Since it is difficult, if not almost impossible, to sow very fine flower or vegetable seeds at exactly the same distances from each other, extremely practical seed tapes are available for purchase.

This has three advantages: First, the ribbons can be conveniently prepared at home and then simply laid out in the bed. Second, it’s easy to check that light-germinating seeds aren’t covered by too much soil. Third, since the correct seed spacing is guaranteed, you save yourself the hassle of pulling out overly densely growing plants: The roots have enough room to spread, the carrots grow nice and thick, and the lettuce grows bushy.

However, you can safely leave the money for the seed tapes in your pocket. Making seed tapes yourself is incredibly easy. Best of all, you probably have all the ingredients at home!

For this you need:

• 1/2 liter water
• 1 THE Mehl
• 1 roll of toilet paper
• Flower or vegetable seeds
• Zollstock
• possibly scissors

Here’s how:

1.) Boil the flour in the water, stirring constantly, until you get a sticky glue. The glue shouldn’t be too thick so it can easily drip onto the toilet paper. Let the glue cool.

2.) Now spread the toilet paper out in strips on a table. You can also fold the paper first and cut it in half, as half the width is perfectly sufficient. Now, with your finger, dab the glue onto the toilet paper at even intervals. Follow the spacing instructions on the seed packet. Place a seed on each drop of glue. Then fold the toilet paper over in the middle. This creates a long seed band, securely enclosing the seeds.

3.) The seed tape must now dry thoroughly to prevent the seeds from germinating prematurely. Then, roll the dry seed tape onto a toilet paper roll.

4.) To plant the seed tape in the bed, simply unroll it, cover it with some soil, and water it. The toilet paper will decompose on its own, and the seeds will sprout as they should.