Do your plans this year include no-till? If so, you will be relying on your planter as your only pass through the field, and that planting operation must be as fail-proof as possible. Tillage will cover up flaws in a planter that no-till will expose quickly. Long-term no-till farmers across Indiana confirm that success is highly dependent on their planter.
Go over your planter with a fine-tooth comb. Your goal is a perfect stand of corn: every seed at the same depth and spacing and in the exact same soil moisture and temperature environment, with the result of even germination and emergence. The goal is that every kernel of seed in the field emerges within 36 hours, so every stalk will be ready to pollinate at the same time. Yield loss can be experienced from the day of planting with poor emergence.
What to prepare
You may need to replace springs or bushings, or you may need to add row cleaners or change closing wheels. If your planter is not equipped with a down pressure system, you may need to add one. One of the most important aspects of a no-till planter is the double disk openers. They must be in excellent condition and will have to be replaced more frequently than when tillage is used. Double disk openers need to be sharp enough to cut through residue and make the correct seed trench.
If you’re unsure about planter setup for high-residue planting, ask a local, successful no-till/cover crop farmer to do a walk around your planter. Work with someone who has the same brand of planter.
Different residue conditions and different soil types can dictate what kind of closing system to use. Ask around, and then find out what works for you.
If you want to try planting green into standing cover crops, your planter must function at the highest level. Again, you want every seed placed in the same environment.
Consider an upgrade
In some cases, it might be best to upgrade your planter completely. Every planter built over the last couple of decades is capable of no-tilling successfully. What planter works best for the kind of system you want to implement? Do your research. Again, talk to successful no-till farmers. Ask why they use a specific planter or planter setup.
Don’t settle when it comes to what planter you buy. Make sure it will do what you expect it to do. In the case of no-till and cover crops, that means planting into conditions that will be much more challenging than tilled soil.
Spend the time and money this winter getting your planter ready for spring, no matter what system you use. Your success will depend on your planter doing the best job it can, so make sure that planter is the very best piece of equipment on your farm. Your success and profit depend on it.