Pre-Season Planter Inspection Checklist

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Bob Nielsen at Purdue put it plainly: a well-maintained planter means less down time and a better shot at a uniform stand. Here's the list, in the order you'd walk it.

Clean it first

• Blow out the hoppers. Old seed, mouse nests and seed treatment residue all cause trouble.
• Clean seed tubes and sensors so the monitor is reading seed, not dust.

Meters

• Check seals on vacuum meters and replace any that are worn.
• Check brushes.
• On finger meters, check backing plates, fingers and tension.
• Get them on a test stand if it's been a while.

Row unit

• Disc openers: Precision Planting's number for John Deere discs is 14.5 inches. Other makes, check your manual.
• Gauge wheels and arms: look for worn tires and loose pivots.
• Parallel arms: grab the row unit and shake it. Slop here means depth changes on every bump.
• Seed tubes and guards: replace tubes worn at the bottom, and guards at 3/4 inch wide (0.64 inch on a SpeedTube guard).
• Closing wheels: check bearings, bushings and pressure springs.
• Row cleaners: check bearings and tines.

Drive

• Replace worn chains, and lube or replace stiff links.
• Check sprocket teeth and seed conveyor belts. Age plus seed treatment makes belts brittle.
• Air up the tires to the right pressure.

Set it up

• Check that the toolbar runs parallel to the ground when planting. It affects opener depth, closing and seed-to-soil contact.
• Match air or vacuum pressure to the seed you're planting.
• Calibrate at your normal planting speed and seeding rate.
• Calibrate pesticide and fertilizer attachments at the same time.

Then check it again in the field

Depth doesn't stay set. Purdue says to check it every time you pull into a new field or start a new day, because soil conditions change.

Want us to do it? We do pre-season health checks at the shop in Flat Rock. Get on the list early, because the bench books solid by late winter.

Sources: Purdue, Planter Maintenance, Purdue, Stand Establishment Variability in Corn, No-Till Farmer on disc openers and Precision Planting on seed tube guards.