Taped seeds

[murray]

Hello everyone. Has anyone tried growing 'seeds on a tape? I was looking today at some parsnips(Tender & True) and am tempted to try them, but are they worth the extra cost? I thought they may save the aggro of thinning out later. Murray

[crichmond]

I have tried them and they worked very well ive tried the lettuce, radish, carrot beetroot and spring onion.
It does make it a lot easier sowing and harvesting but like you say the cost is quite a bit higher than packs of seeds.

Cheers Chris

[Flummery]

I've only ever tried spring onion on tapes. Worse than useless for me. Now I sow them a small pinch in modules and I wouldn't go back to tapes. I do my parsnips pre-germinated then put one at a time in loo roll middles (since being on here last year) and again, I wouldn't go back.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Depends on how many parsnip you want - I sowed a packet over a 20' stretch and then thinned them out. The seed pack was 69p from wilko.

I now have the European Parsnip Mountain, and although the seeds were a fiddle to sow, I wouldn't fork out for taped seeds - especially as unless the seeds are one every foot, you're still going to have to thin them out.

[Two_Sheds]

If you sow thinner in the first place, you won't have to do that dreaded thinning out thing. (but parsnips are tricky to germinate: prob best to start them off in toilet rolls first, then plant out at the required distance.)
Save your money!

[Protea]

every year i'm tempted by the carrots on rolls, as i never seem to be able to grow carrots (they hate me ), however i have resisted so far. I'd be interested to know if it really improves germination prospects or if they're as likely to not germinate as when i sow them freehand
They are quite expensive too which puts me off

[Protea]

Sorry, i should have said carrot 'seed' on rolls. Imagine fully grown carrots on rolls waiting to be rolled out into the soil!! hee hee!

[shirlthegirl43]

Are you certain your carrots aren't just munched before you spot them Protea? I am sure the slugs hear them breaking through the soil!

[Flummery]

I found carrots difficult until I tried them in pots in the greenhouse. I found they were getting slugged and was able to protect them better in there. This year I'm planning growing them in a fish box (the sort you get washed up on the beach - if you live in the right place!) What I thought was iffy germination was actually munching as Shirl says.

[Protea]

Are you certain your carrots aren't just munched before you spot them Protea? I am sure the slugs hear them breaking through the soil!

possibly, but i've never seen any slug trails. Also, whenever i decide to sow my carrots it seems to be at the very moment we stop having any rain to speak of. My plot is heavy clay so as soon as we get a wisp of sun we get a crust on the top of the soil and i think they just either can't get through or its too dry (i can't get there every day). I've tried planting into soil mixed with compost to stop the capping problem but to no avail. I planted some in a broken 'tub trug' later in the year which i kept at home so i could water it - all germinated no probs. could be the slugs i suppose

[shirlthegirl43]

I suspect it is indeed the slugs, I have never seen a trail by the little blighters either, but if you are out there at the right time you can hear them crunching all your lovely carrot tops!

[Flummery]

No trail but I found the little blighter in mid-munch! Snuck up on him!

[Cutecumber]

Back on the seed tape thing, are the seeds treated in any way?

I thought that the idea of the tapes was ease of sowing and spacing rather than improved germination. If this is true, though, surely parsnip seed isn't ideal because of its potentially low viability.

Do you see what I mean?!?

[Protea]

Back on the seed tape thing, are the seeds treated in any way?

I thought that the idea of the tapes was ease of sowing and spacing rather than improved germination. If this is true, though, surely parsnip seed isn't ideal because of its potentially low viability.

Do you see what I mean?!?

The seed won't be treated, so yes you are right - parsnips generally have low or iffy germ rates so you might end up with big gaps.