If anyone has looked at seed tape you would see they are very expensive to buy, usually it is carrots or beetroot, but now a days it seems that quite a bit are on tape. The reason for this is that tiny seeds once germinated need to be thinned out to give the plant enough room to grow,and by putting seeds on a tape this eliminates that need, providing of course that the seed does germinate. Of course nice straight rows that you automatically get is also an advantage for weeding. I decided to give it a try for carrots and pak choi, just to see what would happen.
First up I got scissors, a glue stick, pencil and newspaper. Then cut the newspaper into strips.
Then with the glue stick just ran 1/2 the paper with the glue, I felt if I did the full length it would dry to quickly. Then individually I stuck a carrot seed where I thought roughly 5 -10 cms apart. It may seems a bit close but I was allowing for the fact that carrots seeds don't all germinate. Usually on the back of the seed packet you will find the exact spacing recommended. I wrote what the seeds were called on the strip, so I wouldn't forget.
I did the same with two strips of pak choy as it is so easy to grow and I wanted to test this theory. From what I have read you can use paper towels and do a square sheet like as in square foot gardening. Or use toilet paper which is then folded in half over the glued seed. Also flour and water can be used as a paste, or clag anything that is water soluble. All I had were glue sticks.
This is just a test so I have planted three carrot strips and one pak choy at the end, in one of the metal beds which my son made, and we will see what result I get.
It would make a good rainy day project over winter, should this be successful.
Till next time.
First up I got scissors, a glue stick, pencil and newspaper. Then cut the newspaper into strips.
Then with the glue stick just ran 1/2 the paper with the glue, I felt if I did the full length it would dry to quickly. Then individually I stuck a carrot seed where I thought roughly 5 -10 cms apart. It may seems a bit close but I was allowing for the fact that carrots seeds don't all germinate. Usually on the back of the seed packet you will find the exact spacing recommended. I wrote what the seeds were called on the strip, so I wouldn't forget.
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| Seeds stuck on. |
I did the same with two strips of pak choy as it is so easy to grow and I wanted to test this theory. From what I have read you can use paper towels and do a square sheet like as in square foot gardening. Or use toilet paper which is then folded in half over the glued seed. Also flour and water can be used as a paste, or clag anything that is water soluble. All I had were glue sticks.
This is just a test so I have planted three carrot strips and one pak choy at the end, in one of the metal beds which my son made, and we will see what result I get.
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| Carrot strips near the drip irrigation pipe. |
It would make a good rainy day project over winter, should this be successful.
Till next time.
Oh - this will be interesting to see if it works......keep us posted please.
ReplyDeleteDefinite will, it has been 7 days now and I haven't had a minute to even check what with the storm and all. I still have enough to give it a 2nd go as I think the idea is really good. Quick too.
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