How do commercial sources separate seeds?

[Greatgardens]

As I'm sitting here manually "declumping" my little piles of tomato seeds that I saved, I wondered how commercial sources do it? Maybe "tumbling" in a rotating or oscillating screen with some type of media mixed in to help break up the clumps? Anyone familiar with this part of the processing? -GG

[Worth1]

Hundreds of thousands of little children with wee fingers and sharp eye sight working day and night in old trailer houses with no air conditioning in a hot steamy jungle some place.

Worth

[ginger2778]

I would like to know too. Great question.

[ContainerTed]

I'm not sure I qualify for "commercial", but I do process a lot of seeds each year (several thousand). Here's what I do.

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First, the seeds have dried and it's time to put them in packets or storage containers. There are several smaller clumps in this example.

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Many of these seeds are "lightly" stuck to the paper plate, so I use an old credit card to loosen them up and move into a pile.

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Then I place the whole thing on my fingers like this.

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Next, I place the other like this. This captures the seeds between my fingers.

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Now, I begin to make circular motions with gentle pressure and the seeds begin to come out onto the paper plate.

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I tilt the fingers down toward the paper plate while continuing the circular motions with that constant gentle pressure. You can actually feel the clumps breaking up.

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Next, I can repeat the process with all the seeds and this will get some more of the small clumps, but I usually just pick out some of the 2-5 seed clumps and place them between my index finger and thumb. Again, gentle pressure and a circular motion will break up most of them.

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Hope this helps. I like doing this because I get a feel for just how dry the seeds are and I can always put them back into my seed dryer if needed. In the end, there will always be a few instances where two seeds are perfectly matched and just don't want to separate.

[oakley]

Pretty identical to my method ^^^

I rinse, rinse, rinse, and again in a tightly woven mesh fabric colander under a good
strong stream of water before drying. Get that goo all off and spread out on the
absorbent paper plate. Like Ted, only a few will stick together here and there.

If you use a colander, after rinsing, rest it on a wad of p-towel and that will absorb
quite a bit of water, before tapping out on the plate.

Old credit card is a good idea. That would be handy nearby as I often check after 24 hrs
or so and move them around a bit mid-dry time.

[ginger2778]

My current method is identical to Ted's, only I use a coffee filter on top of the paper plate and I get even less stickage than I used to. But I still want to know how the commercial places do it.

[AlittleSalt]

I'm far from commercial, but I do save thousands of seeds. I use the method the Ted explained. I also let the seeds dry for 30 days. The clumps separate easily.

[oakley]

I have run across a few ytube videos. Lab-looking stainless. Qrt cups. Many varieties
going at once, very systematic. Low tech drying screens on frame. Into a tall drying
chamber like a big dehydrator. Stacks maybe 30-40. Casual attire.

Most seem to use a cleanser rinse.

The really big guns, commercial greenhouses, with 10,000 sq ft+, also have some videos
but gets long and boring. The hybridizing is interesting. Boring work. Hair nets, lab coats
etc.
Soil sterilizers. germ, bacteria free.

[Starlight]

To get the clumps unstuck, I dump from paper plate on to a double thickness of coffee filters and scoot them to the middle of the filter and gently rub back and forth over the plate. It separates almost all of the stuck together seeds. I use a big tray under my paper plate as you usually have a few seeds that go flying when rubbing the filter together and that way I can check tray and make sure no seeds left on it before doing next cultivar batch.

[ContainerTed]

I built this box that has an old computer fan to circulate air from bottom to top. It has 20 shelves and will dry the seeds in about 3 days. However, I usually leave them in for about a week.

[JosephineRose]

I'm saving some Margaret Curtain seed. How many days should I let them dry? Yup, I have clumps.

[AlittleSalt]

That looks excellent Ted. Are the shelves peg board?

[ContainerTed]

Because it was like a "prototype", it's scrap Masonite and whatever to get something to set the paper plate on. With a 12 volt transformer that plugs into the wall, the whole thing runs night and day and stays cool. The fan draws about 300 ma and the transformer is rated for 1000 ma or 1 amp. It makes a light whining noise, that is lost in the walls. If I'm not in the room with it, I don't hear it.

But, the shelves can be any material that will support the paper plate. Peg board would increase the air circulation.

Ted, that is a beauty! Great idea

Originally Posted by JosephineRose

I'm saving some Margaret Curtain seed. How many days should I let them dry? Yup, I have clumps.

It depends on how humid your environment is, but mine are usually quite dry after 2 to 3 weeks. It's better to err on the side of caution and go longer though, if you're not sure; you don't want moldy seeds come Springtime! (been there before with bean seeds)

I'm reading good things about Margaret Curtain