Fontanelle, IA | rookiefarms - 4/9/2026 19:41
So I'm trying to get the proverbial picket fence stand with older equipment. I have an older JD 1750 6 row vac planter with freshened up e-sets,all new disc openers,parallel arm updates,closing bracket updates and run air bags for down pressure and Dawn curvetine closing wheels. I run vac at 16in and have been planting at around 4.5 mph. I have yet to be happy with my stand. I did a flag test last spring and it varied from 28-30 1st day emergers, that seems pretty poor for dropping 34k in my opinion. So this raises a basic question,if time is not an issue,will slowing down planting speed be a step in the right direction? I don't farm many acres so time is usually not an issue,this is my 4th planting season so I don't know what I don't know yet. I appreciate all opinions
If you’ve got esets and you are under planting - check the driveline that drives the meters….
Ground drive tire pressure is bigly
Frame tire pressure contacting the ground drive pressure needs dead-nuts-on pressure spec’d to your book
Bearings and chains through the transmission. Make sure they are tight/not worn.
As others have said, vac @ 20 psi
Lastly. Dig your trenches and find seed. Measure the spacing between seed. Tape measure doesn’t lie regarding variation in spacing….. ie. Are seeds perfectly spaced distance or do you have variation in seed to seed spacing? Either of these can be caused by 2 different issues. |
Planting speed
