Give the drill a complete inspection

Growers with a few days before they expect to start seeding may want to take time to get the drill ready. To start, find a flat dry place to work, and get the drill leveled. The manual should provide instructions. A level drill is important for shallow seeded crops like canola. Also inspect openers, hoses, tank gaskets, meter rollers and manifolds for wear. Check that the electronics work properly and are calibrated. For a detailed summary of drill prep, click here to read a Canola Council of Canada factsheet and click here for an article from the Alberta Reduced Tillage Linkages archive. If you have a new drill, consider seeding wheat or peas first to work out the kinks prior to seeding canola.

Click here for other important jobs to do before seeding.