2nd report on fluid seeding

16 years ago

Here are the results of my most recent efforts with fluid seeding (an earlier report is linked below). You may recall that Jaliranchr introduced this idea last Fall. (Shelley, how are your carrots?!?)

Then Luckybottom told of her experience in her square foot garden using a gel made from 1T cornstarch in 1 cup of water, boiled and then allowed to cool. Bonnie applied this gel to a thin paper towel, sprinkled on the carrot seeds and arranged them with a chop stick. She then placed the paper towel "in the prepared bed, covered lightly with topsoil and keep moist till germination." By day 20 she could show us her success. Bonnie suggested that I try this and I promptly did.

This thin row of seedlings between the brick and the camera is evidence of my effort, thanks Bonnie! (The taller carrots in the background were planted many weeks earlier using more conventional methods.) Of the 8 photoÂs I took, this was the only one that anyone would have had any reasonable ability to see the carrot seedlings.

I pulled a paper towel apart so as to use a single ply then cut it into strips, applied the gel and then the seeds. The combination went into the soil on June 13th so this is at day 14.

Not wanting to leave well enuf alone, I also tried just applying a "bead" of gel directly in the soil and shook seed onto the bead. The germination seems to be about the same! Therefore, I planted more carrot seed today using that method.

I have planted pelleted carrot seed thru June before with some success. The clay coating apparently holds moisture and enables these slow-sprouting seeds to germinate as our soil heats up and dries out at this time of year. However, pelleted seed failed the one time I tried it in July Â I felt that IÂd reached the limits of the technique.

IÂm not sure how these plants will grow as we move into some very warm weather but IÂve got my fingers crossed (darn gel sticks to everything ;o)!

diiigggiiitSÂ

Here is a link that might be useful: 1st report on fluid seeding

Comments (4)

luckybottom
16 years ago
Way to go Steve! Picture is fantastic!!!

I, too, went to taking the gel a step further in experimentation: I put the gel in to a Disposable Syringes - 140cc Syringe Catheter Tip and used that to get the stuff in my seed hole, and then made sure the seeds were encased in the gel before covering the seeds with garden soil. I used this to plant okra, squash & beans. Germination on the okra 7 days (packet said 14-21 days), squash 5 days and still waiting to see the beans.

It will be very interesting to see what kind of results our seedlings give, what with triple digit temperatures and no rain for 3 weeks.
digit
Original Author
16 years ago
This "injection" idea is exactly what the fluid seeding on farms amounts to, Bonnie. (Believe it or not, I could probably find some of those 140cc syringes around here but just used a zip-lock bag.) I know very little about this but they are using their liquid fertilizer machinery to seed fields.

According to the U of C, Davis: "Coated alfalfa seed is added directly to the liquid fertilizer tank just prior to application. . . . coated with a polymer." What the heck they are coating with is a mystery to me but the additives don't sound too wonderful for the veggie garden - fungicide, insecticide, etc.

(I'm thinking of mixing a little chicken broth into the cornstarch gel . . . then they'd have soup. ;o)

digitS'
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jaliranchr
16 years ago
Steve, I'm so happy your experiment went well. Alas, mine didn't go so well, but I'll try what you and luckybottom have succeeded with and try it next year. I'm too stubborn not to give something a fair chance. :)
digit (ID/WA, border)
6 months ago
Do you ever go back and look at something from long ago?

I just wanted to check my " research" and will now go back and have another cup of morning brew while I decide when I should run sprinklers on the little veggie garden here at home. About half of the big veggie garden is ready for Winter, cleared, tilled and such.

This was a worthwhile experiment that I have continued now and then and should have done it in uh ... what year is this ... oh, 2023.

Steve ;o)