Getting the Most Out of Your Agrowdrill Small Seeds Box: More Than Just Oversowing

Main Box vs. Small Seeds Box: What's the Difference?

The main seed box on an Agrowdrill is a versatile and high-capacity unit designed to handle a wide range of seed types and sizes — from coarse grains like wheat, oats, and beans, to finer species such as clover, ryegrass, and lucerne. It’s suitable for most general-purpose seeding operations, including cereal cropping and pasture establishment.

What sets the Agrowdrill apart is its proven metering system, which is known across the industry for its accuracy, consistency, and ease of use. It delivers reliable results even at low sowing rates, and is one of the key reasons many farmers and contractors choose Agrowdrill over other brands.

However, for certain applications — particularly where shallow seed placement and low-disturbance seeding are essential — the Small Seeds Box (SSB) offers additional control and precision.

By combining both the main box and SSB, operators gain the flexibility to handle everything from efficient single-crop seeding to dual-box, multi-species programs.

Why Use a Small Seeds Box?

The Agrowdrill Small Seeds Box is purpose-built for fine or lightweight seeds that require low seeding rates and shallow placement. It’s ideally suited for species commonly used in pasture renovation mixes, clover and lucerne (alfalfa) varieties, ryegrass, chicory or plantain, and multi-species cover crops and blends.

These species are often sown at rates as low as 2–10 kg/ha, and the SSB is designed to meter them consistently. Available in 38 L or 60 L per metre capacities, it features its own dedicated metering system and delivery tubes that place seed at shallow depths or on the surface, where germination is most successful for species that won’t germinate well if buried too deep. With shallow-set tynes and press wheel systems, the SSB ensures these seeds are placed exactly where they need to be for strong and even establishment.

Because it allows for minimal soil disturbance, the SSB is also ideal for no-till sowing practices and oversowing existing pastures where retaining ground cover is essential.

Beyond Oversowing: The Versatility of an SSB

The Small Seeds Box isn’t limited to just one job. Its precision and flexibility make it useful across a wide range of seeding practices, including:

• Pasture Renovation: Rejuvenate tired or underperforming paddocks by introducing improved species to boost forage quality and density.

• Cover Cropping: Establish cover crops to protect soil, fix nitrogen, suppress weeds, or prepare paddocks for future planting — with the right depth and rate for each species.

• Inter-Row Sowing: Sow companion or secondary species between crop rows in stubble-retained systems, without disturbing existing crops.

• Multi-Crop Planting: Use both the main box and the SSB simultaneously to sow two different species at different rates or depths — ideal for legume/grass mixes, nurse crops, or other multi-species systems.

How an SSB Works on Agrowdrills

Most Agrowdrill models can be fitted with an optional Small Seeds Box (SSB), which can be either factory-installed on a new machine or retrofitted to an existing drill. The unit is typically mounted behind the main seed box and integrates smoothly with the existing machine layout.

The SSB is mechanically driven by a chain connected to the main drive system, ensuring consistent metering that matches the forward speed of the drill. The seed is picked up by the rollers and then gravity-fed through dedicated seed tubes.

Depending on your machine setup and application, seed can be:

• Dropped directly behind shallow-placed tynes — for precise placement with minimal disturbance

• Directed in front of press wheels, with or without optional flexichutes, to improve seed-to-soil contact

• Broadcast onto the soil surface — ideal in low-disturbance oversowing or pasture top-up situations

This flexible delivery system makes the SSB suitable for a wide range of fine seed applications, while maintaining the accuracy and reliability Agrowdrill is known for.

▶️ Watch our step-by-step calibration video here.

Learn how to correctly calibrate your Small Seed Box. These easy-to-follow steps will ensure your seed drill is set up for precise seed distribution.

Attaching an SSB to Third-Party Seed Drills

In addition to its benefits on Agrowdrill machines, the Small Seeds Box can also be retrofitted to a wide range of third-party drills. Each unit includes seed rollers, a hex shaft, and a sprocket, allowing you to connect it to your drill’s existing drive or ground wheel system.

Standard row spacings are 150 mm or 175 mm, but both the row configuration and box width can be fully customised to match your machine. This makes the SSB a flexible solution for growers wanting the benefits of shallow precision seeding without changing their current rig.

What It Means for Your Operation

Integrating a Small Seeds Box into your seeding setup isn’t just about handling tiny seeds — it’s about improving how and where your fine seed is placed, whether you're oversowing, establishing a cover crop, or running dual-species programs. The SSB gives you flexibility, precision, and a cleaner result in the paddock.

If you're looking to get more from each pass, reduce waste, and improve crop outcomes, adding an SSB to your seed drill setup is a smart step forward — one that fits seamlessly into mixed farming and pasture-based systems.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Learn more about the Agrowdrill Small Seeds Box or contact your nearest Agrowplow dealer to discuss fitment options for your machine.

Have questions? Contact us and speak to our team who can help you configure the right setup for your needs — whether you're upgrading your Agrowdrill or retrofitting another brand.

Helpful links and resources used in this article:

• Rejuvenating Perennial Pastures (NSW DPI): This PDF from the NSW Department of Primary Industries provides a comprehensive guide on rejuvenating perennial pastures, offering insights into assessing pasture quality and implementing effective renovation strategies. 
• Harnessing the power of cover crops for enhanced soil health (AusVeg Vic): Discusses the benefits of cover crops in enhancing soil health, including insights from recent trials and expert recommendations.
• Stubble Management Guidelines (UNFS): An inter-row sowing guideline developed for the Upper North Farming Systems Group (UNFS) as part of the Maintaining Profitable Farming Systems with Retained Stubble initiative, funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). 
• Practice Guide: Multispecies Cropping (Soils for Life): This guide shares insights from Australian farmers implementing multispecies cropping systems and covers the benefits of increased plant diversity, strategies for crop selection, and practical considerations for integrating this approach into existing farming operations.