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  • From: "ERIC SIMMS" <ourfamilyfarm AT email.msn.com>
  • To: "market farming" <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: More on Earthway precision seeder troubles
  • Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 15:27:59 -0800


Susan,
I would try a smaller plate for the beets as some of the seeds seem to ba
smaller as with the corn you were seeding. I use a plate that the hole is
just large enough for the seed to pass through regardless of the label on
the plate. Sometime if you use a smaller amount of seed in the hopper you
will pickup fewer seeds also as the plate passes through fewer seeds. I was
frustrated at first but with so many more experienced growers using them I
knew they had to work so I put my mind work and experimented and have
learned a great deal.
Eric
----- Original Message -----
From: Susan Truxell Sauter <ssauter2 AT wvu.edu>
To: market farming <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Sent: Friday, March 31, 2000 11:48 AM
Subject: More on Earthway precision seeder troubles


> Hi Eric & all again,
>
> Yes, I have the optional plates. I did only have 1 oz of onion seed
> in the hopper. Just now, another frustrating experience--I put 1 oz
> of chioggia beet seed in the hopper with the beet plate and it
> wants to pick up 6 at a time, this tried on the concrete basement
> floor. One ounce of beet seeds is way more in the hopper than 1 oz of
> onion seeds. I appreciate the thought about the pea germination rate.
> It does seem that you are saying my problem is
> a trashy seed bed. But why then does it not even work on my
> basement floor with the beet seeds?
> Thanks again. It's nice to know there are others out there
> with the same struggles.
>
> Susan
>
> At 01:56 PM 3/31/00 -0800, you wrote:
> >Hello,
> >I use the Earthway seeders also and have had trouble with a "trashy"
seedbed
> >but with patience you can use it in a less than desirable bed with larger
> >seeds.
> > I have found that using so many pea seeds makes up for poor germination
> >typical of these seeds (85%) and lends a hand in support of other plants
to
> >keep the peas off of the ground if you don't use a trellis.
> >You have to have enough seeds in the hopper for the plate pickup points
to
> >reach the seeds in the case of your onions. Do you have the optional
plates?
> >this adds to the tools versatility.
> >
> >Eric Simms
> >Our Family Farm
> >Garfield Ga.
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: Susan Truxell Sauter <ssauter2 AT wvu.edu>
> >To: market farming <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
> >Sent: Friday, March 31, 2000 10:11 AM
> >Subject: Earthway precision seeder troubles
> >
> >
> >> Hello,
> >>
> >> For those of you experienced using this seeder, can you share with
> >> me/us your troubleshooting tips? I've been nothing but frustrated
> >> with what seems to be an incredibly cleverly designed little gadget.
> >> However, these are my unsatisfactory experiences so far:
> >> 1. Lays down way too much corn seed (sugar enhanced so it's shrivelled)
> >with
> >> the seed plate. Gonna try taping some holes on the pea plate and see
> >> if that is any better.
> >> 2. Onion seed plate will not pick up onion seeds in the hopper. Did
> >> the dishwashing liquid thing in case it was a static electricity
> >> problem...still to no avail. (even after trying a test run along the
> >> basement floor indoors.) Had to broadcast the seed.
> >> 3. Pea plate lays down way too many sugar snap peas. Tried smaller
> >> pea plate. Same thing. Finally tried chard plate which looked like
> >> it was the right size. But in the garden, again, either laid down
> >> too many or none at all.
> >>
> >> One thing I'm wondering--does the seed bed have to be incredibly smooth
> >> for this thing to work properly? If so, then it probably always will
> >> be the wrong tool for my gardens. I just don't like to chew the soil
> >> up like that. Hmmm..., maybe I'm gonna have to though--planting 3
> >> pounds of sugar snap peas by hand hurt my 'peapickin' back--to borrow
> >> a signature line phrase of an earlier writer. Also, how full does the
> >> hopper have to be for the thing to pick up seeds? Wondering if that
> >> was my problem with it not picking up the onion seeds.
> >>
> >> TIA.
> >>
> >> Susan
> >>
> >> ---
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> >
> >
> >
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