Machines & Automation

This tray filler features the best plug tray, flat, pot carrier and basket filling machine you can buy!

Features:

• Special Compactor Box allows right-first-time uniform fill on any tray at any speed, cell to cell, tray to tray … exactly what’s required for true in-line operation.
• High clearance (up to 10”) for a wide variety of plug tray to pot filling applications.
• Pack soil tightly or loosely with quick, simple calibrated adjustments. Auger/Brush combination perfectly cleans top of trays, air nozzles clean sides. All DC variable speed motors provide maximum torque.
• Single-crank type system for positive, fast auger/brush height adjustment
• Heavy-duty drive sprockets, and low maintenance, low cost chain idler discs
• Quality roller-type elevator chain with closely spaced bolt on flights handles any mix
• Elevator chain/heavy-duty sprockets readily available from W. W. Grainger as are many other parts
• Heavy-duty steel construction (1/8 inch, 3 mm) Stainless-steel guards and hopper extension
• Belt vibrator is speed adjustable, supported by bearings at the motor and opposite end
• Parallel, easily adjustable tray guides
• Reversible conveyor belt for ease of removing media from machine (without putting it on the floor)
• ^profile elevator scraper reduces/eliminates jamming
• Conveyor belt motor pulls rather than pushes belt for truer tracking
• Hard rubber tires and locking swivel castors for easy movement on concrete by one person
• External conveyor belt and elevator chain tension adjustment system
• Heavy-duty all external pillow-block bearings for ease of lubrication and maintenance, with slotted mounts for ease of replacement/maintenance
• Slotted mounts for top bearings make shaft removal easy
• Add on/removable hopper extension allows 1.5 cubic yard capacity
• Designed with reliability and ease of service and maintenance in mind
• Made in USA! All features are standard equipment, no options, no hidden costs.

The Blackmore TopCoater is a totally self-contained unit that’s ideal for covering seeds in plug trays or directly sown flats. It also may be used to fill plug trays.

Developed jointly with one of the world’s top plug specialists, the Blackmore TopCoater allows infinitely variable control of the speed and volume of media dispensed.

The TopCoater, available in both a standard and stretch version, is designed to operate in-line behind any seeding machine. Growers filling plug trays, or covering trays other than in-line with a seeder, will find the stretch version better suited to their needs. It's three-foot input conveyor section facilitates manual tray feeding into the TopCoater.

TopCoater Features:

• Vibratory feeder — a Blackmore exclusive.
• Dispenses a wide variety of media without using a belt — no moving parts to wear out.
• Media volume adjusts instantly. “Dust” the trays or cover them with 1/2" or more of material just by turning a dial. No need to adjust gate.
• Cover with the same media you grow in for better irrigation management.
• Dual purpose—ideal plug tray filler for small to medium growers.
• Ideal for sowing micro greens.

Media Hopper:

• Transparent sides for easy monitoring of media level.
• Rotor in hopper prevents media from bridging.
• Electric eye — for positive on/off media dispensing

Wipe-off Brush:

• Cleans top of tray preventing disease migration.
• Adjusts to accommodate different plug trays.
• Raises to clear tray if you want excess media to remain.

Adjustable packing roller, Variable-speed, synchronized conveyor belt & wipe-off brush:

• Self-contained — unit runs on 120 VAC.
• Portable — easily wheeled about by 1 person
• Compact — standard unit needs only 8 square feet of floor space and the stretch model just 14 square feet.
• 2M11/02

Specifications:

• Media Hopper: 4 cu.ft. (113 liters)
• Max. Capacity: 1,200 trays/hour

Length:

• Standard: 4 ft. (1.2 meters)
• Stretch: 7 ft. (2.1 meters)

Weight:

• Standard: 200 lb. (91 kilos)
• Stretch: 250 lb. (113 kilos)

** Now With Stainless Steel Tub **

For years customers asked us to make a watering tunnel! We did them one better with the Blackmore WaterAll conveyor, a machine that made water tunnels obsolete and is now the standard in the industry.

WaterAll Features:

The unit’s 8-foot length makes it ideal for watering in trays behind your seeder (even at 1,000+ trays per hour on a Blackmore cylinder seeder), or using on the end of your planting or potting line. The plastic chain web conveyor is designed for long life and to prevent buildup of material on its surface.

Blackmore’s gentle water curtain design prevents seed displacement. No tunnel is needed to contain spray, so access to the 5 water bars is unrestricted. Individual controls permit each water bar to be regulated as needed. An electric Blackmore WaterAll Conveyor eye and delay timer turns the water on and off automatically.

Specifications:

• Length*: 8 ft. (2.4m)
• Width: 2.5 ft. (76cm)


• Maximum Tray Width: 17 inches (43cm)
• Power: 120 VAC, 50/60 Hz

*Custom lengths available

The last seeder you’ll ever need to buy!

Accurate, flexible, reliable, and durable, it’s everything you want in a seeder!

This machine sets the standard for reciprocating needle type seeders. Sows any seed from raw begonia to melons and even squash, peas, corn, and beans. Special Double row attachment permits sowing rates of 300+ trays per hour for certain applications. Direct sow kit allows seeds to be sown into market packs. Works on a small or large inventory of seed.

So durable and reliable that we often have a waiting list for used machines. Growers know a Blackmore will last forever. Can you say the same about your seeder?

See the technical tip section or the link below to download a parts list or to see more about getting the most out of your Blackmore seeder, including a manifold/needle tip suggestion list.

Tune-up Checklist

The Blackmore Stretch PLC Cylinder Seeder is used by many operations for high-speed sowing of seeds, from celery and tomatoes to cucumbers, watermelons, zucchini, and flowers.

The fastest seeders in the world … even when they are not sowing seed! Make ordinary drum seeders obsolete!

Exclusive 4 option cylinder head makes seed, and even tray changes as fast as “clicking” to another setting:

• 5 second orifice/hole size changes
• 20 second seed changes
• Click to another tray size without hardware changes
• Change to another cylinder head in a minute
• Double sow with either double holes or with 2X setting

Accurate, fast (1200+ trays/hr). Sow any seed from raw petunia to squash. Sows from small or large seed inventory.

The Stretch PLC version is our most popular model, designed to run inline and interface with the Blackmore Perfection Tray filler and WaterAll conveyor. Used by all the major plug growers in the USA and

Canada, this machine is very user friendly, production proven and definitely the premier high-volume machine on the market.

Description:

• Conveyor Length: 12' 6" (feet) [3.8 m]
• Overall Length: 12' 7" (feet) [8.848 m]
• Overall Width: 3' (feet) [0.941 m]
• Conveyor Belt Width: 13" (inches) [0.33 m]
• Hopper Height: 5' 7" (feet) [1.7 m]

Utility Requirements:

• 200-220 VAC Single phase
• 20-30 amps

Air Supply:

• Air compressor required - 20 psi (140 kilopascal), 5 cfm (140 litres/minute)

*Extra charges apply if a vacume pump is installed.

Introducing the Blackmore seeder that permits even smaller greenhouses to take advantage of Blackmore's needle manifold technology.

Now anyone can easily and accurately sow plug trays or flats with the Blackmore CAN-DUIT SEEDER! The "Startup Kit" includes everything you need to begin operation!

Throw your "cookie sheet" plate seeder away. This machine is simple and easy to use, even for odd shaped seed.

Blackmore Company, the world leader in seed sowing technology, has incorporated needles and other features from their automatic seeders into this quality hand-held seeder.

The CAN-DUIT seeder is ideal for smaller greenhouses and researchers. Expect to sow a tray in one or two minutes depending on the seed. It sure beats a pair of tweezers!

Startup Kit:

Includes everything you need to begin the operation:

• Manifold bar with up to 16 adapters (Extra charge for more than 16)
• For example, Blackmore 512 deep. Please specify tray, and tray manufacturer to be sown
• Three (3) types of needles (pkg of 20 each)
• Cleaning wire
• Vacuum pump/Air compressor with hose, adjusting valves, and 3-way valve
• Seed tray

Features:

• Simple operation: Anyone "can-duit."
• Inexpensive: even ideal for even smaller operations.
• Self-contained: everything included for startup operation, just add seed, soil, and plug trays.
• Accurate: utilizes proven Blackmore needle technology.
• Stainless steel Lock-on needles: long life with positive lock-on design.
• Positive air for seed blow-off and tip cleaning: keeps tip clean for more accurate operation.
• Foot pedal valve: permits two hand operation.
• Vacuum/pressure gauge: permits calibration and adjustments for different seed.
• Double tube design: Seeder can be placed on a table without knocking off the seed.
• Lightweight and well balanced: Center hand hold makes alignment with plug cells easy.
• High-quality components, rugged construction: for long life and trouble free operation.
• It's a Blackmore: With service backed by Blackmore, the leader in seed sowing and plug production technology, you know you are buying the best.

NEEDLE COLOR - SEED SIZES

Clear - raw petunia, primula

*Red - impatiens

Orange - tomatoes

*Blue - geranium, pepper, marigolds

*Purple - pepper, marigolds, dahlia

Pink - dahlia, zinnia

Green - sprengeri, cucumber, melons

Amber - large pellets

Olive - watermelon

* We find that the Red, Blue and Purple needles have the widest application for most bedding plant seeds. We recommend the Green needle to sow extra-large seed such as watermelon or cucumber. An optional larger vacuum pump may be required.

Features:

• Small seed hopper lays down a precise and uniform layer of seed sizes from arugula to sunflower
• Large media hopper dispenses even layer of covering material
• Simple operation
• 4 ft model with seed hopper only
• Automatic seed feeder keeps constant amount of seed in seed hopper
• Variable speed belt up to 1200 trays per hour
• Easily put in line with Blackmore WaterAll conveyor
• 120 VAC operation

The Roller/Dibbler Return on Investment

University research has shown that center placement of seeds in the cells increases seedling stands by up to 5%. Seeds germinating near the edge of a cell have a higher rate of mortality than those sprouting in the center. Although the Blackmore Roller/Dibbler may not attain the entire 5% better center placement, suppose it approaches half that or more. The question to ask yourself then is how much will you pay for a device that increases your plant out rate 2-3%.

Growers are impressed with the results of the new Roller/Dibbler NXT designed to not “shovel” soil onto small seeds and provide a larger LZ for marigolds and other larger seeds.

Center seed placement is crucial to increasing plant-out rates; as much as 5%. Indications are that shoveling reduces plant out rates 1%. Blackmore’s NXT design prevents a “wall” of soil on the edges of plug tray cells that can wash back over smaller seeds affecting seed emergence and therefore reducing plant-out rates. What is 5%-6% of your seed bill for your smaller seeds? The R/D NXT could pay for itself very quickly.

One fact is without dispute; what is really expensive is poor quality or dead seedlings. It costs the same money to grow a plug cell whether or not it contains a viable seedling. Therefore, it is well worth your while to investigate any method/device that increases or has the potential to increase your plant out rate. Then calculate how quickly it will pay for itself. A little money spent now may save/return you a lot later.

The Blackmore Roller/Dibbler fits on Blackmore Cylinder, Turbo and Needle seeders, and is easily fitted to brand X seeders as well. It may even be used manually, like a rolling pin, for use on older Blackmore gear model or other seeders.

Features:

• Mounts easily on the Blackmore cylinder and turbo/needle model seeders (support plate required for turbo/needle application).
• Adapts to most automatic seeders.
• NEW! NXT design prevents soil shoveling.
• Available for Blackmore or brand "X" trays.

Larger seeds such as marigolds, dahlias, zinnia, cosmos, etc require a larger landing zone, particularly when being sown into smaller cell trays. The marigold R/D NXT compresses the entire soil surface of the plug cell, resulting in a maximized LZ that also gets the seeds halfway into the cell to facilitate effective topcoating and a better end result.

The new dibbler may be made for most any tray, and is certainly recommended for Punch ‘n Gro™ trays as their design does not lend itself to the nest-and-compress method. The new Roller/Dibbler is simple, quick and efficient.

Features:

• Mounts easily on the Blackmore cylinder and turbo/needle model seeders (support plate required for turbo/needle application).
• Adapts to most automatic seeders.
• Available for Blackmore or brand "X" trays.