Flower Quote by Mel Bartholomew
““Did no one ever think, “Let’s just plant a few seeds every 3, 4, or 6 inches?” I guess it took someone outside of the garden industry to think of it. At first, I advocated single seed planting at the proper spacing for that particular plant, but many people found it tedious and even difficult, especially with small, unusually shaped seeds. Besides, as someone once teased me and said, “If a packet of leaf lettuce contains one thousand seeds and I only plant four in each square foot, how old will I be before it is time to buy another packet?” She’ll have to leave her seeds in her will! So back to the drawing board I went. How about just a few seeds in each hole—just a pinch of seeds? After testing this idea with many people and checking their dexterity and ability to pick up just a pinch (two or three seeds), this seemed to be the answer.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Garden Primer, 1995
Finding a practical planting method that balances efficiency with seed size, leading to a “pinch” technique for small seeds.
In simple terms: A simple method to plant tiny seeds efficiently.
Key Takeaway
Use a pinch of seeds per hole for consistency.
Themes
gardening
practicality
innovation
efficiency
Mood
helpful
practical
Type
instructional
innovative
When to use this quote
- home gardening
- community farms
- educational workshops
- seed packaging design
Key Concepts
horticulture
human factors
design thinking
Questions to Reflect On
- Will the pinch method work for larger seeds?
- How to adapt for varied garden layouts?
A Different Perspective
Technique may not work for all plant types or soil conditions.
