Review of potato planter KSM 4: characteristics, instructions for use and reviews

Potato planter KSM-4 is a modern semi-mounted unit designed for planting sprouted and unsprouted potatoes weighing 30–110 g each. Works together with tractors of traction class 1.4. Allows you to plant 4 rows of vegetables at once, while simultaneously applying granulated mineral fertilizers.

What kind of unit is this

KSM-4 is used for planting potatoes over large areas. Productivity - from 1.2 to 3.2 hectares per hour.

The planter is used together with a tractor of the following type:

• LTZ-60;
• YuMZ-6;
• Belarus-921;
• MTZ-80;
• MTZ-82;

A dump truck or tractor trolley is also suitable. The planter is serviced by 1 tractor driver and 1 agricultural worker. The device is connected to the power take-off shaft and hydraulic system of the leading tractor.

What does it look like

The basis of the planter is a rigid frame welded from a metal profile on which all mechanisms are mounted.

In the front part there are:

• trailer beam;
• hydraulic system high pressure hose;
• electrical equipment plug connected to the tractor socket.

Next in order are:

• front metal wheels;
• 2 bunkers for fertilizer spreading devices with platforms in front of them;
• discs covering the tubers and forming the ridge;
• rear pneumatic wheels;
• main and loading bunkers.

The loading hopper in the photo above is raised to its highest position. The unit is in transport position, prepared for going to the field.

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Principle of operation

After the dump truck loads the potatoes into the loading hopper, they are lifted by hydraulic cylinders. Fertilizers are loaded into the box of fertilizer sowing machines.

When the planter moves, the tubers from the main hopper, with the help of shakers and turners, flow through the valve into the nutrient bucket. The auger sowing mechanism picks up one tuber at a time with spoons and feeds it to the reflector shield. He sends the vegetables further into the furrow from the opener. Next, depending on the type of landing - ridge or smooth - when setting up, either discs (to create a ridge) or harrows (for a smooth landing) are installed.

Important! Fertilizer is applied into the gap behind the coulter. There are slits in its cheeks through which the earth covers the granules.

The soil layer, compacted by the tractor wheels, is loosened by a spring-loaded ripper installed in the front of the potato planter.

Specifications

KSM-4 is intended for planting potatoes on all types of soils, in all crop cultivation zones.

Equipment characteristics:

• four-row planter, semi-mounted;
• works together with tractors of class 1.4;
• loaded into the field from a dump truck or dump tractor trolley;
• operating speed - 4–10 km/h;
• transport speed - 20 km/h;
• dimensions in working condition - 4200 x 4500 x 2650 mm;
• dimensions in transport position - 4750 x 4500 x 3000 mm;
• main bunker capacity - 1500 kg;
• row spacing - 70, 75, 90 cm;
• planting depth - 5–15 cm;
• productivity: with a row spacing of 70, 75 cm - 1.2–2.4 ha/hour (main time), at 90 cm - 1.8–3.2 ha/hour (main time);
• the dose of mineral fertilizers is 50–400 kg/ha.

Description

The potato planter includes the following components and mechanisms:

• metal frame with trailer;
• 2 front metal and 2 rear pneumatic hydraulically controlled running wheels;
• interconnected main and loading bins;
• 2 landing sections;
• 2 disc sowing units with a common capacity for granular fertilizer;
• motion stabilizer;
• rippers;
• drive via PTO (power take-off shaft);
• 2 hydraulically controlled markers with locking and switching mechanism.

Operating rules

Preparing for work:

1. Attach the potato planter trailer beam to the tractor hitch and secure it.
2. Secure the power take-off shaft.
3. Combine the hydraulic line of the potato planter and the hydraulic system of the tractor.
4. Plug the unit's electrical equipment into the tractor socket.
5. Check hydraulic and electrical equipment for functionality.
6. Turn on the power take-off shaft and visually check the operation of the mechanisms.

Operating procedure:

1. Drive into the furrow.
2. Load the planter with seed into the lowered hopper. To do this, drive up close and unload the tubers.
3. Load the hoppers of fertilizer sowing machines manually or using vehicle mechanisms.
4. Raise the feed hopper, lower the coulters to the set depth, turn on the power take-off shaft and start working.

When turning or backing up, be sure to turn off the PTO and raise the potato planter to the transport position.

Setup and adjustment

Setup in preparation for work includes:

• adjustment of the inter-row distance is carried out by moving the planting devices along the rear beam of the frame until the holes are aligned and then secured with bolts;
• setting the landing rate - is done by selecting the drive gear sprockets from the PTO;
• setting the sowing rate for mineral fertilizers.

In the field, the following is performed:

• setting the loading level of the feeder bucket;
• adjustment of coulter depth - set by changing the position of the gauge wheel along the sector;
• adjusting the depth of potato planting is done by changing the angle of inclination of the axle shafts of the furrow closing discs;
• adjusting the angle of entry of the coulters into the soil - the gap is set between the rear edge of the lower edge of the coulter and its nose, changed by rotating the upper link;
• adjustment of fertilizer sowing mechanisms - the gap between the bottom of the bunker and the augers is adjusted by moving the funnels relative to the holes.

Where to buy and how much it costs

The price of potato planters varies within different limits. New ones cost from 381,000 to 1,000,000 rubles, used ones - from 130,000 rubles.

New units are sold in agricultural equipment stores:

• LBR company (there are branches in 10 federal districts);
• Internet portal "Agroserver";
• Mercatus LLC.

Advantages and disadvantages

The KSM-4 potato planter is a unit whose design is effective and proven in practice. During the existence of the equipment, a number of modifications were made to eliminate weak points, for example, manufacturers began to use a more reliable imported gearbox, and plastic spoons were replaced with metal ones.

The equipment is designed for simultaneous planting of potatoes and application of fertilizers over large areas in a short time. Provides a specified distance between rows and tubers. The depth of planting and embedding of tubers is carried out according to the agronomic norm of ±4 cm.

For planting in a field littered with stones, the KSM-4-I potato planter with a coulter protection mechanism is suitable.

The disadvantage of the unit is its sensitivity to the size of the planting material. You first have to sort the tubers by size (35–60 mm, 65–95 mm and more than 100 mm) and plant them in turn. Next, the device is reconfigured and the spoons are changed to a different size. Otherwise, there may be large gaps between tubers, damage to the planting material, or the introduction of 2 vegetables at once.

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Step-by-step instructions for creating a homemade potato planter.

Starch in potatoes: varieties with high and low content.

Reviews

Farmers generally speak positively about the device:

Evgeniy, Moscow region: “The KSM-4 potato planter is a fairly reliable, convenient and productive unit. It has a large bunker, which allows you not to be distracted too often by loading tubers. I'm happy with everything."

Andrey, Saratov: “A good potato planter, convenient, does not cause problems during operation. The only drawback is the increase in cost due to sorting seed potatoes or reconfiguring equipment to a different size.”

Conclusion

The KSM-4 potato planter is designed to work on farms with a crop area of ​​up to 100 hectares. Such planting will take place within the optimal time period according to agronomic standards. To sow a larger volume of potatoes, you will have to buy a sufficient number of planters at the rate of 90 hectares per unit or use more productive devices (for example, KSM-6). The unit operates in a trailer with tractors widely used in agriculture: LTZ-60, YuMZ-6, Belarus-921, MTZ-80, MTZ-82.