garrett-wade Traditional Seed Planting Set Sale

This fascinating useful little set of planting tools might remind you of children’s musical instruments at first glance, but they’re actually traditional beechwood seed planting tools—and really quite extraordinary ones. Of the two, you’ll probably recognize the dibber, even today a common device for creating uniform holes in soil to accommodate seeds or bulbs. The two-piece seed sower, on the other hand, is a little more unusual. It’s a ridged dowel with a long central groove running the length of the tool. Your seeds go in that groove, then you run the accompanying “mallet” down the bottom of the tool. As it bounces from ridge to ridge, the vibrations shake the seeds loose one at a time, so you’ll be able to drop each seed precisely where you want every time. It’s kind of magical and, yes, a little musical.

Best Uses: Best for confines of seed-starting trays and pots.

Materials: Beechwood

Dimensions: Each tool measures 7” in length.