Post by Deleted on May 26, 2008 15:46:55 GMT -5
I've found a new hobby! Making homemade seed tapes with toilet paper! 
I can't believe I'd never thought of this before, but I'm not the only one - everyone I've mentioned it to has said "Duh! Why didn't *I* think of that?"
Most of you probably already have your seeds in for this year, but if you don't, you could try this, and if you do, it could be a good winter project to make planting a breeze next year. That's my plan - make a whole bunch of these over the winter.
Take a strip of toilet paper (I use 3 squares which equals 1 foot) and use a ball point pen with a blunt point to write on one edge what the seeds will be. This is the hardest part because the pen wants to tear the TP, but don't be tempted to use a felt tip pen. Then turn it over and spritz it all over lightly with water (this is why you need to use a ballpoint pen - a felt pen will bleed and run). Fold it in half lengthwise and verrrry gently pat along the folded edge, then unfold it again. You'll see a faint crease which will be your centerline guide. Now place your little seeds (I've been doing carrots, turnips, rutabagas, green onions and radishes) in a line about 1/2 inch away from the centerline. I use tweezers so I can place them exactly. You can put them where their final spacing is to be, or you can put more in and thin them later, but the fewer you put on there, the less waste there will be in thinning them (that's the frugal part!). More useable plants per seed packet!
Now gently fold the damp TP back in half and gently pat the two layers together over the seeds to hold them in place. Don't push because it will tear easily, but pat it firmly enough that each seed is secured. Then lay the strips out on something to dry (countertop, table, baking sheets, whatever). It doesn't take very long for them to dry - maybe an hour or so. After the strips are dry, you can stack them in a box to keep them for later, or take them right out to the garden and plant them.
To plant them, dig a trench at the correct depth for the seeds, lay the TP strips in and cover with dirt, potting soil, compost, or whatever you would normally use. The TP will decompose very rapidly and the seeds will be properly placed to make nice neat little rows with very little, if any, thinning required.
This is just the coolest thing I've ever discovered (and I found it in a gardening book, so I can't take the credit), and it's been keeping me very busy and out of trouble!
~Lannie
P.S. You could use a piece of Scotch tape with the seed name written on it to label each one, but you'd have to tear the tape off before you planted them, or just plant the tape, and I'm not sure if it would decompose properly. I was going to do that, and instead just decided to write directly on the toilet paper. But I guess using a piece of tape would make it a lot easier.
I can't believe I'd never thought of this before, but I'm not the only one - everyone I've mentioned it to has said "Duh! Why didn't *I* think of that?"
Most of you probably already have your seeds in for this year, but if you don't, you could try this, and if you do, it could be a good winter project to make planting a breeze next year. That's my plan - make a whole bunch of these over the winter.
Take a strip of toilet paper (I use 3 squares which equals 1 foot) and use a ball point pen with a blunt point to write on one edge what the seeds will be. This is the hardest part because the pen wants to tear the TP, but don't be tempted to use a felt tip pen. Then turn it over and spritz it all over lightly with water (this is why you need to use a ballpoint pen - a felt pen will bleed and run). Fold it in half lengthwise and verrrry gently pat along the folded edge, then unfold it again. You'll see a faint crease which will be your centerline guide. Now place your little seeds (I've been doing carrots, turnips, rutabagas, green onions and radishes) in a line about 1/2 inch away from the centerline. I use tweezers so I can place them exactly. You can put them where their final spacing is to be, or you can put more in and thin them later, but the fewer you put on there, the less waste there will be in thinning them (that's the frugal part!). More useable plants per seed packet!
Now gently fold the damp TP back in half and gently pat the two layers together over the seeds to hold them in place. Don't push because it will tear easily, but pat it firmly enough that each seed is secured. Then lay the strips out on something to dry (countertop, table, baking sheets, whatever). It doesn't take very long for them to dry - maybe an hour or so. After the strips are dry, you can stack them in a box to keep them for later, or take them right out to the garden and plant them.
To plant them, dig a trench at the correct depth for the seeds, lay the TP strips in and cover with dirt, potting soil, compost, or whatever you would normally use. The TP will decompose very rapidly and the seeds will be properly placed to make nice neat little rows with very little, if any, thinning required.
This is just the coolest thing I've ever discovered (and I found it in a gardening book, so I can't take the credit), and it's been keeping me very busy and out of trouble!
~Lannie
P.S. You could use a piece of Scotch tape with the seed name written on it to label each one, but you'd have to tear the tape off before you planted them, or just plant the tape, and I'm not sure if it would decompose properly. I was going to do that, and instead just decided to write directly on the toilet paper. But I guess using a piece of tape would make it a lot easier.