How to Use a Garden Seeder

A couple years ago, I bought my father's old garden seeder from my mother. My dad (now deceased) was a great gardener. The garden seeder was in great condition, only having a few rust spots that I was quickly able to take care of. However, my mother was only able to find one seed plate, so I had to order others, which was not a problem locating them on the Internet. I did not need an instruction booklet on how to operate the garden seeder, because watching and helping my father for most of my life in his garden was all the experience I needed.

What is a Garden Seeder?

A garden seeder is a wheeled tool that helps you plant seeds at the correct soil depth and seed and row distance. There is no need for measuring between seed and row placement. A garden seeder will also cover the row as you plant the seeds.

Parts of a Garden Seeder

A garden seeder has two wheels, a large one in front and smaller one in back. The front has a u-shaped metal bar that is used to stabilize the garden seeder when it is not moving. It has an adjustable ground opener on the bottom of the seed hopper and a chain behind the opener, which drags the dirt over the row as you go. It has a metal row marker (about 30 inches long), which attaches to the handle when not being used. A belt affixed to the front wheel and the seed hopper is what turns the seed plate inside the seed hopper. Multiple seed plates usually come standard with your garden seeder and you can purchase more for other types of vegetables if you like. Some seed plates accommodate several different kinds of seeds.

How the Garden Seeder Works

The seed plate is designed to deposit seeds into the ground based on the recommended standard distance of seeds within a row, while the adjustable ground opener is set to the correct soil depth to plant the seed and the row marker is set to the correct distance between rows. A good example would be planting peas. You would use your seed plate labeled 'Peas' (all seed plates are labeled), set your ground opener to one and one-half inch deep and the row marker to 12 to 14 inches apart.

How to Operate Your Garden Seeder

Operating your garden seeder is very easy. First, make sure your soil is well tilled and ready for planting. Attach the correct seed plate to the inside of the seed hopper, adjust the depth of the ground opener and set the row marker. Fill the seed hopper with seeds, position the front wheel brace above the wheel, and push in a straight line. Seeds will automatically fall from the seed hopper into the ground and the chain on the back will cover them up.

NOTE: You may want to mark the beginning and end of the first row before you push your garden seeder in order to have a starter row for guidance. Several times I forgot to do this and had it not been for my footprints in the soil, I would not have been able to tell where the row was because the chain covers it so well.

Source: Personal Experience, Amazon, Earthway Precision Garden Seeder