I am trying to plant into standing corn stalks.  I run the planter units down the middle of last years row.   I don't like to run the row units on top of last years rows because it is a rougher surface for the row units to ride on and I think I get uneven seed depth placement doing that.  Maybe I need to do this instead of going down in the bottom. ??  Going down the bottom or between the rows.  The problem is that I can not get the true V disc to cut through the trash, when planting between last years rows, so I put the Dawn wheels down to move the trash out of the way and the gauge wheel catches the trash and plugs up.  It was a good dry day this year and on 130 acres I only plugged up 5-6 times. 

(1)  Idea one.  Alter the mounting bracket to move the 7 x 7 bar gauge wheel back.  Maybe 12 inches or 16 inches.  ??  I assume they have the 7 x 7 gauge wheel where it is because it is in line with the row unit gauge wheels.

I saw the neighbors 1720 planter and it looks like they still use the same gauge wheel idea.  Or have they improved the gauge wheel on the 1720 to resolve this plugging issue ? 

(2) I did make part of a pass going at an angle to last years rows, but again the ride/placement of seed was not as good as going with the rows.  But maybe that is what I need to do to make my no-till work. 

I only have a JD 9400 combine without a chopping head.  At the age of 60 I am not to fond of spending mega bucks on a new more powerful combine and chopping head.  I did up date my snapping rollers last year from the standard JD rollers on my JD 843 to the Case style rollers.  Feeds much better, but does not chop the stalks much.   

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