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Old 29-10-2011, 01:02 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Dave Hill Dave Hill is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Feb 2007
Location: South Wales
Posts: 2,409
Default Sowing seed thinly

On Oct 29, 12:03*pm, wrote:
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 ...


If you are going to use a tape then try Micropore (The stuff they use
in hospital etc) Tesco do it at quite a good price, and it's more
likley yo break down.
David