Planting corn

[37 chief]

I see people are planting corn now. have a question. How do you know when the planter runs out of seed, and you are pulling a empty planter. Does this happen often? Stan

 

[David G]

The planters have sensors on each box that looks for a seed to pass, no seed and light goes on.

 

[SVcummins]

The old corn planters were just like a grain drill you just figured out about what it would cover then when you think you?ve gone about that long You get off and check

 

[SVcummins]

Pulled a old John Deere that had a deal that stuck out the top of the seed hopper to tell you how much seed you had

 

[Joe Styke]

The worst feeling is to get off and check and one is full and the other empty!

 

[big tee]

You watch the Crows--when they quit following you--your probably out of seed!---Tee

 

[David G]

lol, BTDT

 

[M Nut]

I only plant 20 acres or less each year with an older John Deere 7000 planter. The monitor with the light indicator quit working years ago, so I just do it the simple way. Either my brother or I drive the tractor, the other stands at the end of the field and watches the seed rows each time the planter is lifted to turn around. You can see a few kernels from each row when lifting. I also leave the seed box covers off when planting so its easy to see how much seed is in each box.

 

[sourgum]

I think there are sensors on each row wired to the tractor dashboard that tells operator if each row is dropping seed. The operator probably knows roughly how many acres he can cover by how much seed he loaded to start out with. I think there is a computer screen in the newer tractors on these newer planters that says how many seeds are dropping per acre also.

 

[mudcreek183]

Just have seed drop monitor,growing up we would get off and check the at the end of the row every so often for corn on the ground.

 

[jon f mn]

Oh man, true story right there

 

[bradley martin]

Wrong! The light flashes when a seed goes by. The alarm will sound if seed is not passing sensor for an irregular length of time.

 

[David G]

you are right.

 

[jm.]

Years ago my wife was the best in the world, she could ride the end of the field and just as you pick up to turn she would spot the grains falling. Now days I plant 16 rows and have double back up visual on a screen and audible alarm if seed are not dropping . I can tell you pretty close to how many seed per acre are dropping. On a side note corn planted last Monday is about one inch out of the ground tonight. We have had 4 1/4 in showers in the last week, with 70 degree sunshine days. about as perfect as it gets for getting the stuff out of the ground.

 

[Wicksfield]

There is a sensor on each row unit that is wired into a monitor. The monitor is mounted on the tractor, now mostly in the cab, for the operator to view. Early monitors had a light that showed which row quit planting whether a mechanical failure or out of seed. New monitors will not only show if the row is planting but also the population. New monitors will also show other information such as speed, area covered, blah,blah, blah. Farmers, however, try to refill their planters with seed and fertilizer before running out.

 

[IowaJohn]

Planting beans today and 12 buzzed me, sure nuf it was the first 1 empty, others weren't far behind.

 

[Leroy]

Best system, no failers. the plate that sat on top of seed in box with a rod up thru hole in lid. when full the rod was high and the little knob on top of rod up in air. As seed was used the knob got lower and lower, when it got down to lid you knew it was time to stop but you still had enough seed you were still planting. You could also see a few kernels droping when you raised planter to turn. Worked good on 2 or 4 row, even 6 row planters but with the new 12 row and bigger planters you cannot see the planter with the cab tractors so have to depend on a computor to be your eyes.

 

[SVcummins]

I agree simple and it worked .

 

[formenwhogrow]

I used to be the monitor on the old White 543. I'd ride on the fertilizer box and watch the seed boxes while dad planted. Mainly I was watching the chains to make sure they stayed on! Safe, no. Boring as hell for an 8 year old yes..