DRIVING IMPRESSION: Bütje has returned to the grass seeding market with a revised version of its Slot Master, a machine that uses a knife to cut through the sward and open the soil ready for the new seed. We take a closer look.
This is not Bütje’s first toe dip into the grass seed drill waters: the German engineering company manufactured such a machine back in the 1980s, but production ceased in 2001 due to the increased popularity of wider working grass harrows. While harrows can cover a lot of ground quickly, their seed burying ability is somewhat limited, which can have a knock-on effect with germination. This is why Bütje is witnessing considerable renewed interest in its slot seeding drill, which it has redesigned and updated. The modern version now sports pneumatic seeding and a rear roller.
Rejuvenation without turning the soil
At the heart of the Slot Master is the coulter system, with 24 leaf springs (providing a 12.5cm row spacing) that act as skis/shoes. You use the top link to regulate the pressure on the skis. When lifted on the tractor’s linkage, steel cables on each coulter hold the springs up, so they don’t flop down. Without these, the required lift height would need to increase to clear the ground.
Each leaf spring shoe has a thin, hardened steel blade underneath to cut a 24cm deep slot in the soil. The philosophy here is that the slit is not used for seed placement, but is an undercut. This should enable young grass roots to get off to a quick and easy start without having to wriggle their way through any compacted layers. The blade, and therefore the depth of the cut, can be adjusted with a screw.
Behind the knife, at the end of the leaf spring, is the cast iron opener, which forms the groove for subsequent seed placement at a depth of around 1cm. Behind the opener is the seed delivery tube. This sits slightly higher so there is less risk of it clogging with soil in wet conditions.
