How to Organize Your Garden Seeds

[@imperialthreat]

I have never seen anyone store seeds in a photo album before but thats absolutely brilliant!!! So practical!

[@dudeusmaximus6793]

We have a big garden and grow quite a number of things in 6 plots plus a 7th for permacrops, herbs, and seedsaving. Use spreadsheets to keep track of the inventory of both bought and saved seed. Keep mine in ziploc bags and categorized into what is planted in a plot. I do keep them in a freezer which works well with the ziplocs to balance moisture. Will take older seed every year and recycle it to cover crop, which helps to keep bacteria in the soil, accumulate minerals, and attract bees. Will inventory in December, make my garden plan (which just rotates and doesn't change much), then order in Jan. Very ruthless on variety choice, we grow to produce and put up, inventory stays mostly the same but we do add and remove a few varieties every year to find the best one for what we are trying to do. System works well for us.

[@nancyspruiell347]

So, I keep mine in a plastic photo organizer from Michael's. I keep different types of b seeds in each box..i.e. tomatoes, beans, peas. I also keep them organized for this year's planting with labels such as :"To start indoors (with postit note on each with date to start and keep them in order)", "Already planted", "direct sow". Considering I probably have 60 packs of seeds or more and many used, no way I can figure out how many unless they are large seeds. When empty, I keep a separate box for empties and then they are together any time I'm thinking to order and need to know what I am out of instead of searching through a book or all containers. (I also add them to a list I keep on my phone titled "Seeds to Buy" :). Happy growing!

[@schroeder314]

I started to use your binder storage technique last year and it’s great. I have too many seeds, but at least they’re marked with the year and organized. I have 3 binders: veggies A-L, veggies M-Z, and flowers. I think I will separate out herbs to another binder this year.

[@traiecto]

I tried this fantastic 5S Lean technique (I do Lean Urban Permaculture). Packets here in Spain are so different in size, plus we have in summer 27C (80F) inside, so I gave up boxes and have each kind of seed in a plastic ziploc bag, and all in a large ziploc bag in the vegetable drawer in my refrigerator. The idea of organization is a must, cleaning, writing down, but the tool must be the right one for your own context.

[@amitkukreti3107]

Aapki is video se mujhe bohot help mili hai, or mujhe ye kehna hai ki jin vegetables k seeds ham ghar pe bna skte hein iske liye hme kam karna chaiye market pe hi depend nhi rehna chaiye!!

[@VegetableAcademy]

If you'd like to add some more organization to your entire vegetable game, get started with my Free Workshop. www.vegetableacademy.com/yt-freeworkshop

[@itowmyhome797]

Thank you, I have taken an additional step, I take a picture of the seed packet, front and back. Use an app to combine them and print them out on a single sheet of paper and put that into a binder. An example would be tomatoes I take a picture front and back, put it on one piece of paper and put it into the binder under tomatoes, that way I have a light binder that I can flip through to see all the seeds that I have currently on hand with a description to help when deciding when to plant how to plant where to plant without having to wrestle with a heavy binder full of seeds. I currently have two 3 inch binders full of seeds, and I’m looking to add another

[@VegetableAcademy]

Nice. I'm glad you've got a method that is working for you. Thanks for sharing.

[@speaklifegardenhomesteadpe8783]

Sweet!!! 🎉❤🌱👩🏻‍🌾🌱 That's a great idea, what app are you using?

[@itowmyhome797]

@@speaklifegardenhomesteadpe8783 the app I use mostly because I just happen to have it is called good notes

[@ritamccartt-kordon283]

I am a 71 year old who knows nothing about machines. I do not have the strength of a Man. I am considering a Broad fork. There are so many! Which Broad Fork do you prefer to use? I'm thinking of my future as a gardener. Age is something NO one talks about. My knees are bad. I'm still able to manage a garden, just not the large gardens I used to have. I'm thinking of putting a Greenhouse near my house, instead of where I now have my garden. Which is at least 270 feet away from my house. I want to grow food in the winter months, for fresh eating, instead of store bought food. GOD bless

[@earthsystem]

I also have limited strength and I recently discovered the wheel hoe, I couldn't believe how fast it shortened my work. my hands strength is so weak, and getting worse, and I can't squat and stand up repeatedly like a younger person can. one thing that helps considerably is using one of those weed block cloths, or a large piece of cardboard from a flattened box. of course I'd rather be 100% organic but I can't do it because of my strength, so the weed block cloth is a compromise I had to make in order to grow a garden. I pile on some lightweight mulch, which might be a brick of straw, or it might be cedar mulch in my area. at certain times of the year the mulch is too wet-heavy to handle. it also helps that a lot of my garden space I can back my car up near the plot and wrestle those bags of mulch out the back. yep young people with strength have no idea how much energy they are squandering Willy Nilly!

[@TheRainHarvester]

I made a seed saving method video too. It makes them smaller for the fridge!

[@TheRainHarvester]

Easier to keep a list of needed seed instead of counting each seed.

[@geriannroth449]

Where'd you get your binder?

[@robmarshallofficial]

You could also collect your own seeds so you don’t have to keep buying them

[@nancyspruiell347]

Definitely! Plus they were grown in your own climate, so they should do better.

[@terrip8451]

I refuse to purge 😂

[@lornaj3310]

I have a space I call the "Guerilla Garden" - I dump all my "expired" seeds in a tub, scatter them in the guerilla garden, and may the best plant win.

Well, I had a hard time to discard 10 years old seed package. I know its dead by now but it feels strange (like what if its still alive?). I need to get more organised and decisive.

[@nancyspruiell347]

You can always try planting it and see :). MI Gardener grew tomatoes from an 80+ yr old pack of seeds! Worth a shot at least!

[@SisterShirley]

​@@nancyspruiell347 I love MIGardener I live in Michigan too

[@lornaj3310]

How long do your seeds stay good for?

[@speaklifegardenhomesteadpe8783]

They can stay viable for years, depending on many variables, but heck, Israel sprouted fig tree seeds from an archeological dig, they were hundreds or thousands of years old. Just assume old seeds will have a very low germination rate but I bet you'll get them to grow, especially if you soak them overnight. Then keep them on a heat mat as they germinate. ❤🌱🌿👩🏻‍🌾🌿🌱💕

[@shannonmiller1720]

I keep mine in the refrigerator as i read it keeps the seeds longer. Is this unnecessary?

[@VegetableAcademy]

It's not necessary. What's most important is to keep the seeds dry. Cold temperatures can help extend the life of your seeds as well though. If you really want them to last, stick them in the freezer. Just be careful whenever you take your seeds out of a cool storage location because moisture can condense in or around the seeds as they come back to room temperature. As long as you have them in sealed bags or containers and allow the packages time to warm up before you open them, you should be able to avoid this condensation.

[@earthsystem]

I don't think most seeds benefit from being frozen. I keep them in a dark and slightly cooler pantry in the center of my house, on the floor level where it is cooler.

[@robinstephens6889]

No way, lol