Set Your Crops & Planter Up for Success in 2025
Proper planter preparation is essential to achieve optimal crop yields. A well-maintained and prepared planter ensures precise seed placement, consistent depth, and uniform emergence, all of which contribute to a successful growing season. As growers know, once seed begins to grow, yield can only be lost. Setting crops up for success from the beginning is critical for achieving desired yield come harvest. The following are tips to consider this year when prepping a planter for harvest.
What You Should Know
Before starting maintenance tasks, there are critical components of a planter to understand and their roles:
Planter Leveling: Ensuring the planter is level is vital for proper disc cutting action, accurate seed delivery, and effective press wheel function. An unlevel planter can lead to uneven seed placement and depth.
Parallel Linkages: These linkages maintain the row units in the correct position relative to the ground. Worn or loose linkages can cause inconsistent seed depth and spacing.
Seed Meters: Responsible for controlling the rate and spacing of seed delivery, seed meters must be clean and functioning correctly to prevent skips or doubles.
Disc Openers and Depth Gauge Wheels: Disc openers create the seed furrow, while depth gauge wheels regulate planting depth. Worn discs or improperly adjusted gauge wheels can lead to improper seed placement.
Actions You Can Take
To prepare your planter for the upcoming season, consider the following steps:
Check Planter Leveling: Position the planter on a level surface and inspect its alignment. Adjust the hitch as necessary to ensure the planter runs slightly uphill, compensating for any wear in the parallel linkages.
Inspect Parallel Linkages: Examine the parallel linkage arms for wear or looseness. Replace any worn components to maintain proper row unit positioning and ensure consistent seed depth.
Service Seed Meters: Disassemble and clean each seed meter thoroughly, removing any debris or buildup. Inspect for worn parts and replace them as needed. Testing meters on a test stand can provide accurate performance assessments.
Examine Disc Openers: Measure the diameter of the disc openers; replace them if they have worn down to 14.5 inches or less. Ensure discs are aligned correctly to form a proper seed furrow.
Adjust Depth Gauge Wheels: Ensure gauge wheels are in close contact with the disc openers without excessive free play. Adjust or replace components to maintain the correct planting depth.
Inspect Closing Wheels: Check that closing wheels are aligned and applying appropriate pressure to close the seed trench effectively, promoting good seed-to-soil contact.
Review Technology Systems: Test all electronic components, including monitors, sensors, and wiring. Ensure software is updated, and data management systems are ready for the season.
Thorough planter preparation is a critical step in setting the stage for a successful planting season. By systematically inspecting and maintaining each component—from leveling and linkages to seed meters and technology systems—growers can enhance planting accuracy and promote uniform crop emergence. Investing time in these preparations helps protect input investments and maximizes yield potential.