TWO ROW CORN PLANTING

[jimbecky48001]

I have a New Holland TC25D tractor and have decided to plant some corn this year. I just bought a 2 row JD 71 FLEXI planter and I am looking for a row cultivator. I am trying to figure out how to space the rows so I can plant even rows and cultivate between them. Can I put the seed down and then run over the seed to plant the next row?

[wolc123]

Since your planter was probably made by cutting down a larger planter (lucritive business these days), it probably lacks row markers. I dont use row markers myself, but can get fairly even spacing by planting perpendicular to the direction I cultipacked at. This makes nice marks in the soil that are very easy to follow. Just line up your front tire to marks from the prior pass such that rows end up equally spaced. With a 2-row planter, you will need a 2-row or 1-row cultivator. If necessary, you can adjust your planter row spacing and/or your tractor tire width setting to provide proper clearance for cultivating. A CUT will not be a great cultivating tractor because they generally lack ground clearance. An old 1-row, row-cropper like a Farmall cub or super-A are by far the best machines to use for cultivating small corn acreages.

[Tritonman]

I'm one of the guys that builds these planters and it works great to do what the prior poster said. You can also make markers easily with a 2X2 wing with a marker wheel on it and use a electic winch to power it up and down.

[deere755]

What I have used in the past is a rod across the front of the tractor with a chain hanging down. If you are planting 2 rows 30 inches a part you measure 45 inches from the center of the tractor to the chain hanging down. The chain would hang over the last row you planted. If you are planting 40 inch rows it would be 60 inches from the center of the tractor to the chain. I really do not recomend that you run over the seed you have all ready planted as it will pack the ground and make the seed have a harder time emerging from the ground.