Welcome! Please use the navigational links to explore our website.
PartsASAP LogoCompany Logo (800) 853-2651

Shop Now

   Allis Chalmers Case Farmall IH Ford 8N,9N,2N Ford
   Ferguson John Deere Massey Ferguson Minn. Moline Oliver

Attention Forum Users: On the 28th of December 2023 at 9:00am Central Time, we will be taking the forums down for maintenance while we prepare the new forums for your use. Please click here for more information.

Implement Alley Discussion Forum

Planter Paranoia

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
Tommy D

04-19-2004 09:42:35




Report to Moderator

I just wanted to see what real farmers do, so here's my concern:

I have a Cole Mulit-Flex MX-12 planter mounted on an old Dearborn (2-row modified into a 1 row) cultivator. I prepare my ground to be planted, mount the correct seed plate and spacing gear, put seed in the seed hopper, and fertilizer in the fertilizer hopper and off to plant.
I will plant for a few feet, then have to jump off and look into the seed hopper to be sure seed is actually being picked up by the plate. Plant a few more feet, - check again, - etc.

I guess my question is if I were planting acres of crop that was my livelyhood, how often should one jump off and check? Especially with seeds that are hard to check by digging in the row behind the planter - like Silver Queen Corn seed, which are red like the clay here in Ga....

Just curious what "real" farmers do.....

Thanks!
Tommy D.

[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
Chris-se-ILL

04-20-2004 06:04:41




Report to Moderator
 Re: Planter Paranoia in reply to Tommy D, 04-19-2004 09:42:35  
When I started farming/planting about 20 years ago, I used an IH-Cyclo 400 {still have it complete setting back in the woods}. We would check the planter out at the shop and make sure it was in good working order before starting. Then as we started planting, we would check it for seed-drop, depth of seed, fertilizer app., insecticide app., and general funtions for the first hundred feet and first few rounds. Once everything was working OK... I would check it good at every hopper fillup. Dad taught me however, that as I made the turn at the end of each "through," to look down at the ground where the planter had just lifted up from the last pass. I could see the seed and fertilizer lying on top of the ground {strung along} where the planter was still dropping {operating} as it lifted up out of the ground. If I didn't see seed and/or fertilizer in all six rows... I knew something wasn't right!

Now, I have an IH-Cyclo 800 with a Cyclometer III monitor... I wonder how I ever planted without it!!!

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
JMS/MN

04-19-2004 21:33:49




Report to Moderator
 Re: Planter Paranoia in reply to Tommy D, 04-19-2004 09:42:35  
In 1972 I started farming with an old JD planter that had the shaft sticking through the top of the seed box. Over a long period of time, it would descend, indicating that seed was leaving the planter, but that is not a quick enough indicator that there is a problem. Since '76, I've had three JD 7000 planters with the electronic seed monitor, and I would sooner plant at night with a monitor than in the daytime without one- and I've planted about as many acres at night as during the daytime. In 28 years, the monitors have never been wrong! I cannot imagine getting off even once per round to check that the planter is working. A few years ago I had a row unit that did not register, but when I raised the planter at one end of the field on each round, I just checked that there were a few kernels laying on the surface at the end of the row, so I knew that the unit was working. I could see that from the tractor cab, whether it was daylight or nighttime.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Hal

04-19-2004 15:03:35




Report to Moderator
 Re: Planter Paranoia in reply to Tommy D, 04-19-2004 09:42:35  
First off you should check that in fact the seed plate is picking up the right number of seeds that you want, ideally 1 for sweet corn, but you will never be perfect with these kind of planters. If it is always dropping 2-3 you may have to go to a smaller plate or you will be doing a lot of thinning/wasting seed. You can check this by turning the wheel by hand, but the planter should be level, just like in the field. The best is to have someone walk alongside for a few hundred feet and see what it is doing. Check the depth you want it planting at, probably 1" or less for corn early in the season.
Some things that can go wrong with a 12MX is that the drive wheel might slide, screwing up your spacing; be sure it turns freely and nothing is binding. Be sure the gear is securely in position and can't drop down. Some guys mount a mirror on the back of the seed bin so at least you can look back and see the plate going round; I've never bothered.
One thing you should definately watch out for is that the planter shoe doesn't get plugged up with a dirt clod or whatever; I would check at the beginning of every row, or at least when you add fertilizer; you should be able to see daylight thru the tube when the machine is up in the air, or turn the wheel and watch a few seeds drop through before seting it down. Never let the tractor roll backwards with the planter on the ground, or lower the unit suddenly, this can plug the shoe and you will end up with all the seed stuck in the tube. I like to have the tractor just starting to move as I lower the planter. Good luck.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
paul

04-19-2004 12:36:27




Report to Moderator
 Re: Planter Paranoia in reply to Tommy D, 04-19-2004 09:42:35  
Well, I use the elctric seed monitor. Tells me how many acres covered, seeds per foot of row, seeds per acre, spped, and beeps at me if one (or more) rows falls too low in seeding rate.

On the bean planter, I check a few times the first round, then every 5-10 rounds I spin the press wheel (diving wheels) with the planter in the air to see that seed is coming out each one.

Beans aren't so fussy, they compensate for skips to some extent. Corn is fussier.

The older JD 494 & so planters had a plate with a rod sticking out of the top of the box. You could watch that all rods on all boxes were dropping the same amount. Sort of a row monitor.

--->Paul

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
ShepFL

04-19-2004 10:08:00




Report to Moderator
 Re: Planter Paranoia in reply to Tommy D, 04-19-2004 09:42:35  
When I first started I would have my boys walk next to me make sure seed was dropping. I also verify before I head out by raising planter and turning press wheel to activate. I usually have the boys walk the first row and go from there. I have been using the same piece of dirt for a while so I can educated guess how many rows / # of seed.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
kyhayman

04-19-2004 09:59:41




Report to Moderator
 Re: Planter Paranoia in reply to Tommy D, 04-19-2004 09:42:35  
I always checked until I was sure every tube is dropping, then I usually check ever hour or so.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
[Options]  [Printer Friendly]  [Posting Help]  [Return to Forum]   [Log in to Reply]

Hop to:


TRACTOR PARTS TRACTOR MANUALS
We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home  |  Forums


Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy