Abstract: An apparatus for planting rhizomes includes a chassis having wheels to move in a primary direction over an area in which rhizomes are to be planted, the primary direction defining a forward and aft sense, a hopper on the chassis holds rhizomes to be planted, the hopper having a live bottom mounted to move rhizomes in the forward direction, a kickback bar at a forward side of the hopper lifts rhizomes at a forward face of the hopper, a leveling roller above the live bottom levels the height of rhizomes transported by the live bottom forward of the hopper, a barrel feed at a forward end of the live bottom to pull rhizomes from the live bottom, a accumulator below the barrel feed, a drop zone below the accumulator, and a chute with inner flaps from the drop zone oriented to deposit rhizomes in a furrow.

Abstract: An apparatus for harvesting rhizomes includes a chassis to move in a field. Coulter disks mounted on a forward end of the chassis break up soil on a top surface of the field. Digger blades aft of the coulter disks scoop clusters of rhizomes from the field with adhered soil. An inclined ramp on the chassis has a live bottom that pushes the rhizome clusters up the ramp in the aft direction including upright posts that force the clusters of rhizomes against depending obstructers extending downward from superstructure bars toward the live bottom. As the clusters encounter the obstructers, the clusters are broken to reduce their size and to loosen and separate soil from the rhizomes. A collector aft of the live bottom collects rhizomes falling from an aft end of the inclined ramp.

Abstract: An apparatus for planting rhizomes includes a chassis having wheels to move in a primary direction over an area in which rhizomes are to be planted, the primary direction defining a forward and aft sense, a hopper on the chassis holds rhizomes to be planted, the hopper having a live bottom mounted to move rhizomes in the forward direction, a kickback bar at a forward side of the hopper lifts rhizomes at a forward face of the hopper, a leveling roller above the live bottom levels the height of rhizomes transported by the live bottom forward of the hopper, a barrel feed at a forward end of the live bottom to pull rhizomes from the live bottom, a accumulator below the barrel feed, a drop zone below the accumulator, and a chute with inner flaps from the drop zone oriented to deposit rhizomes in a furrow.