Get the Most Out of Your Seeding Operation

For some farmers, seeding is a demanding job that involves adjustments and attention to detail all the way through the process. For others it's a matter of setting up the machine and heading down the field, pedal to the metal.

"Everything you do during seeding has a cost benefit," says Gord Hultgreen, soils and crops manager with the Prairie Agriculture Machinery Institute in Humboldt, Saskatchewan. "All the details add up, especially when there is never enough time. The key is to make sure the depth is set properly for each field.

"I like to joke that the biggest variable in a good seeding job is the nut behind the steering wheel," says Hultgreen, "My point, though, is serious: If you want to do the best seeding job possible, take the time and trouble to set your seeding depth as you progress through different field conditions. The more acres you farm, the more important it is to get out of the cab to see what is happening behind the machine."

Seed depth can be affected by soil conditions, but ground speed will dramatically affect how deep the seed is placed, especially in the front rows.

"Check to see how much the front rows are filling in," Hultgreen advises. "Producers have a tendency to speed up toward the end of the seeding season when time is a factor. It's hard to believe how deep you can bury seed, even at wider row spacings, when your speed starts increasing."

Pay close attention to air velocity when double shooting, Hultgreen advises. "If you want to seed canola at 5 or 6 pounds an acre and also put down more than 200 pounds of fertilizer blend, you'll need to set a different air velocity for the fertilizer and the seed. Don't use more air than you need to prevent seed bounce and to keep the seed and fertilizer separated."

On-the-go

Many producers often neglect to adjust seeding depth to match changing soil conditions in the field. Hultgreen says he's is a big proponent of a concept called "flexible seeding depth." To apply this concept, he urges growers to plant crops shallow early in the season and gradually increase seed depth as the season progresses.

"Don't seed all your crop at 1.5 inches regardless of conditions," Hultgreen says. "Even if your machine is perfectly set, in my view, you should not be seeding canola at the same depth on May 1 and May 30; adjust to soil conditions. "Seed shallow in the early spring when you have cold, wet soils. Deep plus cold is bad news, but shallow plus cool will often work. Shallow seeding will make up for the cold soils. Just scratch the crop in and it will jump out of the ground. As the planting season progresses, soil temperature becomes less of an issue so you can drop the seed in deeper if you want." Peas are often seeded deep, and many producers seed peas 3 inches deep. Hultgreen says that if you are seeding peas early in the season with excellent soil moisture conditions close to the surface, he doesn't see any reason to plant them 2-1/2 to 3 inches deep. "I'm not recommending seeding peas at canola depth, but you can seed somewhere between canola depth and traditional pea depth."

Time pressures force many producers to neglect seeding depth adjustments.

Keeping your eye on the ball during seeding involves stopping to make a few yield-enhancing adjustments as the seeding season progresses and conditions change. If nothing else, rethink your soil moisture conditions and seeding depths at least twice during seeding. The cost-benefit ratios at harvest will be in your favor.

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