17. Did You Get Your Planter Prepared?

Planting season is almost here in mid-Michigan.  Soon winter's icy grip will give way to brighter days and warmer temperatures.

Pre-season is the perfect time to ensure the planter is field ready to get your spring off to a timely start; reduce down time and increase return on investment (ROI).   Planter components like parallel arm bushings, gauge wheel clearance and v-blade do wear and should be checked annually.  Proper maintenance of these items can make all the difference in proper seed placement and ensure that the crop gets off to a uniform start, which is critical to high yields.  Pay attention to the small details during planting season to set yourself up for a profitable fall harvest.  The planter pass is the most important field operation for maximizing yield and maintaining positive Return On Investment..

Below are helpful links for spring planter maintenance, although you will have to type into Google search since I don't know how to insert links into this site:

Kinze Planter Maintenance PDF

John Deere Planter Maintenance PDF

(Jeff Brown. CCA.  NCRS Operations Agronomist.  April 22, 2021)