Mother Nature has a key role in determining when planting begins, but planting depth also plays a significant role in setting you up for a successful season. Concurrent germination and even emergence are dependent on all seeds being placed at a uniform depth, with consistent soil temperature and field conditions. Planting at the wrong depth can result in uneven emergence, set the stage for poor root growth and possibly affect a farmer’s profitability at harvest. Fortunately, the NK agronomy team has created a checklist to help farmers choose their optimal planting depth.
Five Steps for Achieving an Optimal Corn Planting Depth
- Stop and dig up seed behind the planter to check on planting depth.
- Always check more than one row unit across the planter, as each row unit can vary in performance.
- Spend some time digging as you are planting to get your planter fine-tuned to match your field conditions.
- Remember that a minimum of 1.5 inches is needed to ensure that nodal roots develop properly below the soil surface and to lessen the risk of fertilizer or chemicals applied in the upper-soil surface damaging germinating seeds.
- Target a 1.75- to 2.25-inch depth, which is ideal for most fields. (Adjust to the shallower end of the range for heavy-moisture soils. Consider deeper depths, of up to 3 inches, only when planting in drier, coarse-textured soils or when moisture is variable in the upper 2 inches of soil.)
In addition to these five steps, you’ll also want to consider corn size and planter accuracy to ensure the right combination of plate size and air pressure. With the proper combination, nearly any seed size can be planted accurately.
For more detailed planting depth tips, consult the NK Seeds Solutions Guide — free to you through your NK reseller.
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The Amplifier throughout the growing season.
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