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| I feel that liquid fert is easier to handle than dry. Your situation may be different. Personally, I've had too many situations where I have forgotten to turn the starter pump back on after having to stop for a extended period of time and seeing to the inch what the corn looked like with and without starter to ever go back to not using starter. I've seen stand reductions, poor stalk quality where corn blew over in fall. We didn't do a yield comparison, but it had to be a lot. My Dad even asked what the ##$%$^@# I did wrong on those 12 rows. I currently put about 5 gallons/acre of 10-34-0 right on the seed. I've been told 9-10 gallons is about the most you want to put directly on seed, any more you run the risk on damaging the seed. You could always use seperate colters and put fert 2" over and 2" under seed. I like to have fert right on seed so the benefits are immediate, not later when roots finally get to fert.
Here in Southern MN, we usually have to plant into cooler, sometimes wetter soil than is "perfect". It really depends upon what the weather/soil temp conditions will be 1-2-3 weeks after planting. I don't know what they will be and the weather forecasters sure don't know, but you can bet the conditions will stink at least part of the time. I feel that the starter is a little insurance for the corn.
I use a Little Thumper ground drive piston pump. It works great. Just make sure that you mount tank ABOVE the pump, unless you enjoy problems getting pumps to prime. Also use the redball spray monitors. That way you can see if you have a row plugged up. They are relatively cheap, simple to install and use and work great. Make sure you spend the extra money and get a separate ground drive for the pump. DO NOT DRIVE IT OFF OF THE SEED DRIVE!!!! There is just enough drag/jerking from the pump, don't do anything to mess with your seed drive/spacing!! Forget the electric pumps, longevity, electric motors and corrosive fertilizer don't go well together, Also, with the ground drive pump, it pumps the same amount/acre if I'm driving 4 or 5mph. (I like to drive slow starting out in field along fences, power poles etc.) With the elec pump, unless you change the pressure, it's going to pump the same volume/minute if you're driving 4 or 5 mph.
As for the rust/corrosion issue..... I carry a 2 1/2 gallon jug with me in the tractor rock box, if I have ANY spillage/leak on planter, I wash it off IMMEDIATELY. I also use jug for washing my my hands, tools. I don't like having that slimy junk on my hands or my $$$$$ planter.
At the end of corn planting, I rinse any transfer pumps/hoses/tanks and put rinse water into my saddle tanks and apply the mixture on the first beans planted. When the mix runs out, I take drive chain off of ground drive pump. Before I put planter away for the year, I then will run some clean water through planter, followed by compressed air. I put a air line quick coupler hose barb (like on a air impact) in a 2"quick coupler cap (that fits the 2"female quick coupler that I fill my saddle tanks on tractor with). That way I can sit in front of my shop and blow air through out all planter lines. I take out any plugs in pump and empty out any in line filters. I store the pump plugs in the in line filters, so I can find them for next year. | |
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Liquid fertilizer pros and cons
