Multi dibble for onions and leeks

4season · January 31, 2015

About three years back I made this from on hand materials. 3/8ths bolts 3 1/2 long 3 inches apart. The new pins are longer and tapered and should avoid soil sticking to the threads. Some of our leeks fell over last year and the extra 1 3/4 depth should help with that. there is a metal conduit in the handle because the pvc was to flexible.

taboule · January 31, 2015

Neat. How do you use it? Drag it at an angle to create furrows?

4season · January 31, 2015

I push it in then move it forward 3 holes so the spacing stays the same. The new setup will have a fifth short stub to mark the next hole so I don't redo one hole on every push. The 3 inch spacing seems close but the onions and leeks seem to grow well. I use a header with 6 rows of t-tape 6 inches apart and put a row of onions on each side. I will look for a picture of the bed to post.

EBCIII · March 27, 2015

I am curious I am planting big underground onions. I was told by my Local Dealer to put them just in the ground and then push the dirt up around them? Thanks in advance, Beale.

4season · March 27, 2015

We use the dibble to make holes along both sides of a length of drip tape. The plants (from Dixondale) are put in about an inch deep and the soil squeezed against the roots. The plants bulb up nicely, bigger than I expect with such tight spacing. If you are planting sets, the bolts might be need to be shorter so the holes are shallower.

EBCIII · March 28, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4season

We use the dibble to make holes along both sides of a length of drip tape. The plants (from Dixondale) are put in about an inch deep and the soil squeezed against the roots. The plants bulb up nicely, bigger than I expect with such tight spacing. If you are planting sets, the bolts might be need to be shorter so the holes are shallower.

No sets just single bulb onions, thanks for the explanation, Beale.

Worth1 · March 29, 2015

Yes in heavy clay soil for sure you want the bulb to grow on top.
It makes for a bigger flatter bulb.

http://geddies-store.com/yahoo_site_...693203_std.jpg
Worth

EBCIII · March 29, 2015

Hey Worth I will be putting mine in Mireille Grow Potting Soil for now . Until I get the garden soil. Do I just put them on top? Or about an inch down? Beale.

Worth1 · March 30, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by EBCIII

Hey Worth I will be putting mine in Mireille Grow Potting Soil for now . Until I get the garden soil. Do I just put them on top? Or about an inch down? Beale.

An inch down will be okay.

Worth

paulgrow · March 30, 2015

What are the tapered tips made from?

Worth1 · March 30, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulgrow

What are the tapered tips made from?

They look like pins you would drive in a hole to stop a leak in pipe that have been milled flat on the sides and tapped for threads.

4season · April 6, 2015

Sorry about the late reply, the tips are bolts that have been turned on a lathe and there are threaded holes drilled in the top for a 1/4 inch bolt. I wasn't there when they were made but I got a tour of the shop later, too many machines to remember them all.

FarmerShawn · April 6, 2015

I made a rig with a similar concept, but I used all wood. The dibble pins are dowels. It's great not just for making seed holes, but for marking out for spacing. I often plant in wide rows, and running the dibbler/marker down the wide row on a diagonal gives me perfectly offset plantings, zigzag style.

March 30, 2015	#10
paulgrow Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Allen Park, MI Posts: 178	What are the tapered tips made from? __________________ A world without tomatoes is like a string quartet without violins. ~Author Unknown~

April 6, 2015	#13
FarmerShawn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,001	I made a rig with a similar concept, but I used all wood. The dibble pins are dowels. It's great not just for making seed holes, but for marking out for spacing. I often plant in wide rows, and running the dibbler/marker down the wide row on a diagonal gives me perfectly offset plantings, zigzag style. __________________ "Red meat is NOT bad for you. Now blue-green meat, THAT'S bad for you!" -- Tommy Smothers

January 31, 2015	#2
taboule Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: MA Posts: 903	Neat. How do you use it? Drag it at an angle to create furrows?

January 31, 2015	#3
4season Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: albuquerque Posts: 308	I push it in then move it forward 3 holes so the spacing stays the same. The new setup will have a fifth short stub to mark the next hole so I don't redo one hole on every push. The 3 inch spacing seems close but the onions and leeks seem to grow well. I use a header with 6 rows of t-tape 6 inches apart and put a row of onions on each side. I will look for a picture of the bed to post.

March 27, 2015	#4
EBCIII Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: South East Va Zone 7A Posts: 306	I am curious I am planting big underground onions. I was told by my Local Dealer to put them just in the ground and then push the dirt up around them? Thanks in advance, Beale.

March 29, 2015	#7
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Yes in heavy clay soil for sure you want the bulb to grow on top. It makes for a bigger flatter bulb. http://geddies-store.com/yahoo_site_...693203_std.jpg Worth