A thorough cleaning can make sure no rodents chew any electrical components
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
With the planting season (finally) in the rearview mirror, producers may be thinking about putting their planters and seed drills away until next season.
First, however, producers should do a bit more work.
The starting point in a thorough planter storage program is to identify any potential issues, said Brad Nienstadt, a product specialist with Kinze.
“Before our equipment goes away, we make a list of what needs to be done so we can prioritize what we need to do,” he told Farms.com. “Knowing beforehand whether you’re fixing an issue now or later can be critical to parts costing to take advantage of certain discounts at different times.”
Giving the planter a complete cleaning can help remove any debris and prevent unwanted intruders.
Ensuring the equipment is as clean as possible is especially important in wet years like 2019, Niensteadt said.
“Farmers will definitely want to get off all of the mud and debris, which I’m sure there was a lot of given the spring,” he said. “Going through the fields there can be old seed from last year’s harvest, so keeping the planter free of that will reduce potential rodent and pest problems. You don’t want anything chewing on wires and potentially damaging any electrical components.”
Producers may also want to inspect individual row units.
Removing seed meters and giving them a thorough cleansing will help with longevity of the equipment, Niensteadt said.
“Make sure all the seed is out of the internal components and stored off the planter in a container in a rodent-free environment to prevent damage,” he said. “In vacuum meters, you might want to remove the discs to allow any seals and brushes to relax and come back to their natural form.”
Lubricating chains is important as well.
Whether the planter gets washed or not, keeping the chains lubricated will help protect them from temperature and moisture changes, Niensteadt said.