Has anyone used these and did they work O.K? I was thinking of buying these next year for carrots to save bending. Do you still have to thin Out?
Hi
Someone on our allotments used them this year and they were really successful, and no thining out was needed. The germination rate seemed good as well. Sorry but I dodn't know the variety or the company. Which ones were you looking at?
http://www.suttons.co.uk/Shop/Groweasy+Seed+Tapes+and+Mats/Groweasy+Seed+Tapes/List/
this site may help
jimtheworzel
Thanks for replies. Thats good news.
Yes Suttons seem to be the only stockist and that is by post.. Never seen them in Garden Centres.
somebody on here was going to make their own, can't remember who it was ???
here you go ;D
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,38617.0.html
Fothergills & D.T. Brown do them too, search for seed tape on their sites. Neither charge P&P on seed only orders. :)
e.g. 6m of Early Nantes is £2.29 with Fothergills, D.T. Brown have 6m of Autumn King or Amsterdam for £1.99.
QuoteYes Suttons seem to be the only stockist and that is by post.. Never seen them in Garden Centres.
I have seen the Sutton ones in Homebase
This site is so good. Thanks for the replies. Going past H/B at end of the week so will pop in. If not looks like I will be ordering from Mr Fothergill.
I remember the make your own thread but it looked a bit fiddly. If some one can call up the thread I would be grateful. The credit crunch had not started then.
Also saw them in B&Q this morning - not a great variety available, though.
Best regards,
Sue
I tried the Suttons parsnip tapes one year - that was the year we had no parsnips :( :( :(
http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/smf/index.php/topic,38617.0.html
I bought some in Wyevale's 50p sale, so know they have had them.
Yes, they do work and no you don't have to thin them out.
I used some Thompson and Morgan ones this year and they were great. Good germination and little or no thinning. Would definitely use again.
I tried them for leeks and carrots with appalling germination.
You can also make your own seed tapes and seed squares which is ideal rainy day play time :)
I was just browsing the Seeds of Italy site and discovered they're now offering seed tapes. They only have Early Nantes carrots & a variety of leek, but at £1.69 for 5m I thought they might be of interest. ;)
to make you own seed tapes all need is heavy syrup or corn syrup , toilet paper and a pair of tongs to place the seeds.
I had some given as a gift a couple of years ago, they were parsnips. They grew better than any others I had ever grown before or since actually. I thought they were pretty daft when I got them but I am a real convert..thanks for the reminder XX Jeannine
I used the Radish seed tapes this year and was really impressed with the results.
Plainleaf2, I would like to make my own seed tapes, like the idea of toilet paper but can you tell me more about the syrup or corn syrup. Don't have much syrup but could buy some, would honey be OK.
heavy syrup is made by mixing sugar in to water then boiling off most water till it gets thick but does not turn brown like caramel.
simlar to making rock candy.
Thanks, might give that a try.
You might want to try cornflour, mixed to a paste with cold water then added to boiling water just as if you were making a thin custard, let it cool then mix seeds in, use a bag as a piping bag pipe into rows trying to get about the same distance apart as you would for seeds in a row , use paper towels,when full put another paper towel on top of the first, allow to dry then cut into strips with seeds in the rows. You can use newspaper if you have lots. I am guessing but feel honey or cornsyrup which is very sweet would attract ants or mice. You can also use wallpaper paste. I have made these with kids at school .
XX Jeannine
Honey is hygroscopic, ie it attracts moisture. That's what you want when it comes to wound dressings, but not if you want to store seed dry.