wrote in message
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Peter James wrote:
I have arthritis of the spine/neck and getting down to soil level is
difficult. When I need to sow seed I tend to rush the job, because it
hurts to bend, and consequently the seed is sown thickly.

In the case of my carrots, they are twisted and small because of this,
and also because I cover them up with fleece to keep the carrot fly off
them and thinning and weeding is not possible.

So can anyone advise me if the garden hand held seed drills I have seen
advertised are any good?

I have to admit, I'm rubbish with carrots for the same reason, except mine
is due to being lazy rather than having a medical excuse.

I know you can buy carrot seed on tape, so they are spaced appoximately
correctly before laying the whole tape, which disintegrates, then the
seeds
are in the right place. I suspect that this isn't economical.

But it sounds like a job which could be done whilst stood at a counter -
open a packet, spread out a length of tape, space the seeds out onto the
tape, then plant a strip. The question is - would it work on normal
'sellotape' plastic tape, or does it have to be something taht can
disintegrate? I remember using sticky paper tape in art class, was it
masking tape? Would that work, I wonder?

Time for me to experiment next spring, I think ...

Don't use Masking Tape. We used to use it in Boatbuilding and it lasts for
ever. Certainly doesn't disintegrate over time in the open. I have seen
Masking Tape put down on a teak deck to mask the deck whilst painting the
cabin top and left for quite some time. When the tape was lifted, it was
still in perfect condition and started to lift the grain of the Teak!!

Mike


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