The healthy futures prices for crop commodities probably has you chomping at the bit to get into the field and begin no-tilling your crops.

But before you pull that no-till corn planter into the field and set it into the ground, there’s work to do to make sure it will perform at the highest level possible.

When it comes to establishing a uniform stand that’s necessary for maximum yields, you can’t afford any miscues. Following are a few things to consider about setting up your corn planter before dropping that first kernel into the ground.

1. Level Your Planter.

It’s always a good idea to take the no-till planter out into the field a few days prior to planting for a complete checkup. You need to spend enough time to make necessary adjustments, without being pressured to plant.

If the main frame is level from front to back and side to side, the parallel arms should run close to parallel with the ground. This adjustment will optimize the performance of the row cleaners, disc openers and especially the closing system.

Be aware that twin-line, split-row planter frames (such as Kinze Twin-Line planters) may need to be adjusted if the front units are full of seed, compared to when utilizing the rear units for corn only.

2. Remove Coulters.

Most successful no-tillers have removed their coulters. This is a difficult step for some growers, but once they remove one coulter from a planter and see the results, they soon remove them…