there are a lot of retailers selling seed tapes, but not of the varieties that you want, so you will have to make your own. Typically seed tapes are marketed to new gardeners, who are less concerned with the more exotic varieties you list. Most retail tapes are seeded too densely, IMO, and will still require a lot of thinning. Why are you having trouble keeping straight rows? Why are straight rows important? What are you using for containers? Seed tapes are expensive to buy and labor intensive to make. There may be a better way. Here is a link that might be useful: Home-made seed tapes.

Bad year I think. While some things have done well, many have not. But, you know, Strouper, our weather isn't exactly conducive to the process this year. Too much rain and cold weather, not enough sunny warmth. I never refrigerate seeds, and most do very well. For me, some problems might be seeds. No sprouts in malva, those were from trade. My own saved emilia haven't come up, but I think I might have volunteers out there. Neither of 2 jugs of cleome sprouted- one my own saved seeds, one commercial- but lots of volunteers. All zinnias have done well except profusions, which were commercial seeds from Parks. Yvonne's salvia slow this year, as are my tomatoes. Who knows why, but I think that overall this won't be my best WS results this year. Next year I think I might just direct sow a lot of these. Karen

Your Okra patch sounds like my watermelons this year. I had several old Heirloom varieties in brand new packets that I had never gotten around to trying. I had missed gardening for a few years plus, before that I had grown Jubilee watermelons almost every year due to them being just about as close to watermelon perfection for me as one could ask for so I just stuck with them. I always wanted to try others but I just have so much room for melons as they take up a huge area on a per plant basis. Out of a whole packet of Congo seed I only got two to sprout with the paper towel method and none from the ground. I really like Congo melons and have tried before. I now have those going. I got about 4 Mountain Hoosiers plants up from a package dated 2008, 2 from the ground and two cracked from germination. Can't wait to see what these do. To me they just seem/ look like the old yellow belly Black Diamonds in pictures ( which is an excellent old variety by the way) but who know it might be worlds apart. I finally got 2 Garrison watermelon plants out of the ground from seed I know is at least 10 years old. I got these as a free seed packet that Baker Creek seeds gives you every order and never heard of or used. They do not even carry it any more as it is from way back in 1800s. I am not 100% sure but they may just call these Rattlesnake melons nowadays, or they may be a separate strain I am not sure as info is conflicting. I got one. count em ONE Kleckey's Sweet melon from seed planted in the ground that 100% failed a germination test. Looking forward to seeing what this one is about. I also planted a few Charleston Greys from a brand new package and had every one of those come up in a few days. They are always just dandy ice cold on a summer day. I ended up getting a nice stand of plants and at least one of every variety Except Dixie Queen which was just too dang ancient. I have tried them before anyhow and they are not one of my favs anyway. Now just like you, I will be able to update my entire seed bank of watermelon seeds that I had and also try out some real old fashioned stuff and the old Garrison strain which is now kinda rare. Stuff may cross pollinate too bad to save but maybe not.

Ok, so cleaning out seeds. I now have three piles- get rid of, deep freeze, and keep out in the cabinet because I'll likely use it next year or two. I do have a pretty big heap of stuff I know I won't ever grow. Random trades, packets I've tried and didn't want to revisit... The newer than 2015 stuff I'll still likely send off to the newbie donation pile.. It's been a long time since I've done any trading, I need to brush up on my etiquette. I'd rather give the stuff away or trade it before scrapping it. Just because our household didn't like it don't mean someone else won't. Upon folks suggestions, I did sort through my box a bit more careful and kept several packets of older seed I might have scrapped otherwise. I do have a few questionable packets that I need to test of seed I'd really like to find viable that I will test. Even ended up with a random heap of fun seeds to toss into the deer feed seed bucket that it won't matter so much how viable they are. I have a small pile of seed for trade amassing, and a small wish list. I need to source out fresh seed stock of Dwarf Wild Fred. And surprisingly enough, I'm out of nasturtiums. Out of my deep stock I was delighted to discover I do still have original seed stock on my Fish and Aji Limon peppers that I got with a bunch of other hot pepper seeds from a generous member here- just enough to split and re-deep half of it and grow out the other half with my garden grown seed to refresh the gene pool next year.