Victorian garden line

[Speed Gardener]

I'm looking for one of those Victorian devices to enable me to plant long staright rows. Someone posted a link last week to one that was just what I was looking for but I can't remember where it was. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

[Farmer_Gyles]

do you mean a piece of string tied to a tent peg each end?

[jackie j]

Made my own all you need is two bits of wood or like FG said tent pegs, tie the string to one end and wind on a longgggggggggg piece of string tie to other end easy.

[coreopsis]

In one of the gardening programmes,the man was sowing the seeds into the shallow ditch made along the long fencing board.It was perfectly straight.I remember I thought then"why I didn't think about it earlier?"
Try this method.Long wooden board seems to be more stable than string.And it gives you some support for your hands as well.

[jacob marley]

2 broken tater digger tine's with a long piece of poly prop between the two the poly prop last's about 2 season's and very cheap my sort of price....jacob

[FionaH]

Just had to use a long piece of board, darn kids have pinched my garden twine!

[selfraising]

Well I've sown mine by eye (so it will probably be really wonky!!)

[Speed Gardener]

It's one of those rotateable string holders on a large stake, with the string tied to another loose stake. Harry Dodson used one in the Victorian Kitchen Garden. I've used more rudimentary things but wanted to step up to a Rolls Royce model. As I mentioned earlier, someone posted a link but I can't find it.

[Creemteez]

How about one of those "bungey" dog leads? Anchor it at one end, pull out to reqired legnth and peg in place. Retractable too! Haven't tried it, but it might work and if you are willing to fork out for a Victorian lookylikey....I'm a tent-peg-and-blue-nylon-string-girl myself.

[Snadger]

It's one of those rotateable string holders on a large stake, with the string tied to another loose stake. Harry Dodson used one in the Victorian Kitchen Garden. I've used more rudimentary things but wanted to step up to a Rolls Royce model. As I mentioned earlier, someone posted a link but I can't find it.

Funnily enough.....I once wondered whether there would be a market for these as I was going to put my old blacksmithing skills to good use and make and sell these on eBay.
It'll have to wait a while though as I haven't even finished building my forge yet!

They do add a bit of class to the gardening tool itinerary!..........Maybe when I retire...................

[janeyo]

My raised beds are 5 feet wide so I use a 5 foot cane with a bit snipped off, pressed into the ground. Works a treat.

[trolleydolly]

Here's one I found on ebay
Cast Iron Garden Row Marker/planting line New on eBay, also Other Hand Tools Equipment, Hand Tools Equipment, Garden Plants, Home Garden (end time 06-Apr-09 17:17:49 BST)

[Growem]

12.95 plus 4.50 for postage. Makes me very smug for picking one up at a local church sale for 50p.

[Paulottie]

I've got two lines: One superb galvanised one with rotating winder and tab to stop it unwinding when pushed in. It is loaded with orange builders line.

Other one is a matt black cast metal thing a posh relative bought me, prob from a catalogue....made to look unconvincingly like its Victorian...twee, bulky, no winding mechanism and wholly pointless. (not as fancy as example above)

Normally as I have traditional beds on which I try and avoid treading. I prefer to use planks as combined duckboards and straight edge!!!

[Snadger]

Cast iron is very brittle and the fancy one with the fleur de lis would break very easily.
Wrought iron, or failing that one made from mild steel would last much longer! (AND have more character!!)