Combines get all the attention, but planters can make or break a grower’s season, says Jay Funke, owner of Del-Clay Farm Equipment in Edgewood.

"Everybody talks about their combines," he said. "They don’t spend a lot of time on their planter."

Funke is working on changing that mindset with his customers, hosting a two-hour planter clinic before planting season each year. He is also featured in a YouTube video for White Planters, explaining how a well-tuned planter can improve yields.

The best time to assess the performance of your planter is after emergence and before the...