seeds on tapes

[Dads Army]

I been sitting fiddleling with my thumbs waiting for the planting season to begin.
Do's anybody know what tape I can use for putting my own seeds on. I was thinking I could do this in the warm indoors, instead of messing about outside in the wet,dropping seeds every where except the right place I want them to go in.

[Dads Army]

[goodlife]

Well...I've done some in past by using cheap kitchen paper..cheap sort because the different layers could be separated apart.
But when I did mine..I did them prior sowing and they were used more and less next day. This was because damping the paper makes the layers stick back up together...so damping is not good if you were to store your home made tapes.
Other than that I'm not sure how you would make them other wise..unless using some glue.. :-\

[Dads Army]

Thank you for your reply Goodlife, but I was thnking about some kind of masking tape ,the paper type with a sticky side, but I'm a bit worried as some of those tapes used to be inpregnated with a sort of poison, ( I was always told not to tear it with your teeth) so I dont know if it would effect the seeds. :-\

[goodlife]

Masking tape is too 'heavy' and don't allow seeds grow through. Even when under wet soil it will take quite long time to 'disappear'/rot..too slow for germinating seeds.
That's why commercial seed tapes you see are made of really thin tissue paper-like porous material and the seeds are held on between two layers..not stuck on..
What I meant with 'glueing' is you could use thin tissue..or even toilet paper..cut it strips..with glue you could make squares/pockets on paper, drop seed in middle and press another paper layer on..but you have to be carefull not to over do with glue so it doesn't wet the paper or seeds too much as otherwise any moiture will start germination progress in seed and they don't store for long.

[Dads Army]

Thanks Goodlife, it states here we are in for some more rain, cant get out in the allotment, so I will get some tissue paper and have a go.

[Bill Door]

I had that thought as well Dads Army.

I used strips of newspaper and wallpaper paste.

So take the Sun before anyone reads the fairy tales and cut in half by the height.  Form a "v" near one edge to use as the seed "trail".

for parsnips spread paste across the paper and drop the seeds evenly spaced.  Fold over the newspaper and paste  the newspaper after rolling it to the required size.  For beetroot i dobbed paste along the newspaper put the seed in the paste then folded the paper over and paste it.

Last year i had very good parsnips and beetroots using this method.  I also used wide masking tape and that seemed to have no problems either.  I did put both in the ground late February/early March.

The awkward bit is naming the tapes as most names don't remain when you get them wet.  I am trying others this year as i also find it a pain putting seeds in the ground when the wind is blowing and the ground is wet.

Good luck  give it a go.


Bill

[Dads Army]

Thanks Bill I'll try that with news paper. ;)

[admjh1]

Bill any chance of a picture of finished article? Sound a brilliant idea  :)

[plainleaf]

newspaper is bad choice since takes to long to degrade.
loo paper and liquid corn starch are more commonly  recommended materials to use for making seed tapes

[Lottiman]

I would agree with plainleaf about the speed that the newspaper degrades and also about using something more natural to stick the seeds on. As wallpaper paste contains quite a few nasties

[jimtheworzel]

LIDL sell seed tapes  £1.49 a pkt

[plainleaf]

£0.15 per loo roll which average 250 feet
£0.68 Golden Syrup 454g    
£1.99 Tendersnax F1 Hybrid from t&M

£1.48. sutton seed tape carrot 16 ft

i will let you all do the math

[Dads Army]

This could help.I have found a site with instructions on how to make seed tapes,with corn starch kitchen tissue &  ;Dfood colour.
go to www.instuctables.com

[Dads Army]

Sorry misspelt, site www.instructables.com. And corn starch in America,  is called corn flour in the UK.

[Digeroo]

Fascinating site.  I really fancy having a go at the crocheted star ship enterprise. ;D

If you put the seeds in corn flour mix what stops them germinating.

There is another method where you put the seeds into a corn flour mix which has been heated and cooled and then you simply squirt it along the row. 

[plainleaf]

what is really sad is that you all misunderstand the fact that in USA liquid corn starch is the same as golden syrup in UK. thanks for the laugh.

[Borlotti]

Would runny honey work.

[Robert_Brenchley]

what is really sad is that you all misunderstand the fact that in USA liquid corn starch is the same as golden syrup in UK. thanks for the laugh.

'Starch' is a natural polymer, presumably derived from corn in this case. Golden syrup is invert syrup; nasty tasteless stuff which is a by-product of sugar refining. I don't see the connection, unless you're referring to HFCS.

[calendula]

possibly a connection with corn syrup

personally I don't understand wanting to make seed tapes - so much trouble and time - is it to avoid having to do a lot of bending down when planting out but even so, sowing in situ brings its own problems namely slugs and snails - just curious  :)

[Chrispy]

Seed tapes are just tapes with seeds in, you just sow the seed by laying the tape in the furrow, with the main advantage is the seeds are already spaced out for you, great for carrots.

Making you own, well they are expensive to buy, limited on variates and it is something to do while the weather is cold and wet.