This simple guide helps you learn and understand how a seeder works, what types of seeders exist, and give ideas on which seeder is best for your nursery.
There are many types of seeders with their own specialties. Every garden or nursery may own one or more of these types. Here are the common types:
Nurseries use different kinds of seeders depending on the seeds they need to sow. Different types of seeders have been designed in the market place to suit specific applications but sometimes, diffent seeds call for different machines. That is why the seeders mentioned below are made with a combination of machine designs and parts that work as a whole. This tends to makes them more efficient for a variety of seeds than purpose built equipment..
The common types of these “combined” machines are the bar seeders and the drum seeders. Such seeders are made of different parts so that the seeder can do the work from planting to watering in the one production line. The end products are trays of seeds waiting to be transferred to the hot houses for germination.
A bar seeder is a seeder that moves trays containing soil along a transport belt. The transport belt transfers the trays from one machine part to another.The dibbling unit then creates holes in the soil and then places the seeds in the holes created. (The action of creating such holes is called dibbling or dibble.)
After placing the seeds in the holes, the vermiculite dispenser then covers the holes with Vermiculite and perlite (Vermiculite and perlite are materials used to help with the moisture retention and soil aeration).
Finally, the watering unitwaters the seeds and the seeds (on the trays) are then ready for transfer to the green house.
1. Dibbling Unit
It is a device that dibbles the cells of a tray. It creates uniform holes or dibblesbefore seeding.
2. Drum for Vermiculite (Vermiculite Dispenser)
After the seeds are sown, the dispenser dispenses vermiculite. The use of vermiculite is ideal for the germination of seeds due to its water holding abilities.
3. Watering Unit
The watering bar waters the seeds with the exact amount needed. It is precise and accurate compared to manual watering.
The drum seeder is a machine that creates a hole on the soil otherwise called as “dibbling”.
It then places the seed in the hole and then covers it with vermiculite, perlite, sand, peat, water, and stacks.
The drums are changeable where you can make it plant various types of seeds into various types of trays.
This type has an electronic speed control on the transport conveyor belt. The sowing drums are allowed many seeds per hole without having to change the drum. (A transport conveyor belt is responsible for transferring the tray to other parts of the seeder. It is designed like a belt with pulleys. It moves in a continuous loop.)
2. Double drum sowing heads
This type of drum allows seeds to be arranged in astaggered cell pattern. (A staggered cell pattern is a kind of arrangement or order. Cells are the spaces in the tray where the soil and seeds are placed.)
This type of drum allows three different types of seed for sowing. This is recommended for sowing flowers with different colors.
Both seeders are very important because they can save time and energy.
If you want to use a seeder for sowing seeds of the same kind in one sitting, then the best bet would be the bar seeder. However, if you want to plant a variety of seeds in one sitting, then use a drum seeder.
Depending on what is needed, one may get a type of seeder (as mentioned in the Types of Seeders) which suits the needs of the nursery.
Sowing of seeds were difficult and tiring but thanks to the invention of seeders, success in sowing seeds is easier to achieve. Seeders are definitely a must have for horticulturists, gardens, greenhouses and the like.