Planting corn with the JD 71

[Oleozz]

I bought the 71 last spring and it's in good shape, it's missing a fertilizer box but thanks to Farmwithjunk I now have a parts manual and know what to order.
One of the things I've learned about using the 71 is seed bed prep is critical. It's a great planter and does what it's supposed to do but sometimes its owner is lacking in the necessary skills to make it perform the way it should, but each year things get a bit easier.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I bought the 71 last spring and it's in good shape, it's missing a fertilizer box but thanks to Farmwithjunk I now have a parts manual and know what to order.
One of the things I've learned about using the 71 is seed bed prep is critical. It's a great planter and does what it's supposed to do but sometimes its owner is lacking in the necessary skills to make it perform the way it should, but each year things get a bit easier.

I have never seen a 71 planter with fertilizer boxes. I have one and that is the major drawback I see with these planters. If you get yours retrofitted with fertilizer boxes, please post pics and information about costs, ease (or lack thereof) of attaching them etc., in other words, all the particulars. I would like to have fertilizer boxes on mine as well.

By the way, I envy you guys with cabs in this hot weather. When the weather is nice, I'd just as soon be out in it, but in the heat give me some good AC.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

I bought the 71 last spring and it's in good shape, it's missing a fertilizer box but thanks to Farmwithjunk I now have a parts manual and know what to order.
One of the things I've learned about using the 71 is seed bed prep is critical. It's a great planter and does what it's supposed to do but sometimes its owner is lacking in the necessary skills to make it perform the way it should, but each year things get a bit easier.

Lookin' good! For some reason, most of the original end users of #71's didn't use integral fertilizer attachments, choosing to broadcast fertilizer before planting and side dress post- emerge. (Including me...) I've only seen a couple planters with dry fertilizer units. You MIGHT find a fert. box for a #25 Deere unit planter in a salvage yard, but they're scarce too. #25's were vaguely simular. Yetter doesn't offer fertilizer attachments for their rendition of the 71 either.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

Lookin' good! For some reason, most of the original end users of #71's didn't use integral fertilizer attachments, choosing to broadcast fertilizer before planting and side dress post- emerge. (Including me...) I've only seen a couple planters with dry fertilizer units. You MIGHT find a fert. box for a #25 Deere unit planter in a salvage yard, but they're scarce too. #25's were vaguely simular. Yetter doesn't offer fertilizer attachments for their rendition of the 71 either.[/QUOTE

Farmwithjunk: What attachment do you use to side dress post emerge? Do you use dry or wet fertilizer?

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Lookin' good! For some reason, most of the original end users of #71's didn't use integral fertilizer attachments, choosing to broadcast fertilizer before planting and side dress post- emerge. (Including me...) I've only seen a couple planters with dry fertilizer units. You MIGHT find a fert. box for a #25 Deere unit planter in a salvage yard, but they're scarce too. #25's were vaguely simular. Yetter doesn't offer fertilizer attachments for their rendition of the 71 either.[/QUOTE

Farmwithjunk: What attachment do you use to side dress post emerge? Do you use dry or wet fertilizer?

Don't have it anymore since I'm not growing corn any longer(other than sweet corn in the garden) but I did have a Deere RG4 cultivator with Gandy side-dressers mounted on it. I'd plow down N, broadcast multi-purpose fert, then usually side dress with Ammonium Nitrate once crop was several inches tall. Maybe not the best way every year, but I had good results most years.

Last couple years I did a corn crop I tried liquid N. I used a John Blue applicator that was rented from our co-op. So-so results in a bad growing year both times.

 

[Oleozz]

I was at a friends house last night looking at his older JD tractors, one was a 630 and the other I believe was a 520, he said both 2 cylinders but he had a two row JD planter sitting behind his 630. It had two fertilizer boxes exactly like I need and also had a herbicide and a pesticide box behind the corn bins. I forget the model but some nite when he's sound asleep I'll slip down to his farm and.............!!

 

[BlacknTan]

Oleozz,
That sure is a pretty Setter in your avatar!!

I never let a Setter pic slip by..... And, my name does not refer to the beverage!

 

[Dascro]

FarmwithJunk,

When you used liquid N, did you plow it in, put it on pre-emergent or after thr corn was up and growing? I grow sweet corn and a little field corn and need to add some N. The corn is up (about 10" high) and I am wondering if applying liquid N now would burn the corn.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[Farmwithjunk]

FarmwithJunk,

When you used liquid N, did you plow it in, put it on pre-emergent or after thr corn was up and growing? I grow sweet corn and a little field corn and need to add some N. The corn is up (about 10" high) and I am wondering if applying liquid N now would burn the corn.

Thanks,
Dave

I knifed it in. 10" corn would be a little risky. I'd suggest side dressing with a general purpose fert, maybe one with a higher N count and keep it a few inches from the plant.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I was at a friends house last night looking at his older JD tractors, one was a 630 and the other I believe was a 520, he said both 2 cylinders but he had a two row JD planter sitting behind his 630. It had two fertilizer boxes exactly like I need and also had a herbicide and a pesticide box behind the corn bins. I forget the model but some nite when he's sound asleep I'll slip down to his farm and.............!!

Oleozz....Not sure but I don't think those fertilizer boxes would fit on your 71. I'd hate for you to get a rear end full of buckshot trying to "borrow" them late one night. Better make sure before you do something drastic.

 

[Dascro]

Thanks FarmwithJunk,

I was concerned that the corn was a little too high to apply liquid N from a conventional sprayer. Do you think if I were able to apply it low near the base of the stalk without getting it on the leaves or stalk I would be OK?

I appreciate your advice.

Dave,

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Thanks FarmwithJunk,

I was concerned that the corn was a little too high to apply liquid N from a conventional sprayer. Do you think if I were able to apply it low near the base of the stalk without getting it on the leaves or stalk I would be OK?

I appreciate your advice.

Dave,

OK? MAYBE... But even a small amout of drift and you'll get a burn. Foliar application of N on corn is risky at best in ideal conditions with the right timing. 10" is WAY past "right timing".

Tee-Jet sells "drops" that replace spray nozzles. They extend (18" if I recall) down between rows to apply product at ground level. Possibly they could be used, but I'd be leary of that too. Once corn passes the 3rd leaf stage it gets mighty touchy about fertilizer application from my experience.

 

[Dascro]

FarmwithJunk,

Thanks for your advice. I do appreciate it.

Yeah, that's what I thought. Bummer. I have a way to apply liquid N low, but nothing to side dress it with conventional fert. Its not that I have a lot of acreage, but enough to make it very time consuming to side dress it manually.

But just thinking as I am typing, I may be able to use the planter which has fert boxes and just run that along side the rows. That would put fert down and the spacing would work out perfect. Hey, maybe that would solve my problem?

Dave

 

[Oleozz]

Oleozz,
That sure is a pretty Setter in your avatar!!

I never let a Setter pic slip by..... And, my name does not refer to the beverage!

Thanks, I raise and train English setters. Do you have Gordons? They are great dogs in my estimation but I've only worked with a few over the years.
If you get the chance let me hear about your dogs.

 

[Oleozz]

Oleozz....Not sure but I don't think those fertilizer boxes would fit on your 71. I'd hate for you to get a rear end full of buckshot trying to "borrow" them late one night. Better make sure before you do something drastic.

Tnhobbyfarmer----When I bought my 71 it previously had a fertilizer box on it but the owner had bought if for the purpose of getting the box. He has a big sweet corn business and had a good planter but no box so he took the box off and then resold the planter to me. There is a local place called Wengers that specializes in older parts but I haven't called them yet.
My friend who has the older tractors and planter at his place is an excellent shot so I think I will shuttle my plans.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

The method you described where you offset the planter and use it's fertilizer drop is the way my grandfather always sidedressed his corn. It worked just fine IF you have enough clearance.