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4:11 pm
November 9, 2010
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Hi everyone:
Even though very few seed packets specify the depth at which particular seeds are to be sown, we have to somehow find out this detail from someone or the other. Actually, for me what follows is a much more difficult problem. How does one ensure that seeds are really sown at the desired depth? I tried various options but found them rather inaccurate. It seems people just go by the 'feel'. But if a certain sowing-depth is specified it must be important to mantain this depth as far as possible. Today I have made a dribbler with adjustable depth of the hole to be created by it. It is very simple and cheap to make. All one needs is a bolt, 2 fitting nuts and a disk with a hole welded to one of the nuts. I took a 6"x3/8" bolt with threading all along its length (because I didn't have one with a shorter threading). The nuts were the right threading & size for my bolt. I took a disk about 1.5" square. The size and shape of the disk is not mandatory. In the centre of the disk I drilled a hole just slightly larger than the opening of the nuts. The disk was then welded on to one of the nuts, taking care that the nut sits exactly at the centre of the hole in the disk. This was necessary so that the nut can move freely on its threading. Now all one needs to do is to assemble the tool as it is shown in the pictures: First wind the free nut (the one without the disk) on to the bolt and then the bolt with the disk, adjusting the length of the bolt below the disk to the required depth of sowing. Hereafter the first nut (called the check nut) is tightened against the disk-nut. This ensures that the sowing-depth does not change while you are working with the tool. Well, now just press the dribbler into the soil till the disk hits the ground. This works almost the same way as the depth guage on many drills available today.You can now sow every seed at the same depth. To re-adjust the depth, just losen the check-nut, adjust the depth with the disk-nut and again tighten the ckeck-nut. I tried out this tool today for sowing Papaya seeds and was quite satisfied. I hope I have been able to explain myself but in case there are doubts please don't hesitate to tell me. Maybe the pictures will explain things better and in fewer words!!! Regards.
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Satish
7:22 pm
March 10, 2011
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Very nice idea : ) ..excellent !
satish wrote ..
Even though very few seed packets specify the depth at which particular
seeds are to be sown, we have to somehow find out this detail from
someone or the other.
you could check at some site having similar seed, & see what they reccommend
i've usually just being sowing by feel. I put the seed in, & sometimes press it in the soil – If the seed is on the larger side.. i press it fully in till itsunder the soil & then i cover with a layer of some medium, …..the amount i cover by feel..is according to whether the recommended depth.. is deep or shallow.
i don't know all the reasons..attatched to the reccomended sowing depth, but some seeds do need darkness to germinate & covering them accomplishes it..
i've wondered too about the sowing depths, which have quite small differences sometimes – need to look more into it.
i've thought about using a toothpic with diff depth markings,.. stick it in, then toss the seed in & cover with vermicompost or sand or whatever till the desired marking.
9:32 pm
November 9, 2010
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Hi Darkstorm:
I am very happy that you liked the idea. And my sincere thanks for the appreciation!
Actually even I have been doing it 'by the feel' or by using a pencil with a ring cut at the appropriate depth. That is why I thought it would be good to have a tool where one could adjust the required depth at the turn of a nut. As far as the necessity of maintaining the correct depth goes I wish to say the following. Agri scientists all around the world put in a lot of hard work to reach certain conclusions for optimum results like the present case of the depth of sowing. I think it would be good for most people to follow such scientific advice unless we have a solid reason to reject it. We don't need an accuracy of fractions of a mm for depth of sowing but if we can maintain the required standard and at the same time make our work easier, we are killing two birds with one stone! I am sure you will agree with me that the more accuracy you adopt from the beginning to the end of any activity, the better your result is likely to be. After all what is the difference between an Ambassador & a Mercedes? It is just a difference in the accuracy either of them maintains right from the metallurgy to the final assembly! Sorry for the divergence. Regards.
Satish
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