neukm - 6/10/2021 19:07
CASE3594 - 6/10/2021 17:23
These planters excel at consistent depth/emergence. There are plenty of flaws in the metering and delivery of seed. Mostly due to the distance the seed travels from meter to ground. These issues can all be reduced but not completely eliminated. But, the opening and closing systems and the depth consistency is not a shortcoming of the cyclo planters. All in all I don’t feel like we are giving up a bushel at harvest by using a cyclo. Using an advanced seed monitor (InCommand 1200) this year has further convinced me of that. As I said, singulation and spacing are not what a 1200 series or Deere Exactemerge are capable of. But it’s pretty damn good, honestly. Population is spot on with where we have it set. Funny thing is we have about $3500 invested in a 12 row, bulk fill planter and it would probably take generations for any marginal gains to justify updating the planter. I had to laugh this spring when I realized we now have a planter monitor that costs more than the planter itself did.
I disagree vehemently about consistent seed depth. I grew up on cyclo planters, off the top of my head, I can think of 5 that I personally pulled in the field, the last 2 were 955s. Consistent depth control was a glaring weakness on every. one. of. them. Compared to the 1200 and 1240 I use now, it's not in the same ballpark whatsoever. I'm not talking about seed to soil contact, I'm talking about seed depth.
Cyclo planter biggest shortcoming?
