I'm getting back to the garden and decide to make (at least) one tool.
This is my seed planter. I watched a bunch of youtube and came up with this.
Anyone can make it. The basics you need are:
- A pipe. I had some 3/4" PVC. 1/2" will do too. Any material will work it it's not too heavy.
- A container to hold the seed up top. It is just to hold your seeds until you pick them up & put them in the pipe.
- A stick to measure the distance between seeds.
You can duct tape the stick & container to the pipe so don't think you need fancy tools!
Most put a funnel on the pipe. IMO you don't need that because you're going to drop your seed(s) in the pipe.
Many have a can or similar taped to the side of the pipe for seeds. You pick a seed(s) from the container & put it in the pipe when you put the other end where you want the seed(s).
I saw at least one that cut a hole in the bottom that squeezed tight around the pipe. You put your seeds in the container like before, but if you miss the pipe, it falls into the container instead of the ground. I had wooden box I had made for another project.
The bottom can just be open. If you get dirt in it, you can shake it out.
Some people have a T connector to another pipe to put a hole in the dirt before they place the seed. It makes the planter look like a lower case h.
Others have pointy end & a door to keep the dirt out. The open the door to let the seed drop.
I decided to do the fancy door.
I have small screws to attach it to the PVC.
I filed the ends inside the pipe so they don't interfere with the seed drop. If you put something across the inside, the seeds can get caught.
I added a pipe clamp for strength. The screws are to position it.
I used a jigsaw with a blade for metal to cut the width around the pointy part. Then a file to remove sharp edges.
You could use a hacksaw. The jigsaw left a surprisingly smooth cut.
I made a platform up top to put my container on. The bolts clamp the wood around the pipe to keep it from sliding. I could have used another hose clamp. Or duct tape! Or just have a plastic container tightly fit around the pipe.
The eye is to attach a string to my door flap. I can push the point in, drop seeds and pull the string to open the door and let them on the ground.
Some people have a handle with a lever to pull. I don't think you need it.
Unless you like playing with gadgets, I think a T with another pipe to make a hole is a better idea than the door flap. Its much less likely to break or get in the way.
The T & pipe is used to measure the distance between seed.
I don't have the T with a pipe to make holes so I connected a stick to the bottom. My stick is 12" from the pipe to the end and I marked every 3".
A stick with dowels or something else to mark the dirt might be good too.
