[pulse]

So I am going to try and use some seed tape for carrots. This is my first time using seed tape. The vareity is Amsterdan Forcing 3 from Suttons, they are suppose to be a finger sized carrot.

According to the front of the packet it says that no thinning will be required. However on the back of the packet it tells me to thin them!

When I put out the tape I noticed that there were clusters of seeds (3-4) spaced at regular intervals, about 2 inches or so. If all seeds germinate then surely I will need to thin? Which in turn will attract the Carrot fly, which I was hoping to avoid by using this tape!

I am confused?! 

[mumofstig]

Yup it's annoying isn't it? Could you scratch some of the extras off the tape? The trouble is you never know how many of the little seeds will germinate anyway.

Some people just leave them unthinned as they push themselves apart a bit as they grow, same as beetroot does

[allstars_princess]

I was confused by the conflicting instructions on mine.  In the end I just planted them as whole tapes and am letting them get on with it.  I figured that some of the seeds wont come through, some might get accidentally weeded out (stupid I know!) and the others that are too close should push apart from each other as the bath I planted them in is full of finely riddled soil. 

I will know by the end of the growing season if this works or not. 

[sclarke624]

I read somewhere that you can apparently  make your own seed tape.  Mix a thick paste of flowur and water and dot this paste along long strips of paper. .  Newspaper will do, remembering coloured ink might be toxic for your plants. Use the same spacing you would use when you sow normally.  Place one seed on one dot of paste and dry.  These tapes can also be kept in a jar.  Apparently powdered milk secured/wrapped up in a piece of kitchen towel placed in a jar with the madeup tape and sealed will keep the seed dry as the milk powder soaks up any moisture.  Not just for carrots.