Seed Tapes

Talking about gardening has got me so excited to plant!  It will still be a while on most things - but there are cool crops that can be planted quite soon.

Have you ever bought seed tapes?  I have and I love them - but boy are they pricey!  Yesterday I saw how to make our own - and thought I would share.  It is so easy and FRUGAL!


HOMEMADE SEED TAPES
Great for those tiny seeds that are hard to see when planting directly into the garden - lettuce, radish, carrots, beets, etc.

You will need a nice type of paper towel or bath tissue (a little heavier) or something like white party streamers or tissue paper.  Keep it WHITE to avoid dye leeching out.
Cut into long strips, 2" wide.

Make a paste of 1/4 C flour and 2 Tbsp. of warm water (remember - like school).  Make sure it is thick and not runny - adjust till right.

Lay out your strips of paper and mark with a pencil where the seeds need to go according to the package instructions.  Keep your marks in the middle of one inch of paper width.
Dab paste on each mark.
Place a seed into each dab of paste.
Fold over the other 1" width of paper.  Let it dry completely.  (End product will be 1" wide)
Roll up and store in an airtight container till ready to plant.
Make a  small trench in garden or pot, place seed tape in (according to package depth), cover with soil and keep moist!

These can be stored in airtight containers for up to a year.
**I think these would make a neat gift as well.  Recycle a container on some sort - decorate with empty seed package and a ribbon.   Useful and frugal gift!  (Buy seeds at the end of season on sale)

I am getting ready to make some this weekend for my lettuce, carrots, and radishes.  Those items are so hard to get evenly spaced, and I HATE to pull out starts and throw away - it seems so wasteful!

HAVE FUN
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!