Storing Seeds

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Where and how do you store your seeds over winter?

-- Cindy (S.E.IN) (atilrthehony@countrylife.net), October 09, 2001

Answers

The seeds that I save from the garden air on a newspaper or paper plate for a few weeks before I put them up. When I'm absolutely sure they are nice and dry, I usually just put them in a ziploc bag or plastic container for the next year(and those ziplocs usually go in a can or something to discourage mice.) I find they store fine like that at room temp for a year or more...I do also have some "store bought" seeds that we have vacuum sealed to last longer.

-- mary (marylgarcia@aol.com), October 09, 2001.

I use small brown paper bags, or envelopes from junk mail. After the seeds are dry, I seal them into these containers and store in a large tupperware container I picked up at a yard sale. I store in my un- heated laundry room. It doesn't freeze in there but isn't that warm either. I never have any problems.

-- Melissa (me@home.net), October 09, 2001.

This is embarrassing but I have a terrible tendency to misplace seeds. I am a bit compulsive in buying them and then come home and put them some place and then forget...you know..like with car keys only its with seed packets. some times I find them in my desk or somewhere a year later. Same thing with coming in from the garden and laying the leftover seeds down somewhere. Most of my seeds are in bags, baggies,envelopes, film canisters(35mm), and all these are put in a great big pickle jar (industrial size) and in the kitchen closet. Its working for me!

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), October 09, 2001.

i hear you, Alison;) I buy seeds rather compulsively, and have also been known to find them in backs of drawers and other odd places. I am, however, trying to reform myself, and although I still buy way too many seeds, I've started putting them in the same place:)

-- mary (marylgarcia@aol.com), October 10, 2001.

There is a wonderful forum for seed savers you should check out:

Seed Exchange and Seed savers:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/#subs

I dry and put in freezer. Not very successful (though I want to be) with seeds.

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), October 13, 2001.



I used to save and dry my own seed, and through the year would come across old pill bottles full of seed that I couldn't identify. Happened to be in town at a shop one day about 3 years ago, in Sept., and all their seeds were on sale half price, so I got what I thought I would need for the following year. Though they put fewer seeds to a packet now, I often have some left over. I seal the packet with Scotch Tape and store in a shoe box in the cool garage. By Sept. I go through the seed box and make a list of what I need to buy again. Wa- la, no more unidentified seed or jars sitting on window sills of seeds drying. I save the empty seed packet in the box, too, and if I grew some variety that I didn't like I discarded the packet, and of those I liked, made a note to buy more on the packet. I try to grow something different each year, if I like it, fine, if not have not wasted much money.

-- Duffy (hazelm@tenforward.com), October 16, 2001.

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