I'm particularly concerned with seeds such as Begonia, un-pelleted petunia, African Violet.

I've always put the dust-like seed in a salt-shaker filled with fine sand. Mixed that up and sprinkled it over the top of the medium.

But even with then, I've had seeds land in clumps or more often, be covered by the sand.

I went to running the sand through a blender, to make it even finer (don't do this if you have a wife who uses the blender--sand blasting the blades and blender parts, does not make for happy relationships!). Still, though, I've lost lots of seed because they were buried or blown away.

From the ads, this seeder says it works with "even the tiniest." It has nozzles that attach to a squeezable bulb, that uses the suction to pick up/release the seeds.

I can see this working if the nozzles are small enough and they don't let the seed be sucked into the bulb. I imagine if that were to happen, they'd be lost, because of sticking to the inside of the bulb.

The least expensive I've found for the "Pro Seeder" is $15 +$4 shipping. That's still pretty pricey for me. Some gardens supply stores though are asking $29 for it!

Please let me know your experience with this.

Also, if you have a good source, price-wise, I'd appreciate that.

Thanks,
Bob T

I've never used the Pro Seeder or anything like it. For tiny seeds, I use two small saucers and a toothpick. I sprinkle a few seeds out in one saucer and pick them up, one at a time, with a pointed tooth pick, moistened at the tip.

I touch the seed down on my growing medium and the little amount of water holding the seed is absorbed immediately, which releases the seed.

I dip the toothpick in the second small saucer, which contains a little water, and repeat the process. With a little practice it works quite well for small seeds, and costs next to nothing.

MM

I too think the thing looks like a baby aspirator.
It's the nozzels, that would have to make it work right.

I also use the toothpick method for small seeds. However, when they get down to the size of poppy or petunia, they seem to adhere to the end of the wetted toothpick, more than releasing to the growing medium.

And as far as using that for seed that is as fine as dust, for me, the toothpick method doesn't work at all.

I was hoping this contraption would maybe work. Thinking, that it is constructed so that the seed will not go into the squeeze bulb.

As I mentioned, if they do go past the nozzel, they are lost. I'm sure you know how surface tension can hold these smallest of seed to whatever they are on.

The garden supply that I was thinking of buying it from says (I contacted them) it will be fine. I'd rather though have opinions of someone who has actually tried it with begonias and the like, rather than depened on their customer service person and the description in the catalog, which states it "can" handle even dust-like seed.

A supply of toothpicks and a cup of water is lots cheaper than the $20 this will cost. --I'd could almost buy a good proprogation book with the savings.

If anyone has more ideas, I'd like to hear:

On either this seeder

or how do you handle, the sowing of dust-fine seed?

--the best I've been able to do is mix them with sand in a salt/pepper shaker and sprinkle that over the germinating medium.

I've found though, that even with that method, the sand usually covers the seed; then, germination fails since they can't get light.

Bob T

Deanna

Thanks so much!

Dale

Deanna