Spring planting season is almost here and farmers are making final planter adjustments. Planter setup is critical because “The sins of planting will haunt you all season” according to Ozzie Luetkemeier, Purdue farm Manager. Here are a few planter setup tips: First, leveling the planter starts at the hitch. Make sure the tractor tires are properly inflated for the ideal hitch height. High tractor tires may require an adjustment on the hitch pin to keep the planter level. Planters need to be level in all directions. Parallel arms should be level in the planting position to maximize benefits of downward spring pressure. Check parallel arms with a level all three ways: up and down, across the arms, and perpendicular. Check that planter boxes and fertilizer units are level and the planter frame are correctly set (check owner’s manual). A level planter is critical for ideal planting.  Second, take some measurements. The planter frame should be 20-21 inches off the soil surface. Many plan...