2008 use at no charge. The funds for it were made available by the Southeastern
Pennsylvania Resource Conservation and Development Council (RC&D). Tobacco, pumpkins, broccoli, and cauliflower have been planted successfully without tilling.