sj3788 - 6/25/2015 21:49 Well that looks good to me. I just might be having a semi nightmare season. Still have 150 ac. of beans to plant and it has nothing but rain here the last 2 1/2 weeks. I would like a do over. Do you plant all your beans in 30" rows? I haven't for maybe 25 years but did some this year just to try and get done. Have you yield checked them to 15's? I know you are little ways north of me, but I'm starting to see more 30" around here. Plant real nice with row cleaners in corn stalks. Stephan, I have never planted beans any other way. I would say that 15" rows may show a 1-3 bu advantage in this area over time, but that would not pay for another 15" planter, or drill. I planted most of my beans at 115,000 this year ( have been at this pop for quite a few years unless late planting where I will bump the population up to 130-140,000), and I would hate running over beans with my sprayer. My rolling 10 year average for the farm is about 53 bpa, and the farm is usually 7 bushels over the county averages. The trick, I feel , is to use tall bean varieties (over 36") and make sure they have bushy / branchy canopies. There have been a half-dozen times over the years that I have planted 15" (double planted with the 30" planter), and I was never able to measure anything more then a bushel or two difference using the same bean varieties, and adjusting the populations between the row spacing. Edit: Having said that.....I am not saying I would never plant in 15's. If I find a nice 15" planter fairly cheap, I might try it.....as it would give me a way to plant my own covers too.
Edited by rebuilder 6/25/2015 23:38
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Well....that did not work out as planned. Grade my performance. Lots-o-pics
