Hajontakylvöä

Hajontakylvöä, which translates to "dissemination sowing" or "broadcast sowing" in English, is a traditional agricultural practice. In this method, seeds are scattered over the prepared soil surface by hand or with a simple mechanical spreader, rather than being planted in precise rows or intervals. This technique was historically used in many parts of the world due to its simplicity and speed, especially when large areas needed to be sown.

The primary advantage of hajontakylvöä is its efficiency in terms of labor and time. It requires less precise labor than drilling or dibbling seeds. However, it also comes with several disadvantages. The distribution of seeds can be uneven, leading to areas with too many plants (resulting in competition for resources and reduced individual plant growth) and areas with too few. This unevenness can also make subsequent tasks like weeding or harvesting more difficult. Furthermore, broadcast-sown seeds are more exposed to birds and other pests before they can germinate and establish. While largely superseded by more precise methods like seed drills in modern agriculture for most crops, hajontakylvöä might still be employed in specific contexts, such as for certain cover crops, pasture renovation, or in areas where specialized equipment is unavailable or impractical.