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I confess, I am a seed-a-holic and if there were a 12-step program, I’d run the other way, because I like my vice. It seems innocent enough – I mean the packets are small, not too expensive (for the most part) and you actually USE them, right? Seed buying eventually turns into Seed Saving, seed saving eventually turns into seed trading…so many seeds, so little space…so CONFUSING!
In the midst of the seed mess, I realized it was time to find a system. Well, two systems, really. You see I have my own “stash” in one area, and then collected seed for trading/teaching (I teach seed sowing). I found there was a need to organize and then “micro” organize the seeds. I store my own seed in a plastic drawer unit from the discount store. This in turn gets tucked into a pantry unit when not needed. Seeds I trade or use in bulk for classes get stored in photo boxes. These are easy to pull out when I need them. However, lots goes into their organization before they even get stored away. Harvested seed is immediately put into brown paper lunch sacks and attached to a hanging bar system way overhead to dry. Since my office is in the midst of renovation, I don’t have a photo of this. Basically, I have always had a curtain rod suspended from a ceiling upside down. I thread curtain rings with clips on this, and just clip the bags on it. This works great if you are cramped for space or have seed loving pets. Once dry, the seeds get processed and placed into pill bottles and labeled. I find this saves me on the little plastic zip lock bags – I only fill as many baggies is needed. I find this saves me on the little plastic zip lock bags – I only fill as many baggies is needed. Seed for trade or for my own keeping then get sealed into little jewelry bags I find at the discount store in the craft section (or order in bulk, if needed). To label the seeds quickly, I use address labels. However, since I insert photos, I need to make each label separately which takes some time – I just catalog these on computer disc for future printing out when needed. Each type of seed in a small bag then gets placed in a zipper sandwich bag. Trade seeds go in the box, and each type of seed has a divider so I can find them easily.
The dividers are labeled with either botanical or common names - the names which come fastest to my recollection and are placed in alphabetical order. Seed I keep for myself, or purchased seed also goes into a larger zipper bag and I put a labeled cue card in with them for identification and any notes I need (want lists of that seed, special directions). I sort these bags into the drawer unit by type: vegetables and herbs in one, annual and perennial flowers in another. Then I alphabetize them. The top drawer I reserve for things like mailing envelopes, stamps, the labels and empty bags or pill bottles. Every planting season things get jumbled, I leave a plastic basket near the seeds so I can toss the “jumble” in there, and sort them when I get the urge. It keeps all the boxes and drawers neat and sorting takes so little time. Nothing ever gets stored in the fridge, my new seed storage area has been specially constructed to have a dark cabinet and to maintain a very steady temperature and humidity so I don’t feel that I need cold storage.
Seed saving is so much more fun, and trading goes much more smoothly when you keep things well organized and in place!
A special thank-you to Carrie Lamont
About Glynis Ward
Music, color and gardening - the three go hand in hand in my Electric Garden. I enjoy gardening organically for 12 months of the year in the South and am garden speaker and educator, retailer and occasionally work as designer. I write about rock'n roll, vintage fashion and of course, gardening.
Posted by anniew126 (from Sumter, SC) on January 1, 2008 at 1:43 PM:
Please tell me how long the seeds can be kept? I have some that are two or more years old and wonder if they will produce.
Thank you for this wonderful article.
...
Posted by girlgroupgirl (from Atlanta, GA) on January 2, 2008 at 2:53 PM:
Seeds keep indefinitely - but it depends on how they are stored. Go ahead and sow your seed, I sow seeds a year old slightly thicker than I would new seeds. That way you are assured that you'll get the number you want - and a few extra are always thoughtful gifts to your favorite gardening friends or donations to community gardens.
Occasionally I do have seeds that don't germinate. I will just replace them as quickly as possible - meaning that sometimes the plants are a week or two behind those I would have planted earlier.
Hope this helps!
...
Subject: Just a thought to add
Posted by BeeGray (from Tulsa, OK) on December 31, 2007 at 11:41 AM:
Great article, but I would like to suggest adding another catagory: I like to start a lot of seed indoors, so instead of going through all my seed each time I want to plant, I organize them according to planting time, special treatment and temperature for germination. Then when I'm ready to go to work I don't have to go through the whole batch, besides it keeps down my urge to start eveything toooo early.
...
Posted by woofie (from Chewelah, WA) on December 31, 2007 at 1:09 PM:
Bee, that is a great idea. Last year I missed starting some seeds that needed to be started early because I forgot I had them!
...
Posted by girlgroupgirl (from Atlanta, GA) on December 31, 2007 at 5:11 PM:
Hi Beegray, I don't start any seed indoors at all Bee, which is why I do not catagorize my seeds the way you do... I winter sow or direct sow everything.
I do however have spreadsheets with planting times on them, and I get pop up messages on my computer calender when it's time to plant something! Isn't that handy? Hubby used his work calender program in my computer for this feature.
girlgroupgirl
...
Subject: Great article
Posted by thistlesifter (from Vista, CA) on December 30, 2007 at 7:25 AM:
I too am a seedaholic! Those who know me, know I believe in the late Jackie Gleason's adage that "If its worth doing ... its worth obsessing over". I believe that adage is scriptural. No 12-stepping for me!
Our specialty is xerophytic and xeroidal (my word) plants. Think desert plants and fat swollen succulent desert plants!
During flowering season (pretty much 365 days a year here with GH in San Diego county) I spend upwards of an hour a day fiddling with pollen and seeds. Virtually every day there is at least one group of plants that begin giggling whenever I approach with my set of water color brushes. Carol calls it 'playing with the flowers'.
This year I used up nearly 400 coin envelopes with different crosses and species and several large containers with species of rare seeds gathered from desert plants in our own GH's and landscape. One large rare desert shrub yielded over 5 gallons of seed. (not so rare this year).
Organizing is a nightmare. some of the fruits on one large genus ripen and are ready to pop at different times on the same seed stalk and have to be gathered when dry. So making sure we have only one envelope for each plant is sometimes difficult. There can be a 3-month span between the first ripe fruit and the last one on the same seed stalk.
I find a few expert nurserymen in my area who've helped me develop all kinds of techniques for this weird pass time.
Cleaning and organizing the fruits of labor here is quite a tedious process. Thank you for the great article!
bob:>)
...
Posted by plantmover (from Newport News, VA) on December 30, 2007 at 12:08 PM:
A terrific article and posting. I've been trying to mentally sort out the best way to organize a seed collection. On a recent trip, I used old gum and candy wrappers to fold around the seeds...not exactly a long-term solution. Back at the hotel, I was able to replace the wrappers with pages from a notepad, labeling the pages before wrapping the seeds. That started my little seed collection, or should I say obsession? ;) I still have the seeds folded in the notepad pages, just waiting for inspiration; so thank you for the great ideas!
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Posted by Dea (from Frederick, MD) on December 30, 2007 at 2:55 PM:
You are far more organized than I am - you would be in hysterics if you saw my seed collection... ;)
Great article !
...
Posted by Islandshari (from Kwajalein
(Marshall Islands)) on December 30, 2007 at 6:15 PM:
This was fascinating to me, because my "seed collection" pretty much is one basket. I can't imagine the fun it must be to have so many to choose from. I'm sure many DGers will benefit immensely from your organization. Great job!
Yokwe,
Shari
...
Posted by carrielamont (from Milton, MA) on December 30, 2007 at 10:05 PM:
Oh, Glynis, now I know what you've been doing with those pill bottles I've been sending you. Aha! Thanks for a geat explanation! xxxx, Carrie
...
Posted by soulgardenlove (from Marietta, GA) on December 30, 2007 at 10:30 PM:
Good Job on the article and your organization Glynis !! :)
...
Posted by KyWoods (from Melbourne, KY) on January 1, 2008 at 12:06 AM:
You mean I'm not the one who thought of storing seeds in pill bottles?? LOL
...
Posted by soulgardenlove (from Marietta, GA) on January 1, 2008 at 7:28 AM:
Hmm I wonder if it's legal to transport those in a vehicle without the correct seed prescription on them. :)
Sorry.. I'm just being silly.
:)
...
Posted by Grow_Jo (from Calgary, AB) on January 1, 2008 at 10:58 PM:
Glynis,
Great article on seed saving! I really enjoyed the read.
In the midst of the seed mess, I realized it was time to find a system. Well, two systems, really. You see I have my own “stash” in one area, and then collected seed for trading/teaching (I teach seed sowing). I found there was a need to organize and then “micro” organize the seeds. 
I store my own seed in a plastic drawer unit from the discount store. This in turn gets tucked into a pantry unit when not needed. Seeds I trade or use in bulk for classes get stored in photo boxes. 
These are easy to pull out when I need them. However, lots goes into their organization before they even get stored away. Harvested seed is immediately put into brown paper lunch sacks and attached to a hanging bar system way overhead to dry. Since my office is in the midst of renovation, I don’t have a photo of this. Basically, I have always had a curtain rod suspended from a ceiling upside down. I thread curtain rings with clips on this, and just clip the bags on it. This works great if you are cramped for space or have seed loving pets. Once dry, the seeds get processed and placed into pill bottles and labeled. I find this saves me on the little plastic zip lock bags – I only fill as many baggies is needed. I find this saves me on the little plastic zip lock bags – I only fill as many baggies is needed. Seed for 
trade or for my own keeping then get sealed into little jewelry bags I find at the discount store in the craft section (or order in bulk, if needed). To label the seeds quickly, I use address labels. However, since I insert photos, I need to make each label separately which takes some time – I just catalog these on computer disc for future printing out when needed. Each type of seed in a small bag then gets placed in a zipper sandwich bag. Trade seeds go in the box, and each type of seed has a divider so I can find them easily. 
Seed I keep for myself, or purchased seed also goes into a larger zipper bag and I put a labeled cue card in with them for identification and any notes I need (want lists of that seed, special directions). I sort these bags into the drawer unit by type: vegetables and herbs in one, annual and perennial flowers in another. Then I alphabetize them. The top drawer I reserve for things like mailing envelopes, stamps, the labels and empty bags or pill bottles.
