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first time soybean grower needs some advice

G

G.Fields

Member
I have 2 choices to plant beans this year. My White 5400 4rn planter, or I can rent a TYE drill with 3.5in spacing. I'm digging in my manual now to see if I can even get enough pop. With the planter. My thoughts are to plant the field then come back and split the rows giving me 15 in rows. Will the tractor running over the rows compact the soil to much when I go back to split the rows? Should I just get as close to 100k pop. As I can and stay with 30in rows or should I block some rows off on the drill to get 7in or 14in rows. This is only gonna be 10 acres to see if beans are worth fooling with. I can sell corn in town to feed stores, but have to haul beans 60mi one way to sell. On paper it works out but ill never know till I try. Thanks in advance for the help.
 
Why not just hire a neighbor to plant the 10 acres, at the row spacing you want. Or slide the tongue over on your drawbar, so the planter will plant between the other rows. Thus not packing the ground on the previously planted rows.
 
We plant most of our beans with a drill on 7.5in rows. Last year we planted some with 30in planter. Planted straight and then at an angle as to not drive on planted row continuously. It worked well. Biggest problem of 30in beans in our area is weed control. It takes too long for beans to shade the rows. I"m in Southern IL.
 
The drill will need to plant 180000-200000 population, at least in my neck of the woods in NWIA. Row planter needs 140000-160000 pop. If you have to rent the drill you are just as well off having it custom planted. You won't be familiar with a rented drill and you might have all 10 acres planted before you realize you've made a mistake with something. Some guys around here still plant beans in wide 38" rows. In 38" rows the beans just don't shade the ground as quick so weed pressure might be a little more.
The amount of yield reduction from the wide rows is debateable. Around here drills were popular for awhile, but they faded away in favor of the row planter. One of the reasons doesn't have anything to do with yield, but more with farm size.Jim
 
One little bit of advice is if your field has not had soybeans, alfalfa or any legume on it in the past several years I would be sure to inoculate the seed before you plant. Personally, I would go way up over the 100,000 rate. In our area (Michigan) 150,000 would be the norm. Most any row width 30 inches and under seems to yeild well. Hope this helps and good luck.
 
Seems a lot of hassle to rent a drill for ten acres. Neighbor offsets the hitch and adjusts the markers so when he turns back and follows the marker guide he overplants in 15 inch rows. I've tried to overplant 15 inch rows without following a marker track. Worked OK but not pretty and certainly didn't often split the rows; the second pass rows wandered back and forth between the previously planted rows. We currently drill at 15 inch and last year cut back population from 160,000 to 140,000. Several heavy rains after drilling and ground crusted pretty bad. Should have remained at the higher population. Drilling in 30 inch rows might be OK using only 100,000, but certainly more risk if using narrrow rows. Not a chance I would do it at either 3.5 or 7 inches. Based on my experience last year I also wouldn't do it at 15 inches. Unless no chance of crusting or you have irrigation, I wouldn't risk 15 inch rows with a planter at only 100,000 population. Thirty inch rows OK.
 
What fixerupper said applies here as well. Grain drill needs higher population since depth control does not match a planter. I"ve used 150,000 last three years with 30 inch rows, used to go 160-170. Innoculant is NEEDED on first year beans. 100,000 is simply waaay to weak, no matter the implement. Beans compensate somewhat for population, but 100 is too low.
 
30in rows, 140-150,000 pop. innoculate if it hasn't been beans. plant roundup ready long season beans. spray twice
 
I used a john deere B8 drill on my 20 acres did great had 50 bush beans on dry land, sold land now want to sell drill 1000. very good condition no rust in hoppers and good loading boards
 
You need to check with your seed dealer as they are getting some wild yeilds on 30in rows he will know about your soil and your prep.
 
I get about the same yields at 10" drilled or 36" planted. Run 220,000 drilled and 185,000 on planted. We have planted and split the rows with no compaction troubles.
 
Been drilling mine at about 210,000 per acre. Considering that my drill was built in 1922 my yeilds haven't been bad at all. I tried planting 36" rows once in a really weedy spot and wasn't happy with yields at all. Maybe the planter would have been OK it I'd doubled up on the rows, but I didn't. Just my experience. Spray with Round up a couple of times if needed and don't be afraid to go out and spot spray whgere needed with a backpack sprayer. It's just work and time, and that's about all I hsve.
 
What I did for years is to cross plant the beans. I would plant them normal and then go back over them at an angle. You need a final population of about 150K. So set your planter for 75K and just double plant them.

If you just have a small acreage to do you can be done while you try to rent something to do them with.
 

On 10" spacing, we seed 220,000 ppa. Innoculate seed, even if beans have been there before - it will still increase yeild. Run a rock roller over your field after seeding, your combine header slide on the ground much better and the combine won't be eating rocks. Roundup beans, suitable for your area- consult variety trials. Good luck!
 
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