Forum home The potting shed
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Taping seeds to space out.

24

Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Surely it's just as easy (or as difficult) to put seeds directly onto compost/soil at the right spacing as it is to put them onto tape?
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Yes, that was what i was saying. I really can't see any advantage of tape.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I can see the advantage of buying taped seed, particularly for carrots if you have carrot fly in the vicinity because thinning them releases the carrotty smell that attracts the carrot fly. I can't really see the point in making your own, particularly once you factor in buying extra stuff and the time spent.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • MikeOxgreenMikeOxgreen Posts: 812
    I use tweezers if it's something I want to be spaced out well right from the start.
    Yes it takes longer initially, but there is less wastage and you don't have to thin out later.

    I've recently looked into seed drillers/applicators, but the feedback on them was patchy so haven't bought on yet. 
  • I use tweezers if it's something I want to be spaced out well right from the start.
    Yes it takes longer initially, but there is less wastage and you don't have to thin out later.

    I've recently looked into seed drillers/applicators, but the feedback on them was patchy so haven't bought on yet. 

    Actually for planting carrot seeds say a length of wood with largish headed nails will do the job. A fairy cake tin can make suitable dents in soil.
  • MikeOxgreenMikeOxgreen Posts: 812
    I use tweezers if it's something I want to be spaced out well right from the start.
    Yes it takes longer initially, but there is less wastage and you don't have to thin out later.

    I've recently looked into seed drillers/applicators, but the feedback on them was patchy so haven't bought on yet. 

    Actually for planting carrot seeds say a length of wood with largish headed nails will do the job. A fairy cake tin can make suitable dents in soil.
    How do you plant and space seeds with 'a length of wood with largish headed nails' ?
  • Maybe hammer the points of suitably long nails into a wooden spar at measured intervals then push the heads into compost to leave ideally spaced, perfectly depthed (is that a word ?) seed sowing holes ?
    When there's always biscuits in the tin, where's the fun in biscuits ?
  • Maybe hammer the points of suitably long nails ...
    Yep, use large headed galvanised roofing nails. Drill a slightly smaller dia. (than the nail shaft dia.) holes in a piece of 1" x 2" after marking even spaces along its wide side then tap the nails in so the distance from the nail head to the wood is the required seed depth. If you get nails which are not too long hopefully the points will not protrude so you won't get scratched by the other end of the nails.


  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    If you just use a length of wood marked with spacings according to what you sow, or just in 3 inch/6 inch gaps etc, you can just use your finger to make a hole - or the end of a label, or an old screwdriver . Much easier, and no worries about hurting yourself.

    The screwdriver is my preferred method for sowing things like sweet pea seeds or morning glories in pots. Nice and neat  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Fairygirl said:
    If you just use a length of wood marked with spacings according to what you sow, or just in 3 inch/6 inch gaps etc, you can just use your finger to make a hole - or the end of a label, or an old screwdriver . Much easier, and no worries about hurting yourself.

    The screwdriver is my preferred method for sowing things like sweet pea seeds or morning glories in pots. Nice and neat  :)

    Make a hole with your finger!! Oh, no, no, no. Dirty fingers! Screwdriver, Oh dear, Oh der, whatever next!
Sign In or Register to comment.