Homaede Method for those Tiny seeds!

EBCIII · March 7, 2015

I need a homemade method to put those tiny seeds into my seed bed? My eyes even with glasses on and my big fingers. I have a hard time of putting the seeds in my tray. Any method that y'all have come up with I would like to hear it, Beale.

luigiwu · March 7, 2015

people make their own seed mats with the super tiny seeds - like carrots. Using toilet paper and a dab of elmers glue. So you do it in the comfort of a dining table instead of outdoors/windy/dirty/hot/ cold conditions.

Worth1 · March 7, 2015

I keep a toothpick in my mouth and use the wet end to pick up the seed.
I do all my work with the toothpick making holes and covering.
Yes I get seed starting mix or peat in my mouth, I dont care.

Worth

EBCIII · March 7, 2015

Thanks for the answers this is what I need! I have been trying to use my fingers? I like both methods. My Fingers are just to big! Beale.

FarmerShawn · March 7, 2015

For homemade, I use a tool similar to Worth's toothpick, except mine is a whittled stick, so I can grasp it with my sausage fingers. The business end is thicker in diameter than a toothpick, about half the size of a pencil, and it's rounded. Kept moist, it will pick up almost any smallish seed, up to tomato seed size. I use tweezers for bigger ones if I need anything at all. Actually, now if I have a long seeding session, and these days I sometimes do, I use a seeder with a squeeze bulb for suction. It is wonderfully precise and easy to use when seeding lots of flats.

Rfdillon · March 7, 2015

Wooden chopsticks may be helpful.

Glen Bryan · March 7, 2015

I also made own tape and used a wet toothpick to help put them on. A thin line of Elmers glue along one side of the toilet paper, put seeds on, fold over press and done. I tend to be heavy-handed and waste a lot of seed when they're small

EBCIII · March 7, 2015

I want to than all of you for all the good suggestions! I am going to have to try a few of these to find out which works out for me! I had some Oregano seeds and forget it!! I was kinda broadcasting them in the tray, Beale.

Worth1 · March 7, 2015

Those sharp pointed 99 cent bamboo skewers would be the cats meow.
I just tried one.

Worth

Rairdog · March 7, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

Those sharp pointed 99 cent bamboo skewers would be the cats meow.
I just tried one.

Worth

That's what I've always used to plant everything.

Al@NC · March 7, 2015

Tweasers are what I use.

clkeiper · March 7, 2015

I have a small serrated kitchen knife that I dip the tip into a drop of water to pick up the seeds and deposit them where I want them. My knife has a few more uses than the tooth pick or chop stick. Not that it is any better. So use what works for you, but a drop of water is tops for picking up the seeds. your saliva works, but not if you are doing as many as I do. I want to get a vacuum seeder. That would be the cats meow! I seed about 400 flats worth of seeds in a season. Generally the finer the seed the less likely you are to be seeding just one seed anyway. I take a pinch and rub my finger and thumb together and quickly sprinkle a thin row down the tray then I water it in very lightly. this works well for seeds such as lobelia, alyssum, oregano, marjoram etc.

Worth1 · March 7, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by clkeiper

I have a small serrated kitchen knife that I dip the tip into a drop of water to pick up the seeds and deposit them where I want them. My knife has a few more uses than the tooth pick or chop stick. Not that it is any better. So use what works for you, but a drop of water is tops for picking up the seeds. your saliva works, but not if you are doing as many as I do. I want to get a vacuum seeder. That would be the cats meow! I seed about 400 flats worth of seeds in a season. Generally the finer the seed the less likely you are to be seeding just one seed anyway. I take a pinch and rub my finger and thumb together and quickly sprinkle a thin row down the tray then I water it in very lightly. this works well for seeds such as lobelia, alyssum, oregano, marjoram etc.

Thinking of being humped over 400 flats makes my shoulders hurt.

Worth

KarenO · March 7, 2015

The eraser end of a pencil... very high tech.
especially with a bit of spit... gross? maybe but it works

KarenO

bitterwort · March 7, 2015

I find the plastic tool they sell in grocery store produce sections for peeling oranges a very useful tool for planting in plug trays in the house. It makes nice little depressions for holding seeds and its slightly curved tip is useful for moving seeds that don't go to the right place on their own. It's also great for getting rooted plants out of plug trays easily.

March 7, 2015	#1
EBCIII Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: South East Va Zone 7A Posts: 306	Homaede Method for those Tiny seeds! I need a homemade method to put those tiny seeds into my seed bed? My eyes even with glasses on and my big fingers. I have a hard time of putting the seeds in my tray. Any method that y'all have come up with I would like to hear it, Beale.

March 7, 2015	#2
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	people make their own seed mats with the super tiny seeds - like carrots. Using toilet paper and a dab of elmers glue. So you do it in the comfort of a dining table instead of outdoors/windy/dirty/hot/ cold conditions. __________________ Subirrigated Container gardening (RGGS) in NY, Zone 7! Last edited by luigiwu; March 7, 2015 at 01:46 PM.

March 7, 2015	#5
FarmerShawn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,001	Homaede Method for those Tiny seeds! For homemade, I use a tool similar to Worth's toothpick, except mine is a whittled stick, so I can grasp it with my sausage fingers. The business end is thicker in diameter than a toothpick, about half the size of a pencil, and it's rounded. Kept moist, it will pick up almost any smallish seed, up to tomato seed size. I use tweezers for bigger ones if I need anything at all. Actually, now if I have a long seeding session, and these days I sometimes do, I use a seeder with a squeeze bulb for suction. It is wonderfully precise and easy to use when seeding lots of flats. __________________ "Red meat is NOT bad for you. Now blue-green meat, THAT'S bad for you!" -- Tommy Smothers

March 7, 2015	#12
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	I have a small serrated kitchen knife that I dip the tip into a drop of water to pick up the seeds and deposit them where I want them. My knife has a few more uses than the tooth pick or chop stick. Not that it is any better. So use what works for you, but a drop of water is tops for picking up the seeds. your saliva works, but not if you are doing as many as I do. I want to get a vacuum seeder. That would be the cats meow! I seed about 400 flats worth of seeds in a season. Generally the finer the seed the less likely you are to be seeding just one seed anyway. I take a pinch and rub my finger and thumb together and quickly sprinkle a thin row down the tray then I water it in very lightly. this works well for seeds such as lobelia, alyssum, oregano, marjoram etc. __________________ carolyn k

March 7, 2015	#15
bitterwort Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MN Zone4b Posts: 289	I find the plastic tool they sell in grocery store produce sections for peeling oranges a very useful tool for planting in plug trays in the house. It makes nice little depressions for holding seeds and its slightly curved tip is useful for moving seeds that don't go to the right place on their own. It's also great for getting rooted plants out of plug trays easily. __________________ Bitterwort

March 7, 2015	#3
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I keep a toothpick in my mouth and use the wet end to pick up the seed. I do all my work with the toothpick making holes and covering. Yes I get seed starting mix or peat in my mouth, I dont care. Worth

March 7, 2015	#6
Rfdillon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 121	Wooden chopsticks may be helpful.

March 7, 2015	#7
Glen Bryan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 19	I also made own tape and used a wet toothpick to help put them on. A thin line of Elmers glue along one side of the toilet paper, put seeds on, fold over press and done. I tend to be heavy-handed and waste a lot of seed when they're small

March 7, 2015	#11
Al@NC Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Vernon, BC Posts: 720	Tweasers are what I use.

March 7, 2015	#14
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,922	The eraser end of a pencil... very high tech. especially with a bit of spit... gross? maybe but it works KarenO