Seeding Practices

When planting at the proper time and into soil that is not too wet, seed should be planted 1.5-inches deep. Row width should be 6 to 8 inches. Planting by bushels per acre is very inaccurate due to variability in seed size from year to year and from one variety to another. Low seeding rates result in inadequate stands and winter injury, while excessively high rates increase lodging and disease severity. 

Do not plant weak-strawed varieties prone to lodging. Calibrate the drill each year for each variety and seed
lot planted. The optimum seeding rate is 1.2 to 1.6 million seeds per acre (18 to 24 seeds per foot in 7.5-inch row width) when planting during the two weeks following the fly-safe date. During the third and fourth week after the fly-safe date, plant 1.6 to 2 million seeds per acre (24 to 30 seeds per foot of row). Do not plant faster than the speed at which the drill was calibrated. The number of seeds per pound and germination rates are critical factors that need to be known before a proper seeding rate can be determined and the drill calibrated. This information should be listed on the bag of seed. The information in Tables 6-1 and 6-2 can be used to calibrate grain drills accurately. 

Table 6-1: Pounds of Seed Needed to Plant From 1.6 to 2 Million Seeds Per Acre With Seed of Varying Size. 

Table 6-2: Seeds Per Foot of Row for Different Row Spacings and Target Seeding Rates.

*At 15-inch row width, 25 seeds per foot of row is recommended.