A needle seeder for use in a seed delivery system is described. A seed needle is operated by a pneumatic cylinder or other such drive means in a reciprocating motion. During an upward stroke, the seed needle passes through a seed bed into a seed delivery port. The seed needle has a needle tip that includes a complementary recess for cradling a seed; a pressure differential maintained at the needle tip maintains the seed in position on the needle tip. At the furthest extent of an upward stroke, the seed needle tip is in place at a seed delivery port and the pressure differential at the needle tip is reversed, thereby expelling the seed from said tip and through a seed delivery hose. In one embodiment of the invention, a plurality of needle seeders are arranged in a row and mounted to a tractor driven seed delivery device for field seeding. In another embodiment of the invention, a series of rows of needle seeders form a seed delivery matrix whereby a greenhouse flat, having a plurality of individual containers, is planted in its entirety in one step. A further embodiment of the invention contemplates including a conveyor in the flat seeding embodiment of the invention, whereby greenhouse flats are planted in an assembly line fashion.
