Planting season doesn’t end when the planter leaves the field. During the first 7 to 14 days after planting, you’ll start seeing how the season is shaping up. A quick field check when plants are at VE-V2 can help you spot issues early to protect your investment and help you make more confident management decisions moving forward.
Use this 7-point checklist to evaluate emergence, stand health and early-season performance — and make sure your crop is set up to reach its full potential.
1. Planting depth consistency: Corn should be 2.25 inches deep and soybeans 1.5 inches deep.
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- Dig up 10 to 15 seeds in different rows. Are most seeds at the same depth?
2. Seed spacing and singulation: You should have even spaces with few doubles or skips.
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- Measure spacing between plants in the row (or count doubles/skips). For corn, look for consistent plant-to-plant distance.
3. Emergence uniformity: You want 90% or more of plants emerged within 1 to 2 days of each other.
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- Are most plants at the same growth stage (leaf stage)? If you see a big variation, it’s likely due to poor planting or seedbed issues.
4. Final plant population: You should be within 5% of your target population.
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- Count plants in 1/1,000th acre (17 ft 5 inches in 30″ rows) in several spots.
5. Seed-to-soil contact: Seeds should’ve been pressed firmly into the bottom of the trench.
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- Look for air pockets, loose soil around seeds, or seeds sitting on residue.
