According to Missy Bauer, Associate Field Agronomist for Farm Journal, it’s the little things you do to your corn planter that make all of the difference in creating uniform stands.
How are you preparing for planting season? Is your planter ready to perform? Check out these planter preparation and maintenance video tips to help you Be Ready to sow the seeds of success this spring.
At the recent AG CONNECT Expo, Bauer held a Farm Journal Planter Clinic to help producers get ready for the planting season. In this video, Pam Fretwell, Director of Industry Relations for Farm Journal, talks with Bauer about some of the highlights discussed during the clinic.
Bauer emphasizes that the goal is to achieve a picket-fence stand and photocopy plants and ears, meaning you want uniform spacing between plants and the same size plants, stalks and ears. While this uniformity may seem difficult to attain, there are adjustments you can make on the corn planter to get consistent planting depth and good seed-to-soil contact.
Adjustments to the plant depth, down pressure and closing wheel need to be checked in each field you enter. Bauer recommends doing a little digging behind the planter to check the micro-environment. The seedbed environment has to be consistent in order for seeds to grow uniformly.