Anyone have experience with an IH 56 planter?

[300guy]

I bought a 56 planter last fall to plant CRP food plots of milo. I have it all set up and ready to use, but the manual says to change the pins up or down for 1/2 inch depth change. Only question is does any one have experience with this planter as to where about 1 inch is for a depth setting?

 

[KL in Wi]

Set the planter down on a level hard surface and raise the packer wheel to the depth you want.

 

[caterpillar guy]

Just let it down pull ahead a bit check your depth. It is probably set about right from the last time it was used. Soil type and moisture will affect depth with each day and soil change from sand to heavy clay and how much trash you have how much seed is in the seed box all change this so you will need to just try a few feet and see what you get and try again. 3or4 times should get you going.

 

[casecollectorsc]

I bought a 56 planter last fall to plant CRP food plots of milo. I have it all set up and ready to use, but the manual says to change the pins up or down for 1/2 inch depth change. Only question is does any one have experience with this planter as to where about 1 inch is for a depth setting?

1" is awful shallow for planting. We plant corn at 2 or 2 1/2" to get the seed in some moist soil. Too shallow and no rain will make it hard to germinate.

 

[JIM MN]

You just need to set your pins all the same for all four rows. Then go to the field and plant a short distance.. Go back and dig up some seed to see what depth the seed is at.. Then see if you need to change your pins, to raise or lower your seed depth.. Plant some more, dig seed again until you get the seed depth you want?? There is no set pin settings. Different soil conditions and moisture are all factors.. Just plant a little, dig and check...

 

[300guy]

Yeah I figured most of all said here but I thought maybe someone could tell me where they had set the pins at.

 

[Brendon-KS]

1" is awful shallow for planting. We plant corn at 2 or 2 1/2" to get the seed in some moist soil. Too shallow and no rain will make it hard to germinate.

Here in central Kansas a 1" seeding depth for milo would be pretty typcial with 2" being an absolute max. If there's moisture available the shallower depth generally results in more uniform emergance and a better stand. It's a tiny seed compared to corn and the seedlings get tired more quickly trying to find the surface.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Yeah I figured most of all said here but I thought maybe someone could tell me where they had set the pins at.

Everyone's field conditions are different so one person's settings won't necessarily work in someone else's fields.

 

[caterpillar guy]

We had a 58 planter years ago with a similar set up on it the settings were I believe 1/4 inch increments with each hole up or down. No you can't count down from the top and set it and be right. You could get lucky that way but that is all it would be is luck. The set it down dig plan will be the most accurate one for you. each row may not plant the same depth at the same setting as the next one to it.