Feature
Spring Planting Prep: Avoiding Downtime and Mistakes
A Maintenance & Setup Guide for Planters, Sprayers & Tillage Tools
By Rachel Witte
When planting season arrives, every hour in the field counts. A breakdown on day one can cost you days of prime conditions and bushels at harvest. The good news is that most springtime equipment failures are preventable. A focused pre-season maintenance routine across your planters, sprayers and tillage tools can keep you moving when the window opens and protect the yield potential you’ ve been planning for all winter.
Planters: Where Precision Starts
Your planter is the most precision-critical implement on the farm. Variability in seed placement and emergence can knock several bushels per acre off your corn yield, and the root cause is often traceable to deferred maintenance on drive chains, seed meters or row unit components.
Start with a thorough cleaning. Vacuum out each row unit and remove residue from seed tubes, fertilizer delivery systems and insecticide hoppers. Seed treatment buildup can throw off vacuum pressure and singulation if it isn’ t addressed before the first fill. If you run a bulk fill system, don’ t overlook the fan and inductor area— dust and debris accumulate there in winter and can restrict seed flow to outer rows.
Next, inspect your seed meters. Check plates or discs for warping, cracks or wear grooves. On vacuum meters, examine dust seals at every hose joint and plate interface; even a small leak degrades singulation. Finger-pickup meters need close attention to stretched springs and cracked fingers. If possible, run your meters on a dealer’ s test stand before heading to the field.
8 | 800-247-2000 | 515-955-1600 | April 2026