Planter attachment considerations

ATLANTA, Ind. — Jason Gahimer, PFR Manager at Beck’s Hybrids, shared what planter attachments to consider when upgrading or getting a new planter.

“My top three, in this order, is always the same no matter where you farm,” he said. “These work together to form that robust, uniform root development.”

1. Aftermarket closing wheels.

2. Hydraulic downforce.

3. Nitrogen starter on both sides of the row — 2x2x2.

Closing Wheels

“What closing wheel is best for you will depend on your tillage practices and soil types,” Gahimer said. “Our five PFR proven closing wheels are Yetter Poly Twisters, Copperhead Ag Furrow Cruiser, Schaffert Mohawk, Schaffert Zipper and SI Distributing Finger-Till.

“There are anywhere from 2.5 to 5 bushels gain. That’s why it’s my No.1 thing to do. You can spend a lot of money on your planter. Closing wheels are one of the least expensive investments on that planter, and you get a pretty good gain across all of your acres.”

Hydraulic Downforce

“Hydraulic, fully automated is where I want you to be on your planters,” Gahimer said. “You want to be able to treat every acre, every row, the way it needs to be treated with the right amount of pressure.

“We want to make sure we’re eliminating compaction while keeping good ground contact to keep uniform seeding depth.”

Nitrogen Starter

Traditionally, starter fertilizer is placed two inches beside the seed and two inches below the soil surface. With this system, you are only placing fertilizer on one side of the row.

The 2x2x2 system is similar to the 2x2 system, except that it allows farmers to place nutrients on both sides of the plant.

With a 2x2x2 application the roots of the plant are able to more evenly reach the nutrients, promoting root and plant health, as well as root uniformity.