Luke, have you thought about using circular sander with 220 grit paper? It will vibrate and cause friction. I know how hard basil seeds are to get out so made try this method. Hope it works for you. Build a spring pan like container that’s just larger than the sander and you won’t loose seeds out the sides.
try 2 flat plates that have a little weight with some sand paper stuck to it and you can make a swing like mechanism for the top plate that you can adjust with like the light hangers. you can go from a larger opening to smaller that isn't going to be smaller than the seed on the exit that you can rock back and forth and will brake the flowers open without making flower lol
What about tying them in a pillowcase, putting in dryer, no heat, tumbling with 'chuck it' balls( heavier and firmer than tennis balls, don't think as hard on as tennis shoes would be)?
Dehydrate the pods – at 80 or 90 degrees so the pods are very dry. Put them in a pillow case. Tie a knot and then beat the pillow case on he floor. I think you need the pods brittle and you've still got too much humidity in them. However, as others have suggested, there's no reason you can't sell the entire pod. We've got fingers. Just print instructions on the packet.
The way you described the industrial machine used makes me think a pasta mill might work or at least aid the process. They have adjustable widths and can get fairly narrow. You would probably have to tape some cardboard or something to act as a hopper and would still need to sieve the results but at the very least it would do the crushing for you.
If between 2 bare boards isn’t enough friction, why not glue strips of rubber to the boards and then rub them together. Then you have softer but high friction surfaces.
This would be such a satisfying job to have. These are the challenges I thrive on. Part of the reason I work in IT and used to design budget-friendly data centers. Very challenging but oh so satisfying when you find a workable solution! Edit: the treadmill solution… buy two broken conveyor-style 3d printers and combine them into your own flower-rubbing equivalent.
Listen Luke. I’m doing my very best to make you LARGE SCALE! Just ask my husband. He asks me almost every week, “hey whats this transaction? It says my gardener.” And every time I say “nope. That’s M I gardener.” 😂 I’ll keep ordering and maybe soon you’ll have $18,000. I’ll do my best.
It sounds like rubber is the solution here. You need friction but not damaging amount of it. Used tires attached to 2 boards. Sidewalls might work best or bicycle tires maybe inner tubes or something similar. Or a mix of methods.
You didn't mention how EASY it is to save sweet bell pepper seeds. I grew 2 amazing plants that were very productive last year, and have them wintering over as I write. Hopefully they'll produce good again this year. TYVM for all the help you've given us home gardeners over these many years!
TBH to me this sounds like you just have to figure out how much seedpods and for how long you have to leave them in the tumbler… There has to be a sweet spot where you loose some seeds but get most of them.
What About wrapping sandpaper of different grits around the two boards and try rubbing the seeds in that?? Or maybe water tumbling then drying them out?? Or maybe two bricks acting as boards and doing the same process with rubbing the bricks together…?
I saw this video for removing hull from grains, which can also be troublesome on a small scale. It modifies a grain mill to use rubber pads. Maybe that would work? I haven't tried it myself though. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdoMJ9Hhaiw
have you tried mimicking what the belts do? It sounds like the belts would be rubbery to grip the flower and pull the flower apart as the belts move past each over. see how it works with some rubber gloves, and then scale it up by covering a board or something in rubber
Take those 2×4 boards and attach a thin rubber strip to each one. You're looking for grip + bidirectional movement. Put the pods between the boards and rub the rubber strip against them back and forth.
what about crush then rubbing the flowers between the screen and a block with a grade of sandpaper fine enough to remove the pod material but coarse enough to allow the seeds to move through
I love growing like basil and will be saving my own seeds this year. Sorry you are having such trouble. I can certainly see why it would be difficult on a large scale. Good luck Luke!
I keep my basil seeds… i literally pluck pods and just break those apart as much as they will between my fingers, and plant that. Works every time. I know it would be time consuming at scale, but i don’t see how it’s not doable
I think we have a habit of becoming successful in our home gardens and then think it works the same way with a bigger seed company. A good idea would have been getting experience by working for a big seed company to see how they did it. So now you are only left with trial and error! Hoping to get more trial and no error! Best of luck.
I've never had to do anything with tomato seeds aside from putting them on some parchment paper (sometimes a paper towel) let them dry a few days and then put them in a baggy. That's over the past 18 years. Now I've never bothered to measure germination because I always over plant anyway.
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Luke, have you thought about using circular sander with 220 grit paper? It will vibrate and cause friction. I know how hard basil seeds are to get out so made try this method. Hope it works for you.
Build a spring pan like container that’s just larger than the sander and you won’t loose seeds out the sides.
One screen works slightly. Try having another piece of screen on the top and roll them between two screens. Might work better for now.
Could a food mill or kitchen aid style mixer work? They have lids and various attachments that might help? A blender with dulled/ blunted blades?
Thanks for doing so much work to provide quality seeds!
Edited because a point I made was actually addressed at the very end!try 2 flat plates that have a little weight with some sand paper stuck to it and you can make a swing like mechanism for the top plate that you can adjust with like the light hangers. you can go from a larger opening to smaller that isn't going to be smaller than the seed on the exit that you can rock back and forth and will brake the flowers open without making flower lol
Your perseverance is a wonderful example for all of us in all sorts of ways.
What about tying them in a pillowcase, putting in dryer, no heat, tumbling with 'chuck it' balls( heavier and firmer than tennis balls, don't think as hard on as tennis shoes would be)?
I was thinking of using a sanding block. Would probably also be easier on the hands.
maybe try fine sandpaper attached to your 2 wood blocks. You can try rubbing against each other with different hand pressure. Give that a go.
What about two pieces of sand paper on your wood and grind them together 🤷♀️ you can determine what grain of sandpaper works best.
Dehydrate the pods – at 80 or 90 degrees so the pods are very dry. Put them in a pillow case. Tie a knot and then beat the pillow case on he floor. I think you need the pods brittle and you've still got too much humidity in them. However, as others have suggested, there's no reason you can't sell the entire pod. We've got fingers. Just print instructions on the packet.
Pestal and mortar?
Could you put super fine sand paper on one or both sides of the wood blocks you rub together? The gravel method but less abrasive?
The way you described the industrial machine used makes me think a pasta mill might work or at least aid the process. They have adjustable widths and can get fairly narrow. You would probably have to tape some cardboard or something to act as a hopper and would still need to sieve the results but at the very least it would do the crushing for you.
If between 2 bare boards isn’t enough friction, why not glue strips of rubber to the boards and then rub them together. Then you have softer but high friction surfaces.
This would be such a satisfying job to have. These are the challenges I thrive on. Part of the reason I work in IT and used to design budget-friendly data centers.
Very challenging but oh so satisfying when you find a workable solution!
Edit: the treadmill solution… buy two broken conveyor-style 3d printers and combine them into your own flower-rubbing equivalent.
Have you tried adding some shallow grooves in the wood?
Listen Luke. I’m doing my very best to make you LARGE SCALE! Just ask my husband. He asks me almost every week, “hey whats this transaction? It says my gardener.” And every time I say “nope. That’s M I gardener.” 😂 I’ll keep ordering and maybe soon you’ll have $18,000. I’ll do my best.
If seed flowers are spongy, I think they need more drying out. Maybe put on heat matt for another week or two.
What about putting sand paper on the 2x4s to give friction? But I'm okay with you just selling the pods and we do it ourselves.
It sounds like rubber is the solution here. You need friction but not damaging amount of it. Used tires attached to 2 boards. Sidewalls might work best or bicycle tires maybe inner tubes or something similar. Or a mix of methods.
I have the utmost respect for your channel and company <3 Seed saver level 0. I have only bought seeds before or bought a whole plant 🤣
You didn't mention how EASY it is to save sweet bell pepper seeds. I grew 2 amazing plants that were very productive last year, and have them wintering over as I write. Hopefully they'll produce good again this year. TYVM for all the help you've given us home gardeners over these many years!
TBH to me this sounds like you just have to figure out how much seedpods and for how long you have to leave them in the tumbler… There has to be a sweet spot where you loose some seeds but get most of them.
92 is halfway to 99.
Another thing to try would be a rubber coated garden glove to give grip on the top.
What About wrapping sandpaper of different grits around the two boards and try rubbing the seeds in that?? Or maybe water tumbling then drying them out?? Or maybe two bricks acting as boards and doing the same process with rubbing the bricks together…?
I saw this video for removing hull from grains, which can also be troublesome on a small scale. It modifies a grain mill to use rubber pads. Maybe that would work? I haven't tried it myself though. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdoMJ9Hhaiw
have you tried mimicking what the belts do? It sounds like the belts would be rubbery to grip the flower and pull the flower apart as the belts move past each over. see how it works with some rubber gloves, and then scale it up by covering a board or something in rubber
Take those 2×4 boards and attach a thin rubber strip to each one. You're looking for grip + bidirectional movement. Put the pods between the boards and rub the rubber strip against them back and forth.
Who is buying lime basil seed so they can figure out???
what about crush then rubbing the flowers between the screen and a block with a grade of sandpaper fine enough to remove the pod material but coarse enough to allow the seeds to move through
Silicone garlic peeler?
Drywall sanding screening? It's like window screens with grit. Might provide enough of a rough surface.
You could make a machine with 2 treadmills, some screens and motors. It would cost a fraction of 18k
Light grade sand paper on the wood? Basically try to mimic the machine on a small scale?
Well, that certainly gives me a new appreciation for the lime basil seeds I ordered this year lol. I will make it a point to remember to save seed!
try using sandpaper, experiment with differnt grits
An old washing machine wringer might work? Just trying to figure out what to wrap the rollers with to assist with friction.
Just sell it in the pods
Try, dehydrating the flower heads till they're crispy? Then the plant matter should crumble away. That's how I do it.
I love growing like basil and will be saving my own seeds this year. Sorry you are having such trouble. I can certainly see why it would be difficult on a large scale. Good luck Luke!
I keep my basil seeds… i literally pluck pods and just break those apart as much as they will between my fingers, and plant that. Works every time. I know it would be time consuming at scale, but i don’t see how it’s not doable
Maybe the boards, but with like some textured rubber sheating on it 🤔
This sounds like a manual food mill might work if you can get the right size sieve plate. A food mill squishes and doesn’t cut or grind.
A child's rock tumbler?
can you plant the entire pod?
I think we have a habit of becoming successful in our home gardens and then think it works the same way with a bigger seed company. A good idea would have been getting experience by working for a big seed company to see how they did it. So now you are only left with trial and error! Hoping to get more trial and no error! Best of luck.
Could you get the pods in between the screens and work it back and forth? it might work both sides at once
I've never had to do anything with tomato seeds aside from putting them on some parchment paper (sometimes a paper towel) let them dry a few days and then put them in a baggy. That's over the past 18 years. Now I've never bothered to measure germination because I always over plant anyway.