DIY seed tape is a great indoor activity that will give you an excuse to work on prepping your spring garden while the weather is still cold.
Seed tape is made of bio-degradable paper and is the perfect product for planting tiny seeds that would normally be difficult to properly space in your garden. Making seed tape is very simple and only requires a few common supplies and a little bit of time. If you have kids, let them join in on the craft project and teach them a little about gardening.
DIY Seed Tape
-jar for storage
-small rubber bands
Take your newspaper and cut it into strips that are about 2 inches wide.
Label each strip, with the names of the seeds you will be using.
Figure out the correct spacing for each type of seed. You can usually find this on the back of your seed package or online. Use a ruler and marker to mark off spacing distances. For example, the recommended spacing for radishes is 1 inch, so you would mark a dot every inch.
Next, you must create a paste for your seeds. Use a small container to stir a mixture of water and flour together. The amount of water and flour you use is determined based on the amount of seed tapes you are making. For example, 1 Tbsp of flour and a few teaspoons of water is perfect for over 12 seed tapes.
Put a pinch of flour paste on the marked dots on the strips of newspaper and drop each seed into the flour paste. Allow them to dry completely.
Once the paste is dry, roll the seed tape up and write each plant name on the outside again. Put a rubber band over the roll to keep it together.
Place the rolls in a mason jar and store in a cool, dark place until it’s planting season.
Once it is planting season, dig a furrow for seeds and unroll the seed tape in the furrow. The seeds will already be perfectly spaced out and all you will need to do is cover the furrow and properly bury the seeds. Water, but be sure to keep the area moist, and not too wet, until the seedlings begin to emerge.
Ariana Marisol is a contributing staff writer for REALfarmacy.com. She is an avid nature enthusiast, gardener, photographer, writer, hiker, dreamer, and lover of all things sustainable, wild, and free. Ariana strives to bring people closer to their true source, Mother Nature. She is currently finishing her last year at The Evergreen State College getting her undergraduate degree in Sustainable Design and Environmental Science. Follow her adventures on Instagram.