A seed planter is a tool used in landscaping to spread seeds over a certain area. In small-scale landscaping and gardening, a hand-operated seed planter can be used. In large farming operations a planter can be a massive device, usually attached to the back of a tractor.
Seed planters can work one of two ways. Some will actually make a small hole in the ground and lay the seed in, then cover the hole and seed back up. This is usually done in a single pass. Others will simply spread the seed out on the ground, where it will eventually take root by itself. This is most commonly done with grass varieties and sometimes done with a fertilizer spreader, rather than a true planter.
The main benefit to a seed planter is its ability to save a tremendous amount of time and keep the rows spaced evenly in a garden or a farm field. For those planters pushed by hand, there is usually a guide offset from the planting wheel that will mark out the next row, allowing the user to keep neatly spaced rows. All the planter has to do after planting the first row is follow the guide for the second row. This will not only save time, but allow for a more efficient utilization of available space.
Determining the type of seed planter that is right for you will depend on factors such as amount of use and type of crop. Some may be able to get by with a cheap planter that functions adequately for many years with minimal use. If grass is the main concern, a spreader may be an option. For others who are planting crops in a garden, they will need a planter capable of putting the seed into the ground. Seed planters start at approximately $80 US Dollars (USD) and go up from there, depending on quality and other features.
In farming operations, large planters can cost many thousands of dollars, in addition to the cost of the tractor which will pull them across the field. However, these can save significant amounts of time as well. A large seed planter may be capable of planting up to 24 rows of seeds during a single pass. This bulk seeding enables farmers to cultivate thousands of acres, whereas in the past he or she may have been able to work with a couple of hundred acres at most.