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domokos_speder

Need help in a gardening project

8 years ago

I am working on a project about gardening innovative technologies. And I would like to ask you a few question about my prototype 'seed mat'. As you can see in the picture you can cut this pure mat all kinds of shape and the key point is that the only seeds which are inside the 'paper' can grow through, the weeds cannot. Of course, the 'paper' break down - so it is environmental friendly.

  • what kind of vegetables, herbs would you like to grow like this?
  • where would you use it? (balcony, garden etc..)
  • how much would you pay for it?

If you have any comments about it, do not hesitate to write it!:) I am interested in any kind of 'gardening community needs', comments.

Comments (14)

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I would not pay anything for it as I use toilet paper for the same task. This is discussed in some detail in another thread:

    Seed Tape for Seed Starting

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    It's another "no" vote from me, domokos-speder. I see it as an impediment to rapid seed germination and development.

    On the other hand, seed imbedded papers have been around for many years in the form of greeting cards, wedding invitations and favors, etc. SEE HERE. In one of my craftier moments years ago, I made my own paper and imbedded the sheets with wildflower seeds and petals!

    Edited to add a thanks of appreciation. I love to see innovative ideas and hope that you continue.

  • 8 years ago

    Tells us more about this mat. What is it made of? Is it fibrous? How thick is it? How quickly does it decompose? How water retentive or repellent is it? What about it makes it better than the usual bath tissue or tissue paper or newspaper used to make seed tapes/mats?

    Dave

  • 8 years ago

    @daninthedrit

    This mat consist of two paper, between them there are the seeds. The upper is a slimmer paper, and during the germination vegetable seeds 80 % of their power go upward, so they can come up easily. The bottom paper which is thicker do not allow the weeds to come up. This is how it works briefly.


    We have tested several kinds of papers until we have find this, which is definitely not a TP or paper towel.

  • 8 years ago

    @rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7 believe me, this is not a barrier for the seeds. We have tested with beans, salads, herbs, flowers etc... all kinds of seed which is smaller than the sunflower seed can germinate and develop easily. I am sure :)

  • 8 years ago

    Where does the notion of 80% of a seed's 'power' going upwards come from? When a seed germinates it first puts out a radicle, or rootlet, which goes down. Then it puts out a shoot which goes up. If the lower paper doesn't allow weed seeds to germinate from below how does the radicle penetrate it and how does the seedling's root system develop subsequently? When you tested papers how did you do it?

  • 8 years ago

    Dear Dave!

    Yes, this is a special kind of fibrous paper. The two paper is about 3mm thick, but it depends on what kind of seeds are between the two paper. The paper decomposes in app. 6 weeks. We made this mat absolutely water retentive, but you need to water it as well :)

    I would say this is more 'organic' than newspaper, and if you could buy this ready in a supermarket I think that would make weed control definitely easier.

  • 8 years ago

    That's really interesting, as it sounds like you have done some careful experimentation with different kinds of paper. To the extent that the lower paper is less permeable, and acts as a barrier to weeds, I have to wonder how easily the roots of your seedlings can penetrate it. A decomposition timescale of a month or so for the paper sounds about right, but that means that the plants have to be able to penetrate it well before it decomposes.

  • 8 years ago

    I agree with floral's comments 'down' is more important that 'up' when it comes to germination. The thinner sheet of paper would need to be on the bottom it seems so that the seed radicle can penetrate it or the seed won't survive to produce any top growth.

    Anyone who has watched seeds germinate recognizes the survival of the radicle and subsequent root development is more vital than any top growth.

    I note you posted this on other forums as well. Are you marketing this paper product?

    Dave

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    A great deal of weed seeds come from above. And I don't want anything impeding the rapid root development of my vegetable seeds. Without the embryonic plants being able to send down the radicle, the plant's development would be severely hindered. Root emergence happens first. Seeds won't, can't grow UP unless they can grow down first.

    Toilet paper has been mentioned because it typically disappears quite rapidly. That's a big plus.

    The more I hear about this concept, the more ill conceived it seems.

    Please take a look at the recent thread titled Seed Tape and you'll discover that weed prevention is not a concern, but spacing and ease of laying down rows. Of course, you can buy rolls of seed tape commercially, but others experiment successfully with their own.

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Well, you may right - I am going to ask our 'technical guy', I am not an expert in this part of the mat. (it works like in this pic:)

    We tested our mat in Denmark and in the Netherlands in every season inside and outside as well - and we use it in our farm. It works well. We have a lot of data about it.

    But I firmly believe that there is a need for this kind of seedmat not only in farms, but also in kitchen gardening and hobby gardening. This is why I am asking you :)

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    OP seems a little coy about the product. Here it is Seed mat. Still no info as to how roots penetrate while weeds do not. Maybe it is simply that the mat excludes light?

  • 8 years ago

    I suspect that we're not going to get a lot of details about this stuff because they're probably proprietary, and what's going on here is really a marketing survey. This is an example of what I was skeptical about in the previous seed tape thread that I started. Everyone says it works, but I can't really understand why it should. All I get back is "take my/our word for it!"

    As a design engineer at heart, I'd really like to understand how to optimize this concept which, as I said before, might be pretty advantageous for small seeds that you want to distribute uniformly, especially after presoaking.

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