If you’re looking for a fun rainy day garden project to do with your kids, or if you are a new gardener and are concerned about planting tiny seeds like carrots and lettuce in the garden, I have the perfect project for you.
A seed tape. You can typically find seed tapes in the gardening section of your local store this time of year, but they usually run about $3 to $5 and half the seeds a a normal seed packet would.
How to Make a Seed Tape
Supplies
- Toilet Paper
- Flour
- Water
- Seeds
- Bamboo Skewer or Toothpick
First figure out how long you want to make your seed tape. My garden boxes are 8 feet long so I used 8 feet of toilet paper. The great thing about seed tape is you can make it as long {or as short} as you need to accommodate your garden space.
Seed tapes can be made with any type of small seeds. Peas and beans are easy for children to plant with their tiny fingers, but seeds like carrots, lettuce and radishes are quite a bit harder for them to grasp.
Directions
Make a simple paste out of flour and water. You want the “paste” to be the consistency of glue. Next use a chopstick or a bamboo skewer and carefully dab a little paste onto the toilet paper.
Add 2 seeds to the dab of paste {I like to use 2 seeds just in case one does not germinate}. If you are unsure as to how far apart to paste your seeds, simply look at the back of the seed packet for instructions. Most carrot seeds need to be planted 3″ apart.
Once the paste has dried, roll up your seed tape and head out to the garden.
Lay the seed tape down and cover with dirt {refer to your seed packet to find out how deep}. For carrots cover with 1/8″ of soil. Water and care for your newly planted seeds just as you would had they been sowed directly in the garden. The toilet paper should dissolve in about a week.
Yee-Haw! Gardening is cool, even for kids!
~Mavis
For more simple garden ideas to do with kids, check out Gardening Projects for Kids. It’s pretty rad.
virginia says
Thanks so much for sharing! I have 3 little girls that are going to love this!
Lisa@Pickles and Cheese says
This is a brilliant idea! Thanks for the great how-to. Can’t wait to get started.
Mindy says
This is an awesome idea.
Mary says
This isn’t just for kids. I heard about it in Organic Gardening many years ago and it works really well and saves a lot of time not having to thin the carrots.
Alyson Shank says
You are amazing! This morning I thought that I should be able to make my own seed tape for my carrots. No lie, just this morning. It’s like I know what you are thinking!
Katie @ imperfect people says
Brilliant! I wish I would have thought of that! I love it!
Sarah says
I like to spend an evening sitting at a table, watching TV making seed tapes, then quickly plant nice even rows in the garden without the back-breaking bending over needed for sowing individual seeds.
Shannon says
I made seed tape for carrots and bunching onions last year. I had variable success. You have to put more dirt than you think on top of the tape and keep it wetter than you think. The toilet paper dries out and creates a barrier to the rest of the soil…so that soil can dry out and then blow around if you don’t stay on top of watering. But, I will likely do this again this year.
marsha says
Mavis – do you have a post about how to grow your own easter/spring basket with kitty grass ?
Mavis Butterfield says
I don’t but that would sure be fun to try. 🙂