Planting Frequently Asked Questions

The type of equipment farmers utilize for planting largely depends on the size of their operation and the crop being planted. A planter model and individual row options are typically chosen based on factors like acreage required to plant, crop type, available tractor size to pull the planter, topography of the land, soil type, desired speed of planting, preferred technology, and the level of investment the farmer wishes to put into the machine. Occasionally the size of the planter is large enough that it requires a new or larger tractor to pull it. 

If you are planting a crop, deciding if you need a planter or a seeder to plant the crop is one of your first decisions. Planters are typically used for row crops, while seeders are used to plant small grains and grasses. The main difference between the two is how the seeds are distributed. In planters, an individual seed is distributed into a singular hole in the seed furrow at a designated depth and row width, typically via a seed disc and tube. In contrast, a seeder delivers seeds mechanically, via air, or gravity to the ground. Finally, the seed is compacted into the soil to help ensure good ground to seed contact. 

Outside of the specific act of planting, farmers may need to prep their fields before planting by utilizing tillage, manure handling, or chemical applicator equipment to improve their soil health and condition.

Tractor Zoom currently features over 3538 pieces of planting equipment for sale from dealers and auctioneers around the country. Narrow down your search with our easy-to-use filters to find the exact make/model you’re looking for or view only the planting equipment in your state. From there, sort your search results based on what is closest to you, what has been most recently added, and much more.

You can access a full list of dealers that have planting equipment for sale in your region or state on Tractor Zoom.

Tractor Zoom partners with 720 auctioneers and 1747 dealer locations across the country. We feature all auctioneers in your region or equipment dealers near you that sell planting equipment on our website or you can simply complete a search for planting equipment and results will automatically populate with available planting equipment for sale that is closest to you.

Tractor Zoom is not a bank but we do help facilitate financing and loans for planting equipment with our industry-leading lenders. Compare loan interest rates and terms for your planting equipment purchase from multiple lenders so you can select the best financing option that meets your unique needs.

According to our database of over $20B in equipment sales, the following are the top 10 pieces of planting equipment based on the number sold at an auction or dealership since we started collecting data in 2017:

1. John Deere 7000

2. John Deere 1770

3. Kinze 3600

4. John Deere 1790

5. John Deere 1720

6. John Deere 7200

7. John Deere 7100

8. John Deere 1760

9. John Deere 1775NT

10. John Deere 750

The value of your planting equipment can vary based on its category, make, year, number of rows, and acres planted, among many other factors that are specific to the model. Understanding what equipment is worth is a challenge many farmers come across. In fact, 82% of the farmers we surveyed said it was their #1 pain point when buying and selling farm equipment.

With that challenge in mind, Tractor Zoom built a feature called Equipment Lists, which allows farmers to quickly and accurately gauge the value of their planting equipment (for FREE) based on its unique specifications. We leverage over $20B in equipment sales, and update our transaction data weekly, so farmers always have up-to-date auction and retail values to gauge what their planting equipment is worth in near, real-time.