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cherone7

Organization and storage

cherone7
14 years ago

OK, when I first started on this list, I was needing lots of seeds for a community garden. The problem is that my church hasn't OKed it yet, which means I have a LOT of seeds, and don't really know where or how to organize and store them properly.

Right now, I have them separated roughly into categories (salad greens together, tomatoes, etc) in gallon baggies, and the baggies are in a box. This makes it REALLY hard to go through when I'm trying to DO a swap or get something out for a local gardener.

How do you organize your seeds and store them? How many seeds (or seed packs) do you usually have on hand at any given time? And, most importantly, (for me anyway....) how many do I need to REASONABLY keep to plant for my family. With 6 to feed, and limited mobility, I don't want to under plan, but don't want to bite off too much either. Suggestions on it all??

Comments (6)

  • karyn1
    14 years ago

    I store most of my seeds in a refrigerator in heavy paper coin envelopes. I have a fridge in the garage just for seeds and bulbs. I don't like using plastic to store seeds in the fridge. I try to separate them by catagories, similar to what you described. As for the number of seeds you need to plant, that depends, especially on the germination rate of a particular variety and how many of any one variety you ultimately want in the garden.

  • bigred
    14 years ago

    I put tomatoes,peppers and eggplants(and any other nightshade family) in a ziplock,greens in another,corn and okra(anything tall) get their own bag,root crops(i.e.: radish,turnips,beets etc.)in their own baggy...so on and so forth then I put them in plastic shoe boxes or ice cream bucket,plastic coffee cans or other then store in the frig.I'm lucky enough to have extra frig in laundry room just for my seeds.Hub's got tired of digging thur containers of seed to find some grub so he bought me a second hand frig.

    P

  • stage_rat
    14 years ago

    I used to store seeds in the fridge, but then i got too many seeds! My seeds do fine for the few years before I use them up--unless they are short-lifespan seeds of course.

    When my seeds are properly organized, they are in alphabetical order in cardboard "caddies." I took the box that 12 cans of soda come in, cut off the top, and cut and taped it up to make it a bit narrower. The middle will bulge outwards, you can staple cardboard strips across to hold it in. I keep these caddies in a drawer, or you could put them in a big storage bin. It would make finding seeds easier when you are looking for specific things.

  • maps31
    14 years ago

    I am trying to seperate veggies, herbs, peppers, tomatos and of course, flowers. I am trying the a-b-c- method, zip lock baggies marked the same. then into another box and then a 'rubbermaid' storage bin. My 'garage' is actually part of a barn, so it stays cold in there, when summer comes, I will be looking for a second fridge.
    Maryann
    maps31

  • karyn1
    14 years ago

    Maryann a great place to find a fridge just for seeds is Freecycle. I've actually gotten rid of extra appliances and other stuff on it and have seen several offers for used refrigerators. As long as it's going to be put somewhere that won't be visible what does it matter what it looks like. (my seed fridge is in the garage) You can check out Craigslist as well.

  • medontdo
    14 years ago

    hi, ya, freecycle.org i once looked it up and thought it was dot.com and it wasn't! LOL and then go by your county. just incase ya didn't know, we have gotten rid of lots of stuff there, :')
    i am currantly trying to go thru the seeds and doing the perennials, annuals,
    veges', flowers, non flowers, then a, b.c them, and if i get really ambitious i will also color code them as in blue's then white's, and also by height. this will get tricky though because of the abc thing. so i haven't figured that out. **sigh** i will put them in shoe boxes. but i will use trudi's method for when i have them already sorted and packaged (the shoe bag over the door) i like that! it will go in the closet! ~medo

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