What tricks gardeners do not resort to grow a bountiful harvest. The proper germination and planting of planting material plays a key role in the success of the whole process., therefore, it is worth considering different options for preparatory measures, as well as learning more about the technology itself for completing the task. This article will discuss the planting of carrots using toilet paper, and how this option is beneficial, and how to organize everything correctly - read on.

What is this method and what are its features

Planting carrots on paper involves the implementation of standard preparatory measures with soaking seeds and preparing the substrate. The main distinguishing characteristic in this case is the placement of planting material not immediately in the open ground, but first on a tape or piece of toilet paper, while maintaining a uniform distribution of planting material. The advantages of this solution are many, but at the same time, do not forget about the possible disadvantages of such a landing.

Pros

• A large number of advantages of "paper" planting carrots made this method very popular among summer residents, and here are the main reasons for this phenomenon:
• long-term preservation of optimum moisture of sown seeds;
• saving space on the bed for sowing crops;
• the possibility of better rejection of seed (suitable seeds and damaged material are visible with the naked eye);
• ease of care for seedlings in the first weeks after sowing;
• the possibility of a uniform distribution of carrots in the ground;
• resistance to leaching of seeds and young seedlings with significant rainfall;
• the uniformity of the occurrence of individual seeds in the ground, which will ensure the uniform appearance of seedlings;
• saving of seed material, since in most cases it is no longer necessary to plant carrots;
• higher resistance of carrots to lower temperatures and sharp weather changes.

Some gardeners claim that carrots planted on paper are less likely to suffer from a carrot fly, since this planting method involves sheltering the beds, and the pest cannot lay eggs in the crop area. Of course, it is impossible to guarantee the complete absence of the insect, but the probability of its appearance is still minimal.

Did you know? Fresh carrot provides the body with a cheerfulness charge no worse than coffee, therefore, to stimulate the production of protein and improve oxygen delivery to muscle tissue, it is better to replace a cup of coffee drink with a glass of freshly squeezed carrot juice, drunk in the morning.

Minuses

Significant minuses in planting carrots with paper were not found, and the minimum disadvantages of this method can be considered a long wait for seedlings (on average longer for 1–2 weeks compared with plants sown directly in the ground). In addition, preparatory measures will take more time, because rejecting and fixing seeds on a piece of paper requires more attention.

How to stick carrot seeds on toilet paper or napkins yourself

Modern gardening stores can offer their customers ready-made paper tapes for planting crops, but using ordinary toilet paper will be much cheaper, which explains its relevance when planting carrots in this way. If there is a suitable adhesive composition, there will be nothing complicated in fixing the planting material,The main thing is to adhere to the requirements of the technology for the preparation of the paste itself and select only high-quality seeds of culture.

Seed Selection Rules

When discarding acquired planting material, the first task is to select suitable seeds by weight. For the procedure, you need to prepare a standard saline solution (1 tablespoon per 1 liter of water) and after thoroughly mixing the components, lower the seeds into the liquid. Surfaced specimens that never drowned in 5-10 minutes should be discarded immediately, and heavy ones should be washed with salt and dried to a free-flowing state. If desired, you can additionally disinfect carrots in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, keeping the seeds for at least half an hour. After the allotted time, the seed is dried again and only then laid out on prepared paper tape.

Making glue for sowing carrots

Without an adhesive base, seeds will not be held on toilet paper, so when preparing carrot seeds for planting, you should think about a suitable glue. Standard options for the glue base (like PVA glue) in this case will not work, so you have to cook the paste yourself: for 1 cup of boiling water you need to take 1 teaspoon flour or starch and after stirring let the composition brew a little.

To increase the nutritional properties of the finished mixture, some gardeners prefer to add some mineral fertilizers to it, at the rate of 1 tbsp. for 1 liter of the finished composition.

Important! Before use, it is necessary to cool the paste and only after that apply it on the prepared strip of paper with further immediate unfolding of the seeds (until the glue has completely dried, the adhesive is already with them).

Video: How to make flour paste

Seed arrangement

For the convenience of gluing seeds, it is worth using tweezers with thin edges or an ordinary cotton swab. You can apply the paste with a syringe or dropper, squeezing a small drop of the substance in the right place. The distance between adjacent seeds should be at least 4 cm and about the same should be left between adjacent rows of future seedlings. Filled paper segments must be left unfolded for a day, and after complete drying, rewind in a not very tight roll.

When the time comes for planting, the roll is unrolled and, carefully laid out on the bed, sprinkled with soil mixture, abundantly watered after completion of the process.

How does carrot seed germinate on toilet paper?

Pre-germination of planting material in this case is not a prerequisite before planting, but some gardeners use it to accelerate the emergence of seedlings of the crop or for experimental purposes to assess the level of seed germination on paper.

In any case, you can germinate the spread seeds in the following way:

1. Lay the finished ribbons with future carrots on plastic strips 5-6 cm wide each.
2. Spray planting material well with spray water and roll it all up again (along with plastic wrap).
3. Place the roll in any container, pouring a small amount of clean water, just so as not to fill the seeds.
4. Cover the blanks with a plastic bag and leave it in this form for at least a week.

It will be possible to check the condition of the seeds in 7-10 days, and if they hatch, it is time to think about replanting the planting material in the garden or in the seedling box.

Important! Germination of carrots should occur only in a warm room with temperature values ​​not lower than + 25 ° C.

Preparing the soil for planting carrots on toilet paper

The preparation of the garden for planting carrots on paper is carried out according to generally accepted standards for this crop. From the autumn, the soil is dug up to a full bayonet of shovels, all weeds and residues are removed after collecting other crops. Acidic substrate must be limy (300 g of lime per 1 m²), and add a little sand to the clay soil (1 bucket per 1 m²).

Manure in this case is an extremely undesirable fertilizer, therefore, when preparing soil for carrots, it is better to use complex mineral compounds or dig the ground with peat. Of the mineral compounds, it is appropriate to use azofoska in the doses prescribed on the package. With the advent of spring, after the soil layer has dried, it is possible to incorporate into the soil and wood ash, spending at least 0.5 l of substance per 1 m² of land (it’s good to walk along the bed with a cultivator for better distribution of the mixture in the soil).Whatever form carrots are planted on the site, this crop always prefers a loose and nutritious substrate, so before placing the ribbons directly on the bed, it is worthwhile to once again fluff and level the ground with a rake.

Planting carrots

Planting carrots with ribbons is one of the easiest ways to perform the procedure, which does not take much time. All actions are performed in the following order:

1. First, every 15-17 cm, you need to make grooves 1-2 cm wide, using any convenient tool (for example, a hoe).
2. Then the soil in the prepared place should be well moistened from a watering can (without a net) and wait until the liquid is completely absorbed.
3. As soon as the soil dries slightly, it is necessary to carefully unwind the prepared roll, laying it clearly in the center of the organized groove (placing seeds up or down is not so important, since the paper material will still soak quickly and the seeds will fall into the soil).
4. The spread out tapes must be carefully sprinkled with soil and well watered, this time using the sprinkling method, so as not to erode the planted seeds.

If the street is too hot and the soil can dry out quickly, it is worthwhile to install a temporary shelter above the carrot beds in the form of a spunbond or a not thick layer of hay protecting the earth from drying out.

Did you know? With the regular use of carrots (if gnawed), the root crop can replace the usual toothbrush, because carrotsjuice in combination with the mechanical effect of the vegetable on the teeth contributes to their high-quality cleaning.

Landing Care Features

The most important thing in post-planting carrot care on paper tapes is maintaining an optimal level of humidity. Drying of the soil threatens to slow the germination or complete death of individual sprouts due to the drying of the paste, so you have to regularly water the plantings, until the appearance of young sprouts. Loosening and removal of weeds for some time will not be required, and in some cases can even do harm, because there is always the possibility of mechanical damage to the paper and seeds glued to it during the procedure.Planting carrots on paper is a good way to grow crops in open soil, which even a beginner gardener can handle.

Despite the complexity of the preparatory process, in the future, all care actions will be extremely simple, and the root crop will please with large volumes.