Row Spancing

[ado089]

Klause, what did you learn on your row spacing trial? Now that I'm set up for top dressing Im considering going to a disc unit on 7.5" for cereals and peas. What's other peoples experience with that?

[bucket]

What kind of disc?

[ado089]

Probably a flexi coil or case.

[bucket]

The only thing about a narrower spacing is that your crop canopies and if it's wet you may be buying more spray than expected and it may not reach where you want it. JMHO.

[farmaholic]

Buy 80 -100 plus feet on 15-18 inch spacing. Only way to go, if the drill is still too big pull every third or fourth shank till you can pull it. Don't you know that's the new way. Keep widening those shank spacings until the biggest team of horses can pull it. We'll build it as big as your ego. Come up with every plausible excuse in the book to justify wider row spacings. To hell with agronomy, bragging rights mean more.....

[Hopperbin]

We know what klause will say. Where he is in question. Either on wife or trucking the 9 hour one way to altona.

[farmaholic]

In the klausette or in the Kenworth young and ambitious either way..... maybe both, truck have a bunk?

[farmaholic]

I hope he isn't in a Pete.....

Okay I'll quit. Get back to the serious subject of row spacing....

[JDGreen]

Last thing I would do is narrow up pulse spacing In peas or lentils.. Not a smart idea in my opinion

[ado089]

I'm not afraid on peas. Lentils I would never tighten up.

[JDGreen]

Ado have been 8-9-10 and now 12 spacing.. What is your thinking with regards to peas? Personally I would not go back from where I started

[sumdumguy]

Farmoholic, do you reduce seed rate on wider spacing?

[farmaholic]

My post was purely sarcastic....

My practice is to seed using the 1000 kernel weight formula. I usually aim for the mid range of recommended plants/sq.ft. I use a Bourgault on 10 inch spacing with a two inch spread tip and mid row weed feeders. No split apps like some guys are doing in Agriville.

[ado089]

I find with peas the more you can jam into a sqft before they actually touch each other the better. For cereals I want to bump my plant count and aim for more consistent tillering and shorter straw. I think the wider spacing served us well to get where we are but if we want to keep pushing we need better seed bed utilization. Plus 1 on 12 leaves alot of real estate for weeds to grow.

[farmaholic]

Agreed on SBU. 10 inches is kind of a happy medium. I can't change seeding units every time there is a change is dry/wet cycles. Ya I know wider keeps the canopy drier longer (as long as those lush lentils and peas stay standing) canola will fill the spaces, its opportunistic. Cereals will gradually fill too. The only time the canopy may not close here is in droughtier conditions, then it doesn't matter anyway. Another thing that is a game changer for some (me included) is the guys who still do some swathing, narrower is better. Fert placement, the wider the spacing the more concentrated if your putting it all on at seeding time, unless your split applying somehow. And then there is the weeds, most of you probably don't even know what those are. Field finish, wow some drills are brutal.