Native Plants Journal - Article
Equipment modifications for harvesting fluffy seeds
Abstract:
Fluffy seeds of native wildflowers are difficult to harvest using traditional equipment and methods. We modified intake and storage on a tractor-drawn leaf vacuum machine to better harvest fluffy seeded species such as aster (Aster L. [Asteraceae]) and narrowleaf silkgrass (Pityopsis graminifolia (Michx.) Nutt. [Asteraceae]). By inserting collection bags inside the vacuum and creating a vacuum hood to ride over the rows of plants, only 1 person is needed for the harvest process. The modified equipment allows us to make repeated harvests over the several-week ripening period and it removes only ripe seed from the plants.
Issue & Pages:
Fall 2001 Pages: 114-115
Article Download:
2-2NPJ114-115.pdf (PDF document)
Authors:
- Jennifer Kujawski
- John Englert
- Dan Dusty
- R Jay Ugiansky
Keywords:
Trac Vac, seed production, wildflowers