Homemade Seed Tapes
Written by John Mauger Date Posted: 28 August 2016
Making seed tapes is easy and fun. It a great way to ensure an even sowing and is a good indoor activity for kids. This method is best suited to larger, easy to handle seeds such as peas, beans and beetroot but with a little patience can also be used for smaller seeds such as carrots and onions.
What you will need:
- Seeds
- Flour – 1 tablespoon
- Water – 1 cup
- Ruler
- Marking pen or pencil
- Newspaper, toilet paper or paper towel
- Scissors
- Small paintbrush for applying glue (a cotton wool bud or a stick could also be used)
- Tweezers (optional)
Method
- In a saucepan mix the flour into the water and boil until it thickens into a paste. Set aside to cool.
- Cut the paper into strips about 4cm wide. If you are using newspaper the full length of the opened out newspaper should be used. If you are using paper towel or toilet paper, a length of 1 to 2 metres is best, any longer than this becomes hard to handle.
- Lay paper strips out on a table in rows. Using the ruler and pencil mark spots on the length of the paper at the recommended spacing for the type of seed you are using. Peas, beetroot or beans would be around 10cm and carrots would be around 5cm.
- Using the cooled flour and water paste and your paintbrush/stick, dab a spot of the paste on each measured mark you have made on the strips of paper. Place a seed on each dob of paste and then leave the seed tapes to dry.
- To plant just lay the tape in a trench at the right depth, cover with soil and water. Your seedlings will be evenly spaced in rows!
Related blog posts:
How to Sow Tiny Seeds
Author: Jennifer Charlotte Date Posted: 31 March 2017
Sowing tiny seeds can be a daunting task and if not handled correctly can lead to disappointing results. This article discusses many of the challenges tiny seeds cause as well as many methods you can employ to ensure you get the best results possible.
Recent blog posts:
Aphids: Dealing With a Sap-Sucking Insect Invasion
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 21 March 2019
While there are many commercial pesticides and other products available to control an aphid infestation, there's plenty that a gardener can do without resorting to chemicals. This article gives valuable real-world tips on preventing aphid infestations.
Water-Saving Techniques and Drought-Tolerant Herbs and Flowers
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 18 March 2019
With especially hot, dry summers seeming to arrive ever more often, water conservation is an increasingly urgent issue. Gardeners can be at the forefront of this effort, both by minimising water use and by planting drought-tolerant species.
Tips for Adding Calendula to Your Vegetable Garden
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 1 March 2019
This hardy plant is easy to grow and makes a beneficial addition to a vegetable garden. If you haven't tried growing calendula, consider giving this plant a chance to earn a spot in your garden.
Artificial Selection, Heirloom Seeds, and the Amazing Variety They Bring to Gardening
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 1 March 2019
Human hands have guided the development of nearly all modern food crops, using a process called artificial selection. This article explains how artificial selection works, and how it has influenced the contents of today's gardens and farms.
Savour the Scent of Summer for Longer with Homemade Potpourri
Author: The Seed Collection Pty Ltd Date Posted: 28 February 2019
By making your own potpourri, you can extend the weeks of pleasure given by your carefully cultivated flowers. This article explains what potpourri is, what it's made from, and how to make it at home.
View all blog posts
Comments (3)
24 January 2017
I love to do this - have always doubled the paper over, but I suppose the flour paste will keep the seeds in place. I like to cover the tape with seed raising mix as it is easier to see where I have planted! It also usually gives the seeds a bit of a start up boost.
By: Lopke Durr on 4 October 2016
Awesome! I am going to give this a go! Thank you x