I have a snap-coupler two row planter I've been working on for quite a while now. I'm getting close to having it together and ready to plant some sweetcorn. What I need to know is; Is there a chart somewhere that explains how to set the population? There are nine sprockets total, might be more. I only have the ones on the planter.

Also, if you have suggestions for pop. per acre that would be great.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, Mike.

I always plant sweet corn at around 12 to16 thousand. Sweet corn is a bush and needs more room than old field corn that has only a single stalk.

We grew sweet corn for Stoakley-van camp and always went for 16 thousand for the variety they sent us,--it wasnt quite as bushy so closer was o.k. on it.

Set up your planter on concrete drive or hard surface and put in a plate, some seed, then pull a few feet, ---check distance for spacing and adjust from there. different varieties will require way different settings so no set charts will do you any good. you have to set by seed size, AND shape! I have some RR varieties that I have to plant by hand!---NASTY seed shape and size wont work in a planter!

Seed dropped in 10 revs (lbs of seed)/AREA= X/LARGER area, and solve for x

PaulB wrote: The operators manual has a population chart and much more. Anyone that has a tractor or any implement should have the companion operators manual.

Paul, I have a manual, have looked through it several times, only 'chart' I find is about different plates available. I have not found anything about setting the gearing for the seed drive.

Shameless, Dave, thanks for the ideas. I think there is probably info on the net about this, will do some looking.

This is the way they taught us to calibrate planters/drills in the Plant and Soil Science Dept. in college. 

Here's a little update on this planter. I bought it from Don Bradley three years ago, (I think). He asked me how I was going to haul it home. My big trailer was tied up so I said snowmobile trailer. Well, he took it apart so it would fit. Wound up hauling it on my uncle's car trailer so it wouldn't have needed to come apart but hindsight you know. It came with a parts planter too. So for about the last year and a half it's been taking up a bay in the garage. Decided this year I'm getting this thing together and out of here!

It will be a nice tribute to Don to plant my sweetcorn with it.

 Very nice! Don would be tickled too!

Thanks for posting the picture.

Regards,

 Chris

I planted 25--30 acres of corn every year in the 1950-1970 years with my WD and that exact model planter. Got in trouble when one split boot got blocked up and had one row of corn missing for a few rows. Sold it about 3 yrs ago to a Mennonite church organization, it went to a country in Africa. Had it hanging on the wall in the upstairs of the barn for many years.

Dose this ever bring back good memories!

That population will give you a nice stand. I liked 9-10 inches between stalks with 30" rows, always had nice sweetcorn. Be sure to have good weed control.

Kenny L. wrote: Mike, on page 33 in my manual has the chart to set the seed spacing up if your don't have this I'll try and get  picture of it if you need it. my manual is for rear-mounted drill planter form tm-18c. HTH Kenny L.

Kenny, that would be great! Page 33 of my manual has a chart of "commonly used seed plates".

I may get this thing out of the shed and on the WD I'm going to use to plant with. Hopefully get some seed in the boxes and check the spacing.

I'm really ready for warm weather!

Kenny, the drive gear I have is 12-15 tooth. Driven gear has 7-10-14 tooth. If you have gears with different tooth count I would be interested.

I planted 4 rows yesterday, will be interesting to see the spacing. It is last years seed so germination could be an issue. I need to order some new. After all the hours getting this thing ready it probably only took two minutes to plant.