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| I'm looking into trading planters. I was wondering if anyone has had experiences with 20" rows. Good or bad. Not sold on twin rows, but though 20" rows might be something to look into on moderate soils in SC IL. I'm wanting to push yields a little higher with higher management (split N applications) and other things like row spacing. Also I like the idea of only having one planter to maintain also. |
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New Mexico | space underneath the tractor and 4 rows, 20" space each wing.
the 4 row, 20"s underneath is 60" of total space, enables wider wheel placement vs the narrow 30" deal.
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Central, IA | Just like real estate....Location Location Location.
We did it in central Iowa for 5 years. Same deal, needed to update planters and were on 36" rows. Jumped to 20's. Didn't see a yield advantage going to them. Didn't see a yield drop going back to 30" either. The words split N application and 20" corn are kind of an oxymoron. I side-dressed it, but it was a challenge. We did take out 2 row units to leave a 40" space 100" on center. That was nice to drive in for spraying, but it meant the sprayer was 60' or 120'.
We now plant beans on 30" rows.
In simple terms. Save yourself the hassle and expense unless you are far enough north it is justified. |
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Badger State | I'd go twin row before 20's.
Twin row lets you more tire room plus if you do run over one of the twins you don't really loose half the row because the other twin will pick up some of the slack.
20's have blown down here the last several years in a row. |
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WC MN | Even "up north" we are rarely seeing much difference now in narrow corn and 30" corn. Year to year the advantage changes between the two. A 10 year running tally would put the 20" over the 30". Now is it more "practical"?
I assume a few things when the general comparisons are made.
1. 20" corn allows a higher population, therefore more ears. Most SxS were done with 30" at the standard 28-32k and the 20" was done at 32-36k. What if the 30's pop was just bumped up?
2. Canopy gives better weed control. I call this one out. Some of the narrow corn here is "dirty" as ever. I still don't think a 1 post pass cuts it in narrow corn . Here you need a decent pre down with a post if you want clean corn or break out the iron. So that point is moot. I do one pre pass and one post pass and the 30" corn is clean as a whistle. The 30" corn canopied a whopping 4 days later than the 20" corn down the road this year.
3. 20" corn gives a better stand because meters are revolving slowly. In my limited experience, seed depth and emergence consistency far outweighs any spacing inaccuracy. Any seed that came up about 2 days or later had stunted ears, tip back and spindly stalks this year. Granted doubles and skips aren't helping yield and need to be consistent across all populations and row widths. I had one field this spring that had a gully washer and filled in the seed furrow. The plant to plant variability in ear size due to emergance timing was nothing short of amazing. Nothing like seeing an 18x36 next to a 12x24 that's been tipped back.
Keep in mind that when comparisons are made, a farmer will take out his existing USED 30" planter and compare the yield to the NEW 20" planter the dealer brings out for trial. If the existing 30" planter is not maintained properly, I could probably guarantee a sub par stand. If you have a brand new planter, I cannot guarantee a good stand but the likeliness of it being better are higher. I run my meters on a test stand every two years. Check your openers and closing wheels. My 30 year old planter can still throw the picket fence so there is no mechanical excuse for a poor stand of corn.
"Here" the 15" corn actually burned up LONG before the 30" corn did this year. But, I plant at 32.5k and the 15" was planted at 38k. They are looking for silage yields. Narrow corn here always makes a taller/larger plant. Taller planters are prone to higher ear placement. Higher ear placement is more prone to lodging. Last year narrow corn greensapped much worse than the 30" and the twin rows actually fared VERY well. So environment is key. Heavy soils with ample moisture and heat tend to favor wide rows.
Beans on the other hand show a consistent response to 20" rows. Some years it's .5 bpa, some years 4 bpa. I actually thought about having my beans custom planted and sprayed but by the time I do that, all I really save is time. Landlords frown upon tenants who have custom work done for them because they aren't "real farmers". I get picked on quite a bit because I have the majority of my harvest hired out.
For corn, unless it's "tough" ground up north here, it's hard to justify narrow corn. Beans on the other hand, pretty easy call. IF I had greater than 1500 acres, I would likely make the switch to narrow rows.
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SW Ontario | We've been on 22"s for as long as I can remember and switched to 20 this year. No wheat plant all crops with 1 planter. Couple issues with 20"s include fungicide app. (ie aerial only) and herbicide/sidedressing. However as long as you have 14" tires it really isn't that difficult to follow rows. other than that we are happy with 20"s. If we were to buy a planter next year would likely buy another 20". |
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East Central Ia | First year on 20" here and so far have been happy with yield, as good or better then what my neighbors are telling me.
Glad we switched so far. |
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Jackson County....... Southwest Minnesota | best money spent today would be buying a 16 row 30" planter corn and soybeans in my area |
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Evansville, WI | What's an oxymoron is saying something is an oxymoron and then saying that you did just that... just saying! Also taking 2 rows out would negate much of the yield advantage!
I would expect based on the original posters question to see 0-2% yield increase in corn and soybeans over time based on the SC IL location. We are in 20's an have no intention of going back to 30's anytime soon, but we are much farther north. We can and do spray, side dress and no-till in 20's. 320 tires work best for post operations, but 380's work ok on flat ground. Handling the residue can be a challenge especially in no-till soybeans following 200 + bushel corn, but it can be done. Email in profile is good if have more specific questions. |
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Central, IA | I said we did it, but it wasnt easy. And once it canopies, i would dare say impossible.
We removed the two rows, and then spedup the meter's on the rows ajacent to the gap to compensate. Overall, we didnt lose population, just moved it to another row.
Would 0-2% pay for the increased equipment cost?
Edited by nhermanson 9/27/2012 23:32
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SE MN | <p>First year with 20" soybeans this year and I really like it. Still 30" corn. we have had about every row spacing for soy. 36" 30" 20" 15" 10" 7 1/2" over the course of 25 years. speaking for the soybeans think they canopied somewhat faster then the neighbors planted the same day but not sure on his maturity. the reason for all the different attempts at finding the right row spacing for us is ever changing conditions. started with a 36 cause thats what we had then hired the beans planted by two guys with drills on 7 1/2 and one 10 then we bought a 15" kinze but then we were faced with white mold issues so we went back to 30" rows 5 years ago. I think there is something to be said about early planted beans so we decided to buy a second planter for beans and that freed us up to go to 20". Also we have had our best yielding beans we have ever had here. Not saying that it was all the planter but I think it help.</p> |
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Evansville, WI | whether the 0 to 2% covers the cost is not for me to determine ... they have to determine that for themselves. |
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20 Inch rows on corn and beans
