Between the Rows

Greg Roth

Getting Ready for Planting

Its February. It’s not likely any corn will be planted this month. But it is a good month to address issues with your corn planter. Some have said we should designate February National Corn Planter Month in an effort to stimulate everyone to take some time to address corn planter issues. It’s impossible to overcome a less than ideal planting job, so let’s consider some of the issues that are important to consider this time of year.

First, there are the fundamentals. Taking care of at least the fundamentals will help to go a long way to improve planter performance and corn yields this season. Hopefully the planter has been emptied of any seed, fertilizer and insecticide from last year. Fertilizer lines should be flushed and cleaned and filters replaced if necessary. Augers should be cleaned and oiled to prevent rusting. Seed boxes or meters should have been removed and stored indoors.

Next, the planter should be inspected for parts that need to be replaced. Many planter dealerships have technicians that can help or provide this service. Some key things to check are all the chains on the planter for tightness and wear. Replace chains that are worn or stiff and lubricate according to your owner’s manual recommendations. Tire pressure should be checked as low pressure can cause higher planting rates. Check seed drop tubes to make sure they are not cracked or worn by the disk openers. Clean any dirt from around the seed monitor sensors. If the monitor has had any performance problems, now is the time to address those.

Check for wear on double disk openers and coulters. As opening disks become worn they may not meet at the bottom and can allow soil to fall in the furrow, resulting in uneven seed depth and uneven emergence. Make sure the depth gauge wheels move up and down and turn freely. Also, evaluate the row units and make sure they are not bent or are loose from worn bushings.

Next evaluate the seed metering mechanisms. Many growers will periodically bring their seed meters to a dealership or technician with a test stand to have them evaluated for seed drop with a sample of the seed or seed size that they will be planting. This can help to minimize the occurrence of skips and doubles in your stand. For air and vacuum planters, the seed disks, brushes, and vacuum or air pressure should be evaluated.

The second phase of planter evaluation should be a review of planter attachments or an upgrade of some components on the planter. There are many options to consider now and their cost effectiveness is often a function of the conditions that you use the planter. Frequently, many of the after market attachments help planters perform more effectively over a wider range of soil, tillage and crop residue conditions.

Probably the best approach on attachments is to visit with other corn growers in your area and find out what seems to be working best under your conditions. Some modifications we have added to our planter during the last few years include row cleaners, seed firmers with in furrow fertilizer delivery, 13-wave coulters and a set of spiked tooth closing wheels for use under wetter or variable soil conditions. Another add-on that I see gaining some popularity is fertilizer injection coulters to deliver some at-planting N fertilizer. The optimum set up really depends on the kinds of situations the planter will encounter and the problems you have encountered in previous seasons, so do some research before you make an investment.

The final phase of planter set up is calibration. This may best be accomplished a few weeks before planting, when you have your planting supplies on hand. With the price of fertilizer, it pays to make sure you get this calibration right. It might be a good idea to have at least two calibrations for starter fertilizers- a high and low rate so you can cut back on fields with high soil test levels. Insecticide calibration is also important, although with seed treatments and rootworm Bt corn, this may become a thing of the past. Nevertheless, plan now to get this done early so you’re prepared to hit the ground when soil conditions are right. Don’t wait until late April. And finally, take time to evaluate your seed drop with the seed you will be using. Skips and doubles should be rare and the population should be on target.

If you start now and plan and prepare for that first day in the field, you’ll be more likely to be ready and to have a planter that is performing as it should be. This will give you a great start on a top yielding crop for 2006.