# Make your own simple seeder for a small garden



## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

I didn't want to hijack the Earthway thread, but if you have a small garden and/or not a lot of money, you can make a simple seeder to keep from having to bend over all the time.

Materials:
empty plastic quart sized engine oil container
10' length 3/4" PVC pipe
3/4" PVC T joint
3/4" PVC pipe joiner
5' stick that will fit *very* loosely in the pipe
small coffee can with lid
duct tape
magic marker
saw to cut the pipe
knife to cut the oil container
sandpaper

Cut the oil container about 3" down from the screw top.
You will be using the top part of the container. The screw threads on it will be just a little too large to fit in the 3/4" pipe joiner. Sand the threads only until you can _force_ it all the way in.

Find your comfortable working height, roughly about breast high for most people. Cut a section of the PVC pipe this length less about 6" (to account for the oil can top and the T you'll put at the bottom). This will be the vertical pipe.

Insert the pipe into the other end of the coupler that has the oil can top forced in. This will be the top of the tool

Put the straight-through part of the T fitting on the other end of the pipe. If you want, uses some putty to block the entrance to the T to keep seeds from entering it.

Cut another section of pipe 12" long, and a third section 3' long. Use the magic marker to mark each of these with common measurements - the first with 4" 6" 8" 10" 12" and the other 1' 18" 2' 30" 3'

Duct tape the coffee can to the about 4" below the oil can, with the open end of the coffee can pointing up. Save the lid for the can, you'll be using it.

Do NOT glue the pipe sections together, at least until you have used it a few times. Pressure fit should hold them together.


OK, now, how to use this contraption. Say you want to plant beans. I plant bush beans 1' apart and put three seeds in each hole. They seem to like this and usually all three seeds will sprout and produce.

First thing I do is to prep the row, then use a water hose to line out where the actual row will go, giving me a nice straight row.

Then I take my homemade seeder, insert the 1' long measuring section in the T, pour my beans into the coffee can, and insert the stick into the vertical pipe.

Starting at one end of the row, I put three seeds in the top, where they fall down the pipe. I then use the stick to give three taps to push the beans a little into the soil. Lift the tool, using the measuring pipe to go the 12" and repeat.

There is no stooping, the seeds are handy, the tapping clears any dirt that can get it the pipe. If you stop, just put the can lid on to keep from spilling the beans. 

When I finish planting my row, I lift up the hose, use the nozzle to water the row in (but not the sides where weeds will grow) and walk back down the row, moving the hose out and off to the side, ready to lay out the next row.

When planting squash, I change the measuring pipe to the longer one. If I need a six foot spread, I just flip the end over itself.

Disadvantages - 

This is still a by-hand task and isn't as fast as a rotary seeder. 

You may need a different container for really small seeds

You control the depth partly by the tapping and partly by raking soil over the seeds, rather than having a uniform depth.

Advantages -

No stooping or bending

Accurate placement of seeds

Low cost - should be less than $5 to build

Easy to use

Change height to custom fit your own comfort zone by cutting a different length vertical section of pipe 

Takes up little space.

If you make one of these, please give full credit by calling it a Harry Chickpea Seeder - I have some other more involved tools I'm working on, and I need to establish the name. Thanks. Also, how about a picture and a review if you make one?


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## lickcreek2 (Dec 15, 2009)

I'm always interested in tools that make my life easier! I will be showing your instructions to DH, but have to admit, I am not so great in the imagination department.
Do you have any pictures you can post so I can wrap my head around this idea?


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

I'll try to take one or two tomorrow.


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## Marcia in MT (May 11, 2002)

Thanks, Harry! We've been doing something like this for years with a length of pvc, but your additions sound great. Especially the idea for tamping the seeds into the soil before you remove the planter!


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## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

Could you post some pictures of your seeder. I just can't get my mind around your direction without pictures.


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## Rita (May 13, 2002)

We've been using a length of PVC pipe and a coffee can taped to the top to hold the seeds and it is simplicity itself and works great!


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

This is the planter. The image is a 3D image for use with those red and blue glasses.

The stick on the left goes in the vertical pipe. Seeds are dropped in the blue part at the top. The bulk seed or packet sits in the taped on coffee can. The pipe at the bottom going off to the right is the measuring tool to tell how far apart things are being planted.










The top:









The bottom (in 3D with the glasses):


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