Making Your Own Seed Tapes

Has anyone ever tried making your own seed tapes successfully? I once took a stab at it, but it didn't work too well for me, but figure I didn't do something right. Would like to try again.....any experiences or ideas you could share ??

Have a look:
http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/ic_planting_seeding_maint/article/0,2029,DIY_13968_2270362,00.html

no exp[erience at all but would be interested in learning more abut it. could not get the link you had. will try again later.

Once years ago when my garden was orderly, I used a cheap roll of toilet paper folded lengthwise, sprinkled the seeds along the crease, and buried it. Everything came up fine, cost very little, and the paper completely disappeared. Remember, I said CHEAP paper, not the fancy quilted double thickness kind.

I've done the same as meezersfive, but instead of creasing TP, put a VERY thin line of elmer's glue down the center and placed seeds. Let dry completely; rolled up & used later. I echo the fact that I also used the totally cheap TP. I've used this with carrot and turnip seeds in the past.

sounds like something even i can do. thanks

I do this with most of the seeds for dh's garden, his fingers have nerve damage and he just can't feel the little ones.

I also do it with my little flower seeds too, so I know they went where I wanted them to.

I use really cheap TP, but I don't glue them, I just spray it all down lightly with a mister and fold it over in thirds.

mg

I must have done something not right that first time. Am going to try again this year.

I cut 1'' strips of newspaper, set down a ruler , made a mark for spacing with a magic marker, dropped a dot of Elmers glue and a seed. Let it dry. Very good for carrots. I try to space all my seeds so I don't have to thin them later. I thought I was going to make lots of seed tapes, but for the size of the newspaper, anything spaced more than 6'' was a waste. You can also mix up flour and water. The Elmers was easier.

Not sure I like the glue idea for the seeds. Will it be harder for it to grow with glue around it? I would think the glue between where you want the seeds to place by make mini pockets and drop the seed there and fold it up and plant when ready. Ummm....

Linda

Anyone try using a glue stick? The non-toxic, washable, acid-free, cheap type you can buy in Pkg/6 at the $ stores? I'm not too good with squeeze bottles but using that on newspaper should be pretty quick and easy. Hmm, may have to give it a try.

Never thought about the glue stick. It worth to try.

Linda

I think as long as it's water soluable, the glue will dissolve. I guess I'll find out. I planted mine yesterday and we got 3/10'' this morn. I think by eating paste in grade school, we know it's non-toxic. :)

LOL, if Elmer's were toxic, my eldest DD would have been a gonner a long time ago!

LOL!!! Anyone remember the "lucky'' kid who had the paste with the applicator and how they let you have a taste? Yum!

Oh, remember being the first one to get the paper that had come from the ditto machine and getting that first wiff? I had totally forgotten about ditto machines until I read about eating paste.

I have heard of people using the Elmers and T.P. trick, but haven't done it myself. It worked for them.

YESSSSS! And remember the sound of the teacher cutting paper with the blade? I don't know what to call it. Paper cutter?

The ditto machine? You mean a copier? You guys must be a lot younger than me. I remember the smell and feel of chalk; especially after writting "I will never (insert crime) again." 500 times.

A ditto machine. You wrote on a 2 part paper/inked thing (ditto Master) then took off the paper part attached the inked one to a ditto machine, drum that had copier fluid in it and it turned once around for each copy. The oldest ones had a hand crank the newer ones were electric.

That is what we used when I first started teaching. I always ended up with ink all over me and my clothing. Hey and I taught with chalk up to 3 years ago when I became a full time artist, that sounds like I make money at it. I want you to know I never had a kid write anything over and over again. Now they are a special black paint on the wall and just don't clean up at all. I wouldn't mind having one of those old slate ones.

Yep a paper cutter. Those big cool ones are a no no in schools these days.

Just another walk down memory lane.

I'm 48 and holding for another month. I think I had to do the 500 punishment once, but no idea now for what. Most likely talking.

I just made up some seed tapes last night and it was very easy. I got the recipe from HGTV from Paul James. http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_bulbs_seeds/article/0,1785,HGTV_3553_1378253,00.html

Since I wasn't going to do too many tapes, I cut the recipe in 1/4 and it made plenty for me. I used a liquid dropper to put the paste on and it worked great. We had a lot of rain yesterday and I was away all day today, so I will be putting them out tomorrow. I'll keep you all informed of any success I have with these.

Donna

Aaah, cornstarch. I saw another recipe somewhere for flour and water with a little fertilizer mixed in. Didn't want to mess with that. The Elmers worked for me. I wonder if the cornstarch would squeeze out of a glue bottle?

Myself, I think I'd skip the fertilizer in any of the recipes - I'm guessing it'd be washed away by the time the seed had a root and could use it :-)

Don't think it is a good thing to fertilize at the time of germination. Have read so many articles that tell you to wait with feeding new sprouts until they are of a certain height.

Great idea - I'll have to give it a try. I get impatient planting teeny tiny seeds in the ground because my fingers don't listen and I always dump too many.

I remember the smell of mimeograph and using the machine not too long ago in a school that still had one. It was less expensive to run than the copy machine.

(I've got one of those paper cutters of my very own.)

Everything I glued with Elmers has come up. I may try the cornstarch next time.