petunia
Highly Skillful
Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: northern michigan
Posts: 2319
PlantStew: 311 |
| Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 1:50 pm Post subject: How or where do you keep....seeds? |
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How does everyone keep their recent and old seeds organized? Is there an easy way?
I have 2-3 year old seeds around. some I have lined up in a box and have put them in a (extra) drawer space. Now that 1 drawer is filled & over running. I have been wanting to get one of those plastic drawer files, here's an example of my daughters:
I thought one of these would come in handy to file all my seeds by date or year. Hubby wanted to know where I would put it. I would like it where I do most of my planting which at the moment is in my bedroom (its a large one w/3 windows)but even with that said I've run out of space here. I may have to put it in the diningroom by a window then I could use the top of it to put plants on also.
But back to my point-What do you all use to keep your left over seeds in?
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Petunia
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Netty
Chaotic Gardener
 Regular Plantstew Contributor (over 1000 edits)
Joined: 04 Nov 2006
Location: Southern Ontario zone 5a (Map)
Posts: 8220
PlantStew: 10882 |
| Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 3:40 pm Post subject: |
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I used to keep seeds for a very long time until they were busting out of their baskets. Anything left after trades was stored. The last few years I have forced myself to clean out the extra ones...some of which I've planted and the others I have composted. Now I just keep the newest ones and they are stored in envelopes in a basket in a coolish dark place.
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Biita
Arctic-ally Challenged Forager
Joined: 31 Oct 2007
Location: Norway (Map)
Posts: 2104
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| Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 10:00 pm Post subject: |
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I have some seeds in the freezer. Different rose types (wild roses that is). They have been dried then put into a baggie then a plastic container and labled.
I save small food containers. Lable them all. When i collect seeds, they are dried then put into the container. If i buy seeds and don't use right away, it goes in the small container, package and all, so i know to use up the loose seeds first.
All this then goes into a box that goes into the attic. Its cool or cold and dry so no mildew happens to the seeds.
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daisybeans
Enlightened One
Joined: 28 Mar 2009
Location: annapolis md
Posts: 3018
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| Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 1:21 am Post subject: |
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Is there a limit to how long you can keep seeds?
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Jewell
Incorrigible Gardener
Regular Plantstew Contributor (over 1000 edits)
Joined: 17 Dec 2008
Location: Puget Sound Region of the Pacific NW (Washington State, US) (Map)
Posts: 1060
PlantStew: 3649 |
| Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 4:24 am Post subject: |
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I keep my gathered seeds after they are throughly dried in canning jars that seal tight. I store them in the basement for cool, dry, dark place. During the growing season I keep bought seeds in the plastic food storage containers. I use one for opened seed packets and others for unopened. All seeds are always kept with/in their original packets.
I have found that different varieties of seeds have different shelf-lives and begin to have less germination per seed each year. Some of the seeds I have bought are packaged to last for several years in air-tight light-proof packets if not opened. I will often buy two years worth from these vendors to save on shipping.
I try not to buy more seeds than I will use in a season from local vendors (but usually get two years worth because I want to try more than I have space for  ).
I start asking friends, acquaintences, and anyone who might come in contact with me if they would like any of the extra seeds, or extra starts from my own gathered seeds. Great way to share my joy of gardening. 
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Green_Numb
On The Way Up
Joined: 08 Apr 2009
Posts: 247
PlantStew: 3 |
| Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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i store my store bought seeds in their original packets in zip locks separated in groups such as vedge, sunflowers, and flowers. These bags go in a plastic box that is getting very full. I keep this box on a shelf in the pantry.
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Fearless Katy
Just Arrived
Joined: 13 Apr 2009
Location: Rixeyville, VA
Posts: 7
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| Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 4:35 am Post subject: Storing Seeds |
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I'm lucky enough to have a small refrigerator (like for dorm rooms); I keep it in the "barn" (a 14x24 shed) near the garden. I found a good source for little tin containers (called watchmaker tins, I think). They're great for small seeds. Also, between my husband, me, the blind cat and the incontinent dog, there are a lot of little prescription bottles around here -- I wash them VERY CAREFULLY and they are good for larger seeds (like morning glory and cucurbits (cucumber, melon, squash).
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