Can I really plant beans with a drill? | Edible Bean School

"While the short answer is "yes," you can use a disc drill to put edible beans in the ground, Funk notes it comes with a significant list of caveats. The primary concern is seed integrity. Not all bean types handle the rough ride through an air seeder equally, notes Funk. Black beans are the hardiest and most likely to survive an air handling system."

"Cart type and design are also a critical factors. Certain meters are better for beans than others, and the wider the drill, the more air pressure is required to push seed through manifolds. All of those factors-the cart, the metering system, the manifolds, and the fan speed-can damage the seed before it even hits the soil, explains Funk."

"In addition to breakage, inconsistent depth and seed spacing is a major disadvantage with drills, especially with hoe drills. "I would add anywhere from 10 to 30 percent to your seeding rate," he says, depending on seed damage. "You'll be able to see that pretty quickly. Black beans are easy to see because they split, and you see that in the furrow.""

Edible beans can be planted using existing drill or air seeder equipment, offering flexibility during busy spring logistics when planters are occupied with other crops. However, this approach involves significant trade-offs. Seed integrity is the primary concern, as beans experience damage traveling through air handling systems. Black beans are the hardiest variety for drill planting, with pintos as the only other acceptable option. Cart design, metering systems, manifolds, and fan speed all contribute to seed damage before soil contact. Drills also produce inconsistent depth and spacing, particularly hoe drills. Farmers must increase seeding rates by 10-30% to compensate for damage and poor precision, which increases input costs.

Read at Realagriculture