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A Rolling Dibble Marker:
for Easy Transplant Spacing
Hand transplanting
seedlings into the field
can be tedious and
time-consuming. Some growers
lay a tape measure or
knotted string on the planting
bed to space transplants
evenly. Others just estimate
plant spacing with their eyes.
Many growers then use a
hand trowel to dig holes for
the transplants. A rolling dibble
marker, or dibble drum, is
a tool that helps you transplant
seedlings faster and
more accurately. The hand pulled
tool rolls across the
planting bed, punching or
scooping transplant holes into
the soil at regular intervals.
How Does It Work?
You walk down the path beside the prepared
planting bed, pulling the dibble drum behind you
by its handle. As it rolls along, "dibbles," or
scoops, which are screwed into a PVC drum at
regular intervals, create indentations in the soil for
transplants.
Traditional transplanting often uses a measuring stick
(above) or knotted string (right) to space plants.
In loose soil, the dibble drum
will dig holes, but in heavy or
compact soil it will mark locations
for transplant holes.
After rolling the dibble drum
along your planting bed, plant
transplants into the holes or
scoop marked holes with a
trowel.
Why Use a
Dibble Drum?
Saves time. You can set out,
plant, and water transplants
24% faster when using a dibble
drum to space and dig
holes, compared to visually
estimating spacing and using
a trowel.
More accurate. If you mark your planting bed
with a dibble drum, you will ensure exact spacing
of your transplants in a grid pattern, even when
the task is performed by inexperienced workers.
Consistent spacing makes weeding easier, since
you can use a hand hoe or wheel hoe in two
directions or use a mechanical cultivator.
Accurate plant spacing will conserve bed space
and maintain plant quality. Even experienced
growers tend to overestimate plant spacing,
which can waste productive land. If growers
underestimate spacing, plants can be crowded
and yield might suffer.
Easier on the body.
Using a dibble drum
to space transplants
lets you stand
instead of stooping
or kneeling to mark
transplant spacing.
Simple. It can be complicated and time-consuming to
explain how to space transplants to inexperienced field
hands. With a dibble drum, you can instruct workers to
simply roll the drum down the planting bed and set
one plant in each hole.
How Do I Make a Dibble Marker?
This rolling dibble marker, designed by Bob Meyer of
the University of Wisconsin Ag Engineering Lab, is
made from readily available hardware, lumber, and
PVC pipe. The drum is a section of 12" diameter PVC
pipe ($45-$50) commonly used for sewer connections.
Check with plumbing supply stores and ask for a section
as long as your bed is wide. Parts for the dibble
drum will total approximately $100.
Materials and Assembly
Drum:
- (1) 12" diameter PVC pipe cut to length of bed width.
Scoops:
- (1) 2"x18" PVC pipe cut into (6) 3" sections which are
each cut in half lengthwise at a 45º angle.
- (12) 2" metal angle brackets, fastened to each scoop
and then to the PVC drum.
Axle assembly (galvanized plumbing fittings):
- (2) 1'x1'x3/4" plywood pieces, cut to fit end of drum
and fastened with screws.
- (2) 3/4" floor flange, screwed into center of plywood.
- (2) 3/4"x6" nipple threaded through PVC handle "T"
and screwed into flange.
- (2) 3/4" coupler or end cap.
Handle assembly:
- (1) 1"x10' PVC pipe, cut into 4 sections (42", 24", 25",
13").
- (2) 1" PVC "T", to slip over each axle.
- (1) 1" PVC 90º elbow to connect the 13" handle section
to the 42" section.
- (2) 1" PVC 45º elbow.
Glue the 42" section and 24" section each into an axle
"T". Glue a 90º elbow to the 42" section and a 45º
elbow to the 24" section. Glue the 13" section to the
25" section with a 45º elbow. Attach the other end of
the 13" section to the 90º elbow, and the other end of
the 25" section to the other 45º elbow.
Misc.:
- (48) 1/4"x1" machine screws, (56) 1/4" lock washers
- (56) 1/4" nuts, (16) 1/4"x1" wood screws, (8) 1/4"x2"
pan head machine screws.
- PVC glue.
- Exterior wood varnish or paint.
3/4” thick
plywood
end cap |
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12” diameter
PVC (as long
as bed is wide) |
Axle assembly:
3/4” galvanized plumbing
fittings and spare weights |
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| Handle made
from 1” PVC |
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Scoops made from
section of 2” PVC with
angle bracket bolted
through drum. |
Contact Information
This material was developed by the Healthy Farmers,
Healthy Profits Project, whose goal is to find and share
work efficiency tips that maintain farmers' health and
safety and also increase profits. For more information,
visit our web site at http://bse.wisc.edu/hfhp/ or call
608-265-9451.
Healthy Farmers, Healthy Profits Project, Department
of Biological Systems Engineering, College of
Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of
Wisconsin, 460 Henry Hall, Madison,
WI 53706.
Feel free to reproduce; please
mention source.
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A Rolling Dibble Marker 
(53 pages, 1.49MB)