Tabletop Seeder

Thank you for choosing the Rooted Robotics Tabletop Seeder. Designed with the small grower in mind yet effective for farms of all sizes, this machine brings precision, consistency, and ease to your microgreen and leafy green planting process. With accurate seed weight calibration, the Tabletop Seeder delivers uniform planting, resulting in increased yields through greater consistency across each tray. Its user-friendly design requires minimal training for staff, and the efficiency gained ensures a fast return on investment. Built with durable materials and customizable settings, this seeder is perfect for controlled environment agriculture and adaptable to diverse farm scales.

This manual will guide you through setting up the seeder, calibrating seed weights, choosing rollers, and using optional add-ons to further optimize your seeding process. With the Tabletop Seeder, you’ll achieve consistent, high-quality planting that saves time, reduces labor, and supports healthy crop growth.

Product overview

The Rooted Robotics Tabletop Seeder is a versatile and efficient solution tailored to streamline the seeding process for microgreens and leafy greens. Initially designed with small growers in mind, the seeder’s robust functionality and customizable settings make it an effective tool for farms of any size. The Tabletop Seeder arrives fully assembled, allowing you to start planting with minimal setup—simply open the electrical box, remove any packing materials, and plug it in to get started. By automating precise seed placement, the seeder reduces labor costs, improves crop consistency, and helps growers achieve higher yields, all while minimizing training time for staff.

Key benefits

Using the Tabletop Seeder brings a host of advantages to your operation, allowing for a quick return on investment and lasting improvements in planting efficiency and yield.

• Fast ROI: With labor-saving automation and minimal need for training, the Tabletop Seeder enables growers to quickly recover their investment while freeing up valuable time for other tasks.
• Increased Yield: Consistent, precise seed placement leads to uniform crop growth across trays, boosting yields and enhancing overall quality.
• Reduced Training Requirements: The seeder’s intuitive controls mean that even new team members can get up to speed quickly, reducing the time and resources spent on staff training.
• Durability for Long-Term Use: Built with durable materials to withstand controlled environment agriculture, the Tabletop Seeder ensures reliability and longevity for a variety of farm setups.

How this manual helps

This manual is your guide to getting the most out of the Rooted Robotics Tabletop Seeder. Inside, you’ll find step-by-step instructions for setting up your seeder, calibrating seed weights to your ideal specifications, selecting and using the appropriate roller for your seed type, and operating optional add-ons to further enhance your planting process. Following these instructions will ensure optimal performance, consistent results, and minimal downtime in your growing operation.

About us

Our skilled team of engineers, designers, and industry veterans is the Swiss-army knife of the indoor farming industry. With backgrounds in small to large scale farm operations, machine design, software, computer vision, and machine learning, we’re able to tackle the key problems that controlled environment agriculture farms face. Rooted in robotic automation, we provide affordable tools, technology, and insights that allow farm operators to strategically plan for a more profitable future enabled by intelligent and interfacing machines.

The Tabletop Seeder is designed for seeding leafy greens, microgreens, and baby greens in standard 1020 grow trays (up to 3 inches tall) in controlled environment agriculture facilities.

• Do NOT operate with guards removed or safety devices disabled.
• Do NOT use outdoors or in wet conditions.
• Do NOT use with trays exceeding 3 inches in height or non-1020 format trays.
• Do NOT operate the machine without reading this manual and watching setup videos.
• Do NOT allow untrained or unsupervised persons to operate the machine.

Signal Words and Symbols

Residual Risk Warnings

• Pinch points exist at the conveyor belt and rollers. Keep hands, hair and loose clothing clear of the belt feed area during operation.
• The machine contains voltages up to 110V AC (US) or 230V AC (EU) internally. Do not open the control panel enclosure.

Recommended Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• Safety Glasses for normal operation, cleaning with compressed air, cleaning with sanitizers.
• Hearing protection for compressed air use.
• Closed toed shoes for all stages of machine life cycle.

Emergency Stop

• The E-stop button is located in the middle of the control panel, between the soft kill switch and the control dial. The e-stop has a bright red mushroom head with a yellow background making it easily identifiable.
• To activate the E-stop, press it in firmly. Upon this press all motor power is cut from the machine. To reset the machine, twist the E-stop button clockwise to release. The machine will NOT restart automatically, the operator must initiate a deliberate restart sequence.
• The E-stop should be used any time an unsafe condition is observed, when any injuries occur, or at any point the operator feels unsure about the machine behavior. The E-stop must also be activated for routine cleaning and maintenance.

• Always use designated lifting points and grip locations.
• Machine mass: 55 - 77 lbs (25 - 35 kg) – requires minimum two (2) people and/or mechanical aid to lift.
• Dimensions: 51 x 36 x 36 in (1295 x 915 x 915 mm)
• WARNING: Sharp edges inside packaging – wear cut resistant gloves during unpacking and setup.
• Stability requirements for work surface: minimum surface dimensions, weight capacity >100 lbs, level, non-slip.
• Storage conditions: indoor, dry, ambient temperature.
• Clear workspace of tripping hazards (packaging materials) before positioning machine.

• The Operator(s) for the Tabletop Seeder machine should place the seeder at a comfortable working height, with the tray intake belt located around waist level. Ensure the seeder is located on a stable surface.
• The operator(s) should be located at the infeed side of the machine when loading trays into the seeder and the outfeed side when collecting the seeded trays.
• When placing 1020 trays onto infeed belt, operator should NOT manually push trays towards the hopper, instead allowing the conveyor to catch trays and direct them towards hopper.
• Allow multiple feet of space between the machine and all walls or other machinery to allow for smooth operation, maintenance and cleaning.
• Before operation of the machine, ensure no untrained bystanders are in the operating zone of the machine.

Before running your first batch, it’s important to calibrate your machine for your specific seed type and production needs. The Seeder uses a control dial that lets you fine-tune key settings such as belt speed, roller speed, and the watering features. While some variation in seed weight is normal—typically within ±5% of your target—our testing shows that even distribution and consistent spacing often lead to better germination and higher yields than hand-seeding. Some seed loss is expected with any automation system, but it’s typically very minimal compared to the amount of seeds that actually land on the tray. Once you’re dialed in, the Seeder will provide reliable, repeatable performance with minimal adjustment.

Seed Weight Calibration

1. Choose and insert the correct roller based on your seed type.
2. Load seeds into the hopper, ensuring the roller is fully covered. Some seed spillage at this stage is normal.
3. Place an empty tray on the scale and tare it to zero. You can use a paper towel to help prevent seeds from bouncing out.
4. Turn on the machine and use the dial to select the seed variety you are testing.
5. Run the tray through the machine, collect the seeded tray, and weigh it.
6. Using the “Edit” feature, adjust the speed until you achieve the target weight three times in a row for accuracy.

Watering Feature Calibration

1. Connect your water source. Do not load seeds into the hopper during this test.
2. If using the Booster Pump Add-On, ensure the intake line is fully submerged. Run the machine and check for smooth, continuous flow—if the pump sputters, increase the flow using the dial on the pump body.
3. Place a tray with media (or towels/absorbent material) on the belt.
4. Select the seed variety you plan to run, and start the machine. The watering bar will turn on and off automatically based on belt speed.
5. Observe water coverage. Use the dial to fine-tune the watering bar’s start and stop time if needed.
6. For precise water amounts per tray, weigh the tray before and after watering. Adjust the needle valves or belt speed until you achieve the desired weight consistently.
7. Once flow is consistent and water volume is dialed in, you’re ready to begin seeding.

Screens are numbered here for reference within this manual.

Each setting has its own screen. Rotate the dial to change the value in the middle, then save your changes on the Save Settings screen.

Spin speed of the seed roller

Rotate the dial to adjust the roller speed, with settings ranging from 0 to 50. Increasing the roller speed will dispense more seeds.

Speed of the belt that moves the tray

Rotate the dial to adjust the belt speed, with settings ranging from 0 to 25. Increasing the belt speed will result in fewer seeds being collected at the same roller speed.

Save settings or return to menu

Use this screen to save your current settings or return to the menu. Tap “Save Settings” to store your adjustments, or select “Menu” to go back without saving.

Purpose

Keep all seed-contact and tray-contact surfaces visibly clean during use and thoroughly cleaned after use to protect product quality and consistent metering.

Approved agents and methods

• Use potable water, food grade detergents, peroxide or peracetic acid based sanitizers per label.
• Do not use chlorinated cleaners.
• Wipe or hose with a handheld nozzle. Do not use a pressure washer.

Routine cleaning during operation (every 250 trays)

• Keep the hopper rim, roller cavity, tray receiver, and belt path free of seed dust and fragments.
• Wipe the selector dial and tray sensor window as needed to maintain reliable detection.
• Clean conveyance belt and pulleys, keep the belt moving and spray with compressed air or a water hose on jet mode to flush debris out of belt and pulley teeth.
• Avoid getting water into the hopper, roller cavities, or onto dry seed. Resume seeding only after all these components are dry.

End of day cleaning

1. Disconnect power.
2. Empty seed from the hopper. Store seed in labeled containers.
3. Remove seed rollers and the roller quiver. Wipe all parts; if washing, rinse, sanitize if desired, and dry completely before reassembly.
4. With the belt running, spray the belt with a hose on jet mode to clear dust from the running surface and underside.
5. Hose the tray receiver and drive unit tray path. Avoid direct spray into motor housings and the electronics box.
6. Wipe exterior panels, touch points, and the selector dial.
7. If using additives/chemicals with watering add-ons, flush lines with clean water for at least 60 seconds, then relieve pressure and allow residual water to purge.
8. Allow components to air dry fully before loading seed.

Deep cleaning (as needed)

1. Hose the machine with potable water using a handheld nozzle, then use compressed air to dislodge trapped debris and speed drying. Avoid directing water or airflow into motors, bearings, or the electronics box. Do not use a pressure washer.
2. Detension the main conveyance belt enough to remove it from the pulleys, then scrub the pulleys and the belt; clear embedded debris, reinstall the belt, tension to spec, and verify tracking.
3. Remove and individually clean seed rollers; ensure they are fully dry before reinstalling.
4. Inspect and clean drain paths so water cannot pool.

Do and do not

• Do keep food contact parts clean before, during, and after operation.
• Do run the belt while spraying it to move debris off.
• Do avoid direct spray at bearings, motors, and the electronics box.
• Do not use chlorinated cleaners.
• Do not use a pressure washer.

Features

• Precision Seeding: Ensures consistent seed distribution for increased yield
• Adjustable Settings: Choose from 50 roller speed levels and 25 belt speed levels, with customizable start and stop times for all features
• User-Friendly Interface: Features presets for plug-and-play operation
• Versatile Roller Options: Suitable for various seed types
• Durable Construction: Built to withstand long-term use
• Energy Efficient: Low power consumption
• Low Maintenance: Easy to maintain, clean, and store
• Adaptable Design: Supports additional tray receivers for expanded capacity

Physical specifications

Input power requirements

Certification

This machine is CE certified.

For additional assistance, troubleshooting or questions about your Tabletop Seeder, our team is here to help. Please contact us at: