HOME MADE SEED TAPES

I've made some seed tapes.

An internet friend from a forum I visit has had great success growing parsnips this way....

So I'm copying him!

home made DIY seedtapes

I had started off my parsnip seeds on wet tissue paper, planting only the seeds that germinated, in the hope of getting a full row (for once in my life).

Sadly though, a grand total of THREE snips made it to the true leaf stage. 

Then I read how easy it is to make make seed tapes that hold the seed where it needs to be, hold the moisture and mean you don't have thin out seedlings.

All you do is place the seeds at the correct distances along a piece of masking tape, fold the tape in half (lengthwise) and plant it.

Can it really be that easy?

parsnip seedtape alongside garlic

I was concerned that the roots would not be able to escape the adhesive in the tape but I'm told it's no problem.

I mixed in some cornflowers and radishes with mine, then made  more tapes for carrots, leeks and flowers.

I started planting the tapes yesterday....I'll let you know how well they get on.

Yesterday also marked the second wave of seed sowing for tenders.

sowing sweetcorn in loo roll tubes

 I always sow sweetcorn in loo roll tubes so they get a good deep rootrun and so I can plant the whole thing to minimise root disturbance come transplant time. 

The top half of a milk carton makes an excellent funnel for pouring compost into the tubes.

And I received all these lovely seeds through the post.... 

seedswap goodies

 They were the result of a seed swap and I am thrilled with them! To have bought all these would have cost a small fortune and some, like Japanese Black Futsu squash, I had never even heard of!
What fun!
These seeds were all sown within an hour of arrival.

I am just loving the internet this week ;-)