Navajo350

Member
Late start and first time here, but planting corn with a JD 530 and a 490 planter. What gear/speed should I use?

Thanks,

Bob
 
With plate planters the maximum operating speed is dependent on how fast the seed plate needs to turn in order to get the desired population. If the plate is turning too fast the seeds
won't get into the cells properly and you'll get skips. As an example, for a given population a 24-cell plate will be turning slower than it would be with a 16-cell plate which might
allow for a little more ground speed. Ground conditions obviously make a difference too - in really rough ground you'd need to go a little slower. For an "typical" speed with a plate
planter I'd say somewhere between 3 and 5 mph.
 
Dad normally ran 4-1/2 to 5 mph with our 490 planter. We Hill Dropped all our corn, 3-4 seeds together in
the 38 inch rows every 2 ft or so. The last two years he farmed he raised some soybeans. I can't imagine
soybeans growing well if planted by hill-dropping, so I imagine they were planted a seed every 3-6
inches, I cultivated them, I should know for sure, but 48 to 50 years later some details have escaped me.
I do remember the last field we planted the last year Dad farmed, we fall plowed every square inch of
the farm the fall before. Following spring we disked everything and were ready to plant. That last 20
acres worked up like a sandbox, no clouds bigger than a small marble. Dad had to stop and adjust planting
depth 4-5 times in the first 40 rods. The planter with full seed boxes was burying the seeds! Those old
sled runners were not good at controlling planting depth like today's double disk openers.
 
If you don't have the operators manual for your 530 tractor for gears and speeds, here's a little help..
third gear- open throttle -is about 3.5 mph--- forth gear is 4.5 mph--- fifth fear is 5.8 mph- plus or
minus.. Pick a gear to give you the best speed to get your wanted seed placement as the others have
suggested....
 

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