Spacing for Corn and Beans Using a No-till Drill

By GrowingDeer,

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Grant,

Love all of your episodes.  In the episode No Till Planting and Turkey Hunts (GDTV 24) I noticed you were planting with a no-till drill.  What spacing do you use for your corn and soybeans?  I have acquired corn and beans from the NWTF and this will be the first year I will plant them.  I plan on renting a drill from the local MFA and do not have much experience using them.

Thanks,

Derek (Lebanon, MO)

Derek,

I used to rent a no-till drill in Taney County until I was blessed enough to purchase a used unit.  My drill has 7.5” row spacing.  I plant soybeans using a 7.5” spacing.  I block off, using cardboard, every other down spout and plant corn on a 15” row spacing.  The only reason I do this for corn is that the meter on my drill (and all brands of no-till drills I’ve used) is such that if I don’t block off every other row, it will crack and kill a portion of the corn seed.  By blocking off every other row, each meter must be opened wider to plant the same amount of corn per acre.

Growing Deer together,

Grant