Yesterday I got out into the garden for the first time this season. Trying not to be discouraged by the weeds surrounding my raised beds I got busy making and planting home-made seed tapes. I had seen the idea in Organic Gardening magazine and was eager to try it out. If successful it should eliminate the need to thin seedlings, a chore that seems so counter productive to me. Seed tapes are ideal for small seed crops like carrots, radishes and lettuces.
I planted two types of lettuce, Iceberg and Buttercrunch; Cherry Belle radishes and Red Cored Chantenay carrots in rows in one raised bed. Before doing so I sprinkled and mixed in some Plant Tone plant food.
In large containers, I direct-sowed Purple Top White Globe turnip, Sugar Ann peas and a container variety of Sweet Peas. I also assembled indoor starts of three varieties of Southwestern chiles: 'Sierra Fuego' Jalapeno, 'Joe Parker' New Mex and 'San Luis' Ancho.
Follow this link to OG for directions to make your own seed tapes:
Best-Ever Seed Tape
5 years ago
