Seed Containers

We're in the Ozarks, and most every man and boy around here carries a round tobacco can in his hip pocket.

Those cans make great containers for saved seeds!

Some "cans", like Copenhagen, are still made of cardboard - those might not be so good. Many others though, like Red Man, are made of hard black plastic with a metal lid - and those work real well.

I remove the paper labels and wash the cans thoroughly, inside and out. A sticky label with the variety name and year goes on the metal lid, and those labels can be removed for re-use of the can. The lids fit snug but they're easy to get on and off, the cans are bug-proof, and they stack well for storage. Unlike with envelopes, you don't have to pour seeds out in your hand while planting in the garden - just hold the open can in one hand and plant with the other. Also with these, you don't have to try and pour extra unplanted seeds from your hand back into the torn-off corner of a seed envelope as I've done many times.

Even when I buy mail-order seeds, I open the envelopes and move them into labeled cans. The cans are easier to handle in the garden and better for long-term storage if I have seeds left over. Also, when planting from a can I know how many seeds I have left and get the spacing to come out right in rows. Just a helpful tip, I think.

Depending how many seeds of the one type you require, it is easy to by a kids glue stick, make your own small envelopes from dry paper, right the name / date and any other info on the envelope before filling with seeds, then you can save several kinds of seeds in the one tin/container. I use old candy tins, plastic food containers etc, as long as the seeds are checked every few weeks at the start to make sure the paper envelopes are still dry and stored in a cool, dark, and dry place.
It is also easy to start your garden diary at this time as I find cleaning or collecting the seeds reminds me how well the plants did, when they were planted, what do I need to change at either plant time or when growing, would it be best to move this plant somewhere else either for colour, hight, soil, front / back of border or never did well beside such and such.
It's an exciting time to get ready ahead of the next years growing seasons and seed saving is just the start, good time to swap or share too, happy collecting and good luck.
WeeNel.

I am Saving the Seed's from most of what I produced this year,and Thank you both for the Tip's in Preserving them, after this Difficult Season. We've seen more wet than anything this Season yet my vegetables grew, Hat's off to Mother Nature, and the adaptation, of Life.

I save some of my percription medicine bottles. They work well for the smaller seed. For larger seed like butter bean or green beans, I save a few Gator Aid bottles to store those in.

Hi MrPappy your not alone in having a bad season, I have to grow tomato's etc in my greenhouse but even in there, disaster, I am about to empty the house out as there are no more red tomato's worth saving in the hope they will ripen, Green Chutney it is eh. everyone I have spoken to has had the same mold and bud drop problem, outdoors was no better, we had a cold very wet summer with storms from May on-wards, lets just hope next year will be kinder to us all, on this site we here of folks with too hot and others too wet, then the in-be-tweeners who have had dreaded diseases, so lets all enjoy the winter read up on all the seeds we want and the flower catalogers and relax dreaming of better days next year eh. good luck and happy gardening. WeeNel.

"I am about to empty the house out as there are no more red tomato's worth saving in the hope they will ripen"
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WeeNel, I'm sorry for your gardening difficulties.

A suggestion. You could use up your green tomatoes in a way that I bet isn't common in Scotland - Fried Green Tomatoes! That's a dish that's rare and usually limited to the South even in the U.S., but it's an absolute favorite of mine. I have to confess I like tomatoes green and fried even better than ripe!

My tomato plants are at the end of the season here, and there are many green tomatoes that won't have a chance to ripen. My wife fried a bunch two days ago and I finished them off yesterday. I'll pick some more for frying today. We're also slicing, breading, and freezing green tomatoes with pieces of wax paper between the slices so we can have some through the winter. They're an acquired taste maybe, but GOOD!

Ozark you are correct, I have never heard of Fried Green Tomato's ever, in fact as a child I once got a head of myself and began to eat the tiny Cherry tomato's, finished off the red onces, delicious, then went onto the green ones, OH BOY, I ended up with th sorest tummy ever, I do believe I have never eaten any veg or fruit that is not ripe, but you have gave me courage and will try out Fried Green Tomato's soon as there are enough worth picking, I already made chutney last weekend and have jars of this all over the place, will give some away to whoever I can kidnap and wont let them go unless they take a few jars of chutney home ha, ha, ha. I had a glut of green tomato's this year, more than you would ever imagine but, that's gardening for you. Our newspaper had headlines of El Nino will hit this year or to us Normal folk, they think we in Scotland will have a mini Ice Age so maybe our gardening seasons could be all screwed up again next year, OH well we sure cant change it. happy gardening folks and good luck. Weenel.

Aha - southern-style Fried Green Tomatoes, possibly to be made for the first time in Scotland!

The greenest tomatoes are the best for this. Wash the green tomatoes and slice them about 1/4" to 1/2" thick. Roll the slices in white flour with a little salt and pepper added. Heat about 1/4" of cooking oil in a skillet until it's good and hot (we use Canola oil) and fry the tomato slices on both sides until the breading turns golden brown. Remove the slices from the skillet and put them on a folded paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Let them cool and eat them - GOOD!

Appreciation of Fried Green Tomatoes is probably an acquired taste. They're a regional dish in the U.S. and I'm sure most Americans have never tried them. I grew up on these, though, and they're a real favorite in our family.

Ozark it is amazing the amount of people who remember there favorite childhood dishes or edible stuff they ate yet when it comes to growing stuff they ate, they don't remember, I have 2 best ever things from gardening childhood.

1st, is Rhubarb, we used to pick a stalk of rhubarb, remove leaf and snap off bottom, sneak indoors and put white sugar in a poke (bag) dip in the stalk of sugar and gnaw your way through the whole stalk, dipping in the sugar as you go, Sore bell by bedtime !!!!

2nd, when the tatties (potato's were dug up and laid on top of soil to let sun dry them off, us kids would light a fire and throw a few potato's onto the edge of fire, an hour later the potato's were as black as coal and we got a large leaf to hold the hot potato in one hand while peeling off the blackened skin with the other, you ate as you peeled, never tasted (tatties) as good since then, I've roasted, baked chipped, mashed etc, but my mouth waters at the thought of my childhood ones, maybe because they were not washed the earth added to the flavour.
There are others, but these two always stick in my mind, just plain old simple country goodies eh !!!!.WeeNel.

Weenel, I loved Rhubarb as a child and did the same thing, when I grew up in Boston, of course I'm Irish, and it grew wild everywhere. I'm also a Chef, and another Version of the Green Fried Tomato's, is cut into 1/4 inch Slices, salt lightly and let rest for ten minutes, pat with a paper towel,dip the in Flour, then an eggwash, then fresh breadcrumb's, Saute them in Butter until Crispy brown, add as much Flour to the pan as there is butter, Stir over low heat for a minute or two, add 1/4 cup water or chicken stock per teaspoon of flour you added to the pan, S&P, a Little Garlic Powder, and 1/2 cup of Cream or Milk per 1 teaspoon of flour, pour it over the Fried Green Tomato's, and enjoy.

Hey WeeNel
Make up some fried green tomatoes and either read the book or watch the movie of the same name. Just don't mention the bar-b-cue.
Seriously - My Dad was raised on the Kansas, Missouri border and as a child learned to love fried red tomatoes. Dipped in flour, fried in bacon fat, when tomatoe slices are brown, pour scrambled eggs over the tomatoes in the skillet and cook till done. Nummy!!
I traveled to China a few yrs back and was a bit worried about the food. I don't care for seafood and am kinda picky. At every buffet type resturant, lunch or dinner there was one dish that was wonderful. Scrabled eggs with chopped up tomatoes added at the last just to heat up. I made it through!.

Oh Boy, my husband and I will be the fattest folk in town Eh, I will try out all the recipes given, I have fried tomatoes every Sunday when My family and Grandkids gather here for brunch, we always have grilled sausages, bacon, potato scones, eggs, mushrooms and fries RED tomatoes but, I have never ever added flour etc, cant wait till we have brunch again, wont tell them so I can have an honest answer, I love cooking hole-some food so will give all a go. Thanks everyone for your kindness and ideas, great to learn about other peoples ideas. Take good care. WeeNel.