~ Survey: seed storage ~

In what kind of container do you store your seeds? How are they alphabetized?
By perennials, annuals, etc. ? I need to do something different to be more organized.
Also, what do you plant during the fall? I have some potato vines, poppies and some
other things I'm thinking need to get out this fall yet. Any advice?

I have lots of different containers that I use for storage of seeds and supplies, but the one that is the most organized is:

A plastic drawer/shelf combo that has 18 little 4" by 6" drawers. I label each drawer with the contents (what kind of flowers, vegetables, keep-for-myself, etc).

I also have these really nice tupperware containers that I bought at wal-mart for $2-$3. I use these to store my excess seeds that I haven't yet categorized into my fancy drawer system. I also use one to store all my supplies (stamps, envelopes, scissors, tape, address labels, etc).

Hope this helps! Someday I'll try to take a picture of my system and upload it so people can see it.

Dave

Believe it or not... I use one of my husbands old fishing tackle boxes. It's great has compartments that I can change the size of. I have all my seeds alphabetical by botanical name, a&b in compartment 1, c&d in compartment 2 etc. The entire box is only about 12" x 12" and about 8" deep. It fits in the fridge pretty well.
You can plant a variety of seeds in the fall, but depends on your zone and climate. Unless you are going to grow them indoors under lights I would wait till January to sow all that need stratification then sow the rest in spring.

Does anyone use empty film containers? Can anyone else respond to this question about seed storage?

I've gone back & forth trying different storage systems. I still can't say I'm organized and I'm forever losing seeds. Last year I had a 3 drawer plastic storage jobby. I kept annuals in one, perennials in another, and herbs in the third. I put the seeds into little clear plastic bottles we seemed to have a lot of. I'd put a label on the cap of the bottle and I could open the drawer to see all the seeds right there in front of me. It worked great until my seed collection out grew the whole set up.

The bottles take a lot of room - much more than an envelope. So - I switched
'em all back to envelopes. I organized them alphabetically by botanical names into a couple of D.H.'s size 13 shoe boxes. I made cards with the letters to divide them up (A's & B's; C's & D'S, and so on).

Now the latest re-org consist of one big rubber-maid container. It's a shallow one like you'd fit under your bed about 6 inches deep, 15 inches wide, and 2 feet long. I have it divided into annuals & perennials. Then I made letter cards to fit it. Then I have big envelopes the brown business size organizing all the seeds with in the letters. I leave the envelope flap up with the contents marked on the flap ~ they're kind of like mini-folders. (?Am I making any sense here?). Seeds I have many different varieties of - like zinnias get their own envelope. Things that I don't have many of like Shasta daisies go into the "C" envelope for chrysanthemum. This seems to be working out pretty good - so far. The whole container goes on top of the fridge so I have everything in one place. D.H. got a little upset when I rearranged the shelves in the fridge for it. He couldn't fit his coca-cola bottles in :-)

My resolution for 2001 is NO MORE seed harvesting. We'd have to sell the house and find a bigger one if I continue like this! I'm a hopeless addict!

Thanks for the info. I doubt you won't harvest anymore, its too addicting.

general mills french vanilla instant coffee tins!
shoe boxes and bank check boxes are some of mine!
the coffee is yummy too! =] i have some in film containers!

When I started trading, I bought a large box of small coin envelopes at the office supply store. These are what I use to send my trades in. Since I've slowed down on trading for the season (have no idea where I'm going to plant all these seeds), I decided to put my received seeds into the little packets. I label what they are and they fit very nicely into a 5# cheese box...the long rectangular ones. They are heavy cardboard and very sturdy and just the right size for the envelopes. I alphabetize the packets and divide them into annuals and perennials..this has worked out very nicely.

How's your resolution coming so far, poppysue? :-)

Dave

I use those concertina containers used for filing papers. Has a lock & handle for carrying, so handy.

I have one for herbs & veggies and one for flowers.

I file the annuals on the left side and the perennials (flowers) on the right side of each compartment. Aquilegia under A to Zinnia under Z. If I am not sure I will remember the Latin name, will file the seeds under the common name.

Have two fridges so not a problem storing them in the fridge. Had to buy one of those $99. Beer fridges to store my seeds!!!

coin envelopes, used perscription bottles, plastic ziplocks, used envelopes, yogurt cupps, pudding cups, baskets, shoe boxes, cheap plastic containers, film canisters, pockets, glass jars, old cardboard strawberry boxes, and to be honest, that's just since last year. I may need help...serious help...

"Please take a number and have a seat. The plant-a-holic doctor will see you when he gets to your number." Since some of us with really serious problems have been here for quite a while the wait may be a rather long one, however. Say some time in 2003. In the meantime, could you save me a few of each of your varieties of seeds, please?
Signed:
Elena Hooked On Seed Saving in TN.

Empty baby wipe containers. One for annuals, perennials, etc. With a 3 month old granddaughter, they're cheap and easy!!

Well GrannyLois, I've always been such a meticulously organized person who believes everything has it's place and everything should be kept in it's proper place. So I have my seeds organized.................by which envelope they'll fit in, in a crammed shoebox that I keep in the fridge out in the garage!
:-D

I have several cases with watch makers containers in them. Each container has a glass top so I can see each different type of seed into its own little container and label the bottom. One case is annuals, one perrenials, veggies, etc....

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?page=43328&category=1,43326&ccurrency=2&SID=

I get the one with the metal cases only. Cardboard would last about 2 minutes around me........

Weebus

Does anybody know where to get those nice little mini-ziplock baggies that I've seen some folks use for trading? They are small (about 2 inches by 3 inches) and can be reused just like ziplock bags. I wish I knew where I could buy some.

dave

Dave,

Michael's crafts carry them in small pack, I think 25 or 50 bags/pack.

Excellent, Tim. We have a Michael's right next to Lowes in Knoxville, so next time I'm in town I'll stop in and make the purchase.

Dave there's quite a few on-line places to get those bags too. I blew through a box of 1000 last year in no time. Here are a couple places
http://www.villagegiftworld.com/shop/zip-lock-bags.html
http://www.dandlproducts.com/gemstone.htm
http://www.gtbag.com/pzbclick.html

Awesome, Sue, thanks! Going to order soon.

All my seeds collected receive a number beginning this year with "01" followed by a dash...the first accession then assigned "001", the second "002" and so on. (NO, I never have collected 999 seed plants in one year!) 01-007 is...James Bond Pistol Pepper, of course. Just kidding.

This number appears in my seed log, on any seed container, any inventory list, and in future grow-out records.

Sound's well organized? Then why the heck can't I find a bush bean I know I saved3 years ago??!!?? Mostly because I use whatever is at hand except those few times that I set up to REALLY seed save. But at least at some point I run across a seed and at least know what year it was collected and a number to link to the seed log which I have jotted all kinds of information (yeah, keep on dreaming, Marsh.)

Well, I try.

I used to use a lot of beads for crafting, and I think the clear bead containers which screw together in a stack would be great for seeds, once the seeds are dry. Would be hard for large seeds like hyacinth bean vine or gourd seeds, but great for smaller seeds!

Since I have just started saving seeds, with a few from last year, I am going to employ this tack, and see what happens, making notations in a notebook. Likely, I will find that it is not nearly enough an organization!

-darius

I buy boxes of coin evelopes in varying sizes from Staples...the are inexpensive (250 env. per box for $3.00 to $6.00 depending on the size) and are made of sturdy manilla with a glue flap closure. The box they come in gets recycled into holding the filled packets, I then tuck in a small silica packet and stick it in the fridge on the bottom shelf.