Row Spacing With A Farmall 140

[taylorsrus]

I am a new Farmall 140 owner and will use a Cole corn planter to plant with. I'm needing some row spacing advice. I have a small 3/4 acre garden spot that I will be planting corn, turnips, collards, and squash. When beginning my rows, starting on the left-hand side of the garden, I can go all the way down the row, turn around, and place my right rear tire in the tracks of the right rear tire, and follow it as a guide all the way back up the row. But when I turn around again, with the Farmall 140 (and I'm sure it is the same way for the 130, 100, and A) there is a blind area on the left-hand side. It is hard for me to see the tracks from the left rear tire in order to line them up with the left rear tire so that I can use them as a guide to go back down the row again. What's the trick or technique for lining up and going down the row with the Farmall 140 on the left-hand side so that the row spacing is consistent with following the right rear tire track?

 

[Norm W]

If you start in the middle of the garden section and always turn to the right, the right front tire will be able to follow in a previous tire track.

 

[taylorsrus]

Wow! Thanks Norm! I didn't think of starting in the middle of the garden section. I appreciate the tip!

Robert

 

[kthompson]

Never sat on a Farmall but does it not have "trail sweeps" that remove the tire marks when you plow? If not think it is missing them. But you drop your front tire in the furrow the trail sweep leaves and here is where I think I am right, you probably can feel the front tire in the furrow even if you can not see it. If not turn the sweep down where it leaves sharper sides on the furrow till you do. Normally any time a tractor is using cultivators all trace of tire tracks are removed by the cultivators. this is true with planters also.

 

[JMER817]

We always had an arm on our planters that "drew" a line in the soil that was used as a guide to follow with the tractor

 

[taylorsrus]

Thanks Mr. Thompson. Yes, my tractor has trail sweeps, although I've never heard them called that before. We just call them back plows. The ones that came on my tractor when I bought it, though, don't have very large blades, so they don't leave a very wide furrow, which makes it hard for me to find/keep the left front tire in the furrow. I could lower them some, so they'll leave a deeper furrow, so that once I land the left front tire in the furrow, I'll have a better chance of keeping it in the furrow.

 

[Poopdeck Pappy]

We always had an arm on our planters that "drew" a line in the soil that was used as a guide to follow with the tractor

Same here. It was just a small disc mounted on the end of a long hinged arm. There was one on each side of the planter. When you got to the end of a row and turned around, you pull that one up to the tractor and let the other one fall out to its extended position. Rinse and repeat.

 

[taylorsrus]

Thanks JMER817 and Pappy on the advice about the arms. However, the type a planter I have (Cole) wasn't manufactured, to my knowledge, so that arms like you are referring to can be added to it. This is planter that used to belong to my Dad who passed away a couple years ago. I'm not sure how old it is. I'll have to find out from the manufacturer if arms were an option for it and, if so, could they still be purchased.

 

[kthompson]

Taylorsrus, and the others who have posted: At least my experience with multi row plants yes you have markers like being described. Now on ONE row planters which is what Taylorsrus is using no, never seen row markers. I do realize some of such varies but we were big one row country here with tobacco for many years and the rear most sweep was always set to leave a good strong furrow to drop your wheel in to keep yourself properly spaced and aligned. It is also easier than the marker for adds nothing to the width of the setup. Let me alter this a little: on setups where the tractor wheels are the same width as the rows being planted the rear most sweeps are used as guides where the tires are not as wide as the rows being planted they have to use an arm of some sort as a guide. Now on the arms have seen them where they line up with the center of the tractor (which I do like, does not matter the width of the wheel spacing) and also where they line up with the front wheel for the spacing which does require a certain spacing with the tractor wheels.

Taylorsrus, if following the furrow the advice still is good for you to begin in the middle of the field and keep turning right due to tractor being offset. It is also good even if your tractor is not offset for other wise you must make tight turn or drive out and back up to align for next row. Do take your time to get your rows laid off or planted straight and proper width other wise you will hate yourself when you try to plow them.

 

[kthompson]

This is not the best video on youtube but this gives you the idea on a offset tractor of using the rear sweeps to layoff a row but no reason you cannot lay off while planting. For a garden most people want to plant on a raised bed, you would of course bed and layoff at same time. For those who like a garden see if you can find an old one row tobacco planter, it is best way for plant such a variety as most gardens are. You can set out plants or drop seeds all from the same setup. Will tell you just look up tobacco planter or trans-planter may be more correct term.

I do not suggest the speed this man us running in such a short space. have a blessed Memorial Day weekend