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#TechTips | Planting Preseason Checklist

Spring is right around the corner folks – it’s time to start thinking about your planting preseason checklist. The key to any smooth season is early planning and preparation, so we’ve put together a few tips on how to plant success this spring. Click here for your free printable checklist!

Display Information

Your in-cab display is only as useful as you set it up to be. In the months leading up to planting, consider cleaning through the data in your Operations Center account to narrow things down for this crop season. Archive any fields, boundaries, and/or guidance lines you know you won’t be using this spring. Make sure your tractor(s) and planter(s) are visible in your account. Add any seed varieties you’ll be planting that aren’t already in your Product Manager list. Not sure how to get started on your data cleanup? Contact our Precision Ag Support team for assistance! In short, think of all the things you fill out on your display for documentation each time you start planting a new field. The goal is to have as much of this information as possible preloaded with a display setup file, so you can click and go. Go ahead and measure your tractor and planter offset measurements at the same time you load the setup file into the display, so you can have your setup 100% complete.

Plan Early, Plant Early

One of the biggest tips we can give you as a dealer is to connect your planter and tractor EARLY. By doing this, you can ensure all of your electrical, hydraulic, and auxiliary functions work properly, and have plenty of time to make any last-minute repairs. You’ll also want to make sure the planter is level with your tractor after it’s connected. There’s no worse feeling than pulling into the field thinking you’re ready to plant, only to be delayed a day or two for fixes that could have been made weeks before. For those of you with ExactEmerge planters, this also gives you a chance to perform a row unit run off test for each of your rows to begin making performance adjustments.

Crop-Specific Parts

If you already have a plan in place for which fields and crops you’re going to start planting, great! Consider checking the crop-specific parts in your planter and adjusting them now, so you’re ready to hit the field when the time is right. Make sure your seed plates or bowls (depending on planter type) are correct for the crop type you’re starting with. The same goes for action strips, if your planter is equipped with them. Lastly, make sure your double eliminator is set correctly. For conventional planters using ProMax 40 seed plates, the eliminator should cover 1/2 to 3/4 of the hole. Lastly, double-check your talc supply and make sure it matches your planter type. Conventional planters use traditional talc, while ExactEmerge planters require 80/20 talc-graphite blend. Don’t worry, both are available at your nearest Van Wall Equipment location!

The Final Countdown

In the last days before you begin planting, make sure to run through the preseason checklist one final time. Make sure as many of your calibrations as possible are completed, like your GPS receiver TCM (just make sure you don’t remove your receiver after it’s done). Stock the tractor with wrenches, sockets, or any special tools you might need to perform field repairs. Have your field plan ready to go in the cab, and make sure to go over it with any other operators so there’s no confusion. You’ll also want to make sure you have a seed depth tool and tape measure handy for double-checking your seed depth and Section Control performance.

It’s our goal to be your dealer of choice during the 2021 planting season. Reach out to our Parts, Service, Sales, or Precision Ag Support teams for any questions on completing your planting preseason checklist!

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