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- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 6113
- Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:43 pm
You will need a little scooper attached to one of the pedals. As it comes around it scoops a little clay mixture and flings it into the bucket. You will have to pedal backward to make it workRe: one person operation, I had a vision of a stationary exer-cycle fitted with a carnival water balloon shooter with mist attachment affixed to the handle bars....
Eric
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- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 6113
- Joined: Sun Mar 28, 2010 11:43 pm
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/1%20DDF%20-%20Helpful%20Gardener%20Misc/Seedballtumbler001.jpg[/img]
You may need to add a weight to the bucket to act like a flywheel.
Eric
You may need to add a weight to the bucket to act like a flywheel.
Eric
Last edited by DoubleDogFarm on Tue Jan 10, 2012 3:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- Full Member
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- Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2012 1:25 pm
- Location: North West
I'm still not understanding this method completely. I am mostly interested in vegetable gardening. Does this method work well for veggies? If you were to make seed balls for the above veggies would they just be scattered randomly in your garden bed then? And do you mix different seeds together or keep one type of seed in one ball?soil wrote:woo hoo gave it a run yesterday and make about 5000 seedballs in 20 minutes. mostly winter wheat, but also kale, broccoli, arugula, bok choy, lettuce, snow peas, and a few other greens.
well to be honest there are a few ways you can use seedballs.
and yes you can use them for veggies.
first would be like you said and instead of planting seeds in your bed, you scatter the seedballs and water away. if you add more than one type of seed you don't end up with either a monocrop(all one crop) or plants all in rows(which makes things easy for pests), but if all you want is say lettuce in a bed and want to use seedballs, go right ahead and make some with just lettuce.
if you are a person with more land than just a city lot, and have no "Beds" you can just toss them out in some unused or prepared land and irrigate. preferably from overhead at first until the seeds sprout.
you can also just toss them out and let nature take over. winter rains will water them and since they are allowed to develop taproots most plants are drought tolerant when summer comes and need little irrigation.
with the previous two where you just toss out the seed, you can also learn a lot from them. for example a new gardener might think that this full sun spot is best for a tomato or some lettuce. when you use seedballs and lots of different seeds. the seeds choose the spots that best fit the needs of the plant. when you observe where things grow youll be surprised at where things pop up and grow best. which helps you mimic that result in years to come.
you can do this with any seed, veggies, herbs, trees, grains, grass, ornamentals.
and yes you can use them for veggies.
first would be like you said and instead of planting seeds in your bed, you scatter the seedballs and water away. if you add more than one type of seed you don't end up with either a monocrop(all one crop) or plants all in rows(which makes things easy for pests), but if all you want is say lettuce in a bed and want to use seedballs, go right ahead and make some with just lettuce.
if you are a person with more land than just a city lot, and have no "Beds" you can just toss them out in some unused or prepared land and irrigate. preferably from overhead at first until the seeds sprout.
you can also just toss them out and let nature take over. winter rains will water them and since they are allowed to develop taproots most plants are drought tolerant when summer comes and need little irrigation.
with the previous two where you just toss out the seed, you can also learn a lot from them. for example a new gardener might think that this full sun spot is best for a tomato or some lettuce. when you use seedballs and lots of different seeds. the seeds choose the spots that best fit the needs of the plant. when you observe where things grow youll be surprised at where things pop up and grow best. which helps you mimic that result in years to come.
you can do this with any seed, veggies, herbs, trees, grains, grass, ornamentals.
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- Full Member
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- Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2012 1:25 pm
- Location: North West
Good to know. Thanks. I might try it for a learning experience since I am new to all of this. Observe, record, ya know.
I like my things nice and tidy though, so once I figure it out this approach won't be the best for me. I definitely like my veggies in a row lol Unfortunately I do not live on property, but I am on about 3/4 of an acre which is just enough space to try things out.
I like my things nice and tidy though, so once I figure it out this approach won't be the best for me. I definitely like my veggies in a row lol Unfortunately I do not live on property, but I am on about 3/4 of an acre which is just enough space to try things out.