The original purpose of a seed firmer was to make sure that when the seed was dropped into the furrow or seed trench that it would make it to the bottom of the trench and not get stuck in the sidewalls on the way in.
In heavy soils the sidewalls of the furrow are often compacted by the gauge wheels and the seed can get stuck which creates an air pocket under the seed. This air pocket means that the roots of the plant are not growing down into the soil.
The seed firmer from Flo-Rite™ is designed to add pressure to the seed forcing it to the bottom of the furrow and ensuring that seed has seed to soil contact from underneath.
When paired with a spiked closing wheel like the Copperhead Ag Furrow Cruiser which has the ability to crumble the sidewalls and refirm the loose soil back around the seed from the sides and the top. When seed to soil contact is achieved on all 4 sides the roots of the plant are able to grow in all directions which leads to a healthier plant and increased yields.
Once farmers growing corn realized that the seed firmer was pushing the seed to the bottom of the furrow they decided that adding a liquid tube inside the seed firmer would allow them to add liquid fertilizer directly onto the seed. Adding this fertilizer helps with earlier germination and a bigger yielding crop.
For those growing soybeans, pushing the soybean to the bottom of the furrow allows that seed to access the moisture at the time of planting. Pairing that moisture with seed to soil contact all around the seed leads to an earlier emergence by 3-5 days which reduces the chances of disease pressure on the beans.
If you have any questions about the Flo-Rite™ Seed Firmer, or any of our farmer invented planting solutions, please contact our sales team.