field planting pattern? pic

Excuse my ignorance on the subject, I am new to this. I think I know the correct answer, but I want to make sure before it dries out enough to plant.

I am using my John Deere A and JD FB-B drill to put out some soybeans this year. The field has been plowed, disked and I ran a harrow gator over it to smooth it out. I am unsure of the planting pattern that I need to take.

The field is 8 acres, with a significant slope (8-10%) from west to east. There are a couple of rolling hills throughout the field, nothing too steep. I am thinking that I will base the field from the east side (since it is pretty straight) so that my rows will be straight. Should I also make a round around the outside of the field to ensure no wasted space?



Also, a couple of drill questions. In the manual it says I can use two different feed gate positions for my soybeans. Either position 2 for small beans, or position 3 for large beans. How many seeds per pound is considered small or large? Also, when running this drill without field markers, will I be able to see clearly where I have drilled and where I haven't to make sure that I'm not missing anywhere or over planting in other areas.

Thanks for any advice, I just want all my ducks in a row before attempting this.

John

I don't know beans (pun taken, but true) but I know (or at least repeat what I was told) that for corn one reason for "around the outside of the field" is to divert animal damage to an extent - the claim anyway was that they are more likely to barge in and follow the rows around the outside than to head right to the middle of the field along open-ended rows. Don't know that it's true, just what the neighbor who grew silage corn for his dairy cattle told me when I noticed he'd started planting that way, back when I was a curious kid. I'm fairly sure that the bears got past those outside rows a few times, but he certainly seemed to think it helped.

Corn is kinda fussy to keep the planting population close to
right, and so one can follow the rows with the harvester.

Drilled beans it is hard to mess up, they make up for small
gaps or over planting as well you can combine them in any
direction. So don't worry about it too much.

I would plant it as you say, follow the longest straight side.

Here we plant right up to the neighbors field, his row of corn or
beans will be 30 inches from my row of corn or beans, there is
no wasted space or place to turn around. When land sells for
$10,000 an acre and I just paid my property tax today of $45
an acre you can't afford to not plant any of it... I digress....

We typically plant down the long side, plant across the top and
back again for end rows, plant back down to the bottom, and
plant across and back along the bottom to make end rows
there. Then go back and forth turning around on the end rows
we planted. This lets you see where to lift and drop the drill so
as to not leave any gaps. Your way of planting and then
finishing with a round or 2 all the way around would
accomplish the same thing, neither right or wrong.

Remember when you drop the drill it takes a foot or 3 for the
clutches and chain to catch and start truning the meters, so
drop a bit early or you will get a gap.

Oh, I see I would probably start on the west side, not worry
about the slight bend, but starting on the east will be fine, you
will have to 'create' the straight rows as they get longer around
the grove, that will be harder to keep straight than you think
but it is soybeans, don't leave a gap and crooked rows have
more beans in then it doesn't matter.

I understand the bean size question, just don't have good
advise there.

You need to be driving with the inside of the drill wheel on the
row you planted. You don't want to drive with the wheel of the
drill in the previous wheel track, it will leave too wide of a gap
between. When in doubt crowd it too close with beans, doesn't
look bad - if you leave a gap that looks bad for a lot longer....

But it's all good, it is difficult to mess this up, there isn't a right
or wrong my way or your way. Beans are forgiving, and can
harvest in any direction so it will work.

Paul

How much slope is there on the hills, you will get erosion down the row if you drill up and down the hill. Most combines can not combine following the row the wobble box side will knock out the whole row, you need to cut at an angle. So if you drill on the contour you can combine straight up and down through the field

Just don't do like I did with my oat plot. On one side of my drill, the drive gear needs to be pushed to engage. I think it needs a spring or something. Anyway made one round with one side not engaged. It will be a good place to hand-plant a half-dozen rows of cowpeas. I use the Wildlife Harvest Company when the crops are ready.

Larry

Thanks for all the replies, they are very helpful. I tend to over prepare for things like this. I have been wanting to do this my entire life, but due to high school and college, this is the first opportunity I have had to do this.

Paul"s advice is right on, but I always do end rows first- he mentions ok to do after. If done first, it gives you the wheel track to guide when to raise/lower the drill...fewer overlaps. Keys to his advice is overlap the tire track and allow for the clutches to kick in.