By Trish Svoboda

Seed tape is a technique for readying seeds for sowing that minimizes the time spent stooping over the soil. According to Cynthia Domenghini, a horticulture specialist at Kansas State University, seed tape simplifies the management of tiny seeds and ensures appropriate seed distribution.

To make a seed tape, cut a paper towel into strips two inches wide by 12 inches long. Create a paste by mixing ½ cup flour with water. Use a ruler and pencil to mark dots at the proper spacing for the type of seed being planted. The seed packet should contain recommended plant spacing guidelines.

Domenghini said to put one seed on each dot on the paper towel, then put a small drop of the flour paste on top of each seed. Allow the paste to dry before moving the seed tape. When the timing is right, each seed tape can be sown at the correct depth in the garden. She stated that the seeds will sprout through the paste.

“Over time, the paper towel will dissolve into the garden. Toilet tissue and tissue paper are other options for making seed tape,” Domenghini said