Evaluating Row Spacing Requirements on your Farm

There are many questions that need to be considered before you select the row spacing for your seeding tool. Environmental conditions, horsepower requirements, weed competition, fertilizer rates and crop residue all need to be accounted for when selecting your machine.  If a grower has clean fields, fertilizes to maximize the return on investment and chooses aggressive varieties, then 12" or greater row spacing can work very well.  In drier areas, wide row spacing, used in conjunction with the Seed Between the Rows system can help conserve moisture.  It also provides a protective environment for the young plants.  In some areas, narrow row spacing with more shanks in the ground can dry out the soil quicker.  There are more plants per square foot to compete, but you are disturbing more soil and helping more weeds germinate.

Weed Control on Wide Rows

Weed Control is a concern on any seeding system.  Weed germination is often triggered by soil disturbance.  Wide row spacing disturbs less ground with each pass, disturbing fewer weed seeds.  Early weed control is essential with wider row spacing, this allows time for the crop canopy to close over the inter row spaces.  A good weed management system will help get the most out of your seeding tool.  Some weeds, such as winter annuals and biennials can be controlled with a pre or post seed chemical application.  Aggressive crop varieties can help control weeds as well.  Plants that germinate and grow quickly will help reduce the impact of weeds in the seed row as well as weeds in the inter row spaces.

Side banding fertilizer can also help control weeds.  In a side band system, the fertilizer is placed near the crop seeds.  This allows them to take advantage of that fertilizer early in their development.  With Mid Row fertilizer placement, the fertilizer is not available to the crop as quickly.  It is available though, to any weeds growing closer to the band that the crop.  Weeds are typically more aggressive and grow faster than grain crops.  Some, like winter annuals, biennials and perennials are established and growing by the time the crop is seeded.  This means that the weeds can take advantage of the mid row fertilizer several days before the crop does.  Wider row spacing may actually help control weeds.  It disturbs less soil and side banding makes less fertilizer available to the weeds.

Fertilizer and Single Side Banding on Wide Rows

Banding fertilizer below and to the side of the seed row provides safety as well as early access to fertilizer.  With Seed Hawk’s seeding system, all of your fertilizer can be placed in the single band.  With a two knife opener the trailing seed knife closes in the trench cut by the fertilizer knife, before the seed is placed on its shelf.  This helps seal the trench to prevent losses from gassing off and volatilization.  By decreasing the movement of fertilizer upward, the two knife system increases crop safety.

Seed Bed utilization is an important factor to consider when discussing row spacing.  In a narrow opener or disk system, with a low seed be utilization, very little fertilizer can be placed with the s seed.  As the quality of the soil increases, the potential problems associated with high rates of fertilizer decrease.  The same is true with moisture, increased moisture increases crop safety.  With the Seed Hawk two knife system, fertilizer is placed far enough away from the seed to be safe, but close enough to provide the benefit of early access to nutrients.

Moisture Savings on Wide Rows

Wide Row spacing can conserve soil moisture in a few ways.  With a narrow opener, on wide row spacing, less trash is disturbed on the soil surface.  This trash helps shield soil moisture from losses due to evaporation.  Less soil disturbance also helps control the number of weed seeds that germinate.  Fewer weeds provide less competition for soil water.  Wide row spacing makes seeding between the rows easier as well.  This leaves more standing stubble in the field.  This standing stubble helps protect the microclimate around the seedlings and the soil surface.  Wind erosion and evaporation are decreased with this system.

A decision on row spacing must be given serious thought.  There are many advantages of a wider row spacing including; weed control, moisture savings and lower horsepower requirements.  A well managed fertility program, good weed control program and good soil help make the best use of the wider row spacing.  These are a few of the questions you can ask when deciding what row spacing is right for you.  There is no short answer to the question “What Row Spacing is the Best?”, but with some thought and planning; there is a row spacing that is right for you.