seed saver envelopes

Corey, this is where I got my glassine envelopes, but I do use several hundred a year, so just bit the bullet to put in the minimum $40 order (without extra fees which range from 3 to 7 dollars for smaller orders). Maybe you could split an order with a few others.

http://www.clearbags.com/stationery/envelopes/translucent-envelopes/glassine-envelopes

I get organza bags from a vendor on ebay called organzabags. I usually get the small ones for between $2 and $3 for packs of 30, and pay from $0 to $1 for shipping however many lots I get. I recommend getting a small amount of larger sizes as well, but the small ones are good for collecting most seeds.

Thanks! This worked:
http://www.amosadvantage.com/scottonline/find.asp?

The "thousands" at $30 or $40 are too much for me unless I do a co-op or become a Merchant, but I may get some of the "hundreds" at $3.50 - $4.50.

The pictures are hard to see, but all seem to have the flaps on the long edge, GE01B and GE01 both.

I see I have to fill out dozens of fields and get a username and password before I can find their actual S&H charges. I see these:
"Partial shipments subject to regular shipping and handling terms."
Rates
"Minimum Freight Charge $6.99"

"Amos Advantage" goes on my list, but at 4-5 cents per envelope plus $7 shipping, I'll have to want glassine more than I do now, to fill out pages of customer info and then discover an extra "handling" fee, or that the minimum shipping doesn't cover several bundles of 100.

I'm not saying they overcharge, but I am cheap.

Corey

me too, but they are one of the few places that sell the ones with the flap on the end. i am still looking for somewhere better. will let you know if i find one

I will, too. I keep thinking that if I have to buy thousands or make a $100 dollar order, i'll either do without, or form a co-op, or re-sell the excess. (Maybe try to trade them for seeds, bulbs or plants, thoguh I read that "is not done".)

I've looked at the very tall glassine ones for 35 mm film, thinking I could just fold the top over or cut some off, but they aren't cheap.

Really, I want the smallest size made, for small amouns of fine seed and compact storage.

I got an answer from www.postalenvelope.com .
12 - 20 cents per envelope plus shipping.
I don't want them that badly, I think the plastic Zip-locks are closer to a penny each.

"Shipping would be between $8.00 to 15.00 total depending on how many total you order."

1-3/4 x 2-3/4- 200 is $23.56 (these have a flap on the short end, no gum)
2-3/4 x 2-3/4- 200 is $24.48 (these also have an ungummed flap)
3-1/8 x 5-1/2 200-$28.65(these have an ungummed flap on short end)
4-1/8 x 9-1/2 200-$44.10 (ungummed flap on long end)
2-3/4x10-1/2 500 Minimum- $186.00 (ungummed flap on long end)

Shipping would be between $8.00 to 15.00 total depending on how many total you order.


Postal Envelope Co. Inc.
51-02 21 Street
Long Island City, NY 11101

phone- 718-392-5858
fax- 718-391-0333
e-mail- postalenvelope@verizon.net
website- www.postalenvelope.com
==============================

for thousands only, $35 - $43 per 1,000,
all with flap on narrow end:

http://www.herbariumsupply.com/nu_listCategoriesAndProducts..."

1.75" x 2.75" (3.5 cents)
2 x 3.25"
2.75 x 3.75"

I registered with them, for the priviledge of ordering, but would have had to give my credit card number before finding out the shipping cost and handling charge. No way.

Mine cost .035 each including shipping. I like them a lot better than the plastic ones. There's no "static cling."

3.5 cents including shipping sounds good for glassine. Like the "$35 per 1,000" deals but free shipping. Where from?

From the place I told you above - Clearbags. It wasn't free shipping. It was 2.something cents before shipping, because I ordered over 1000 envelopes.

that clearbags site is pretty cool, you can buy 50 at a time if you want. thanks

>> Clearbags. It wasn't free shipping. It was 2.something cents before shipping, because I ordered over 1000 envelopes.

Strange. The lowest price I found for glassine envelopes on the Clearbags site was $30 for 20 packs of 50 (1,000). Shipping to WA was $11.50, total cost 4.1 cents each. Did you call them for a special price?

$41.50 is about the same as "Herbarium Supply": $35 plus $5 shipping for 1,000 of the smallest size, 1.75"x2.75".

Isn't it funny that "$35 plus $5 shipping" sounds like a much better deal than "$35 plus $11.50 shipping"?

If anyone would like to add to an order from Clearbags, to get a better discount, let me know. Otherwise I'll probably go with Herbarium Supply. (The Clearbags search tool shows "organza bags" and "wedding favor bags" but I see nothing on the website like that.)

Corey

no, it was just what popped up when i googled them. will try to find that page again and send you the link ok- hope this works

http://www.clearbags.com/stationery/envelopes/translucent-envelopes/glassine-envelopes

This message was edited Sep 20, 2010 11:11 AM

No I didn't call them. I guess it was .03something to start. My shipping was less and I bought 1350 glassine plus 200 cheap ziplocks to bring it to $40 before shipping, so I wouldn't have to pay a small order fee. It came out to .035 per glassine envelope.

Thanks, both.

Sherman99, that is where I was looking, .

Perenniallyme, I added 1,000 2x2 Ziplocks to get the order size over 440, and shipping went DOWN by $1.60. That comes to the same price as Herbarium, and I get 1,000 Ziplocks besides. I'm sold.

Corey

Great. I thought their prices were good. Now neither of us will have to buy more for at least 3 years probably, unless you're more seedy than I am.

LOL! Disreputable perhaps, but not yet as seedy as I hope to become. "Going to seed" is the most I can claim.

I finally placed the order, now I can stop obsessing on saving pennies. Funny that Zip-locks, which seem higher-tech, are cheaper then kraft paper coin envelopes or glassine.

I actually think that, with 1,000 glassines, I can give and swap some away.

Corey

Yes, "going to seed" is probably a better description of myself as well.
Happy collecting!

Sharon

Boy, this forum is not very busy!

Grit,

I got my coin envelopes from Staples, and thought they were "expensive". Maybe 5 cents each? 2x3 Ziplocks are 1 cent each. For drying seeds, now I mostly use old envelopes that bills came in.

For re-closable paper envelopes from seed vendors, now I usually just cut the end flap with a pair of scissors to get two clean edges. Then I fold it over and tape it down to re-seal it,

Actually, I almost always just pour vendors seeds into a 2x3 Ziplock. Sometimes, to keep it with the vendor's envelope, I'll tape that closed or use a paper clip. I like the plastic Ziplocks.



I buy 2x3" Ziplocks from Wal-Mart, or FROM "Clearbags" online. Perenniallyme gave a great tip about Clearbags.
http://www.clearbags.com/crystal-clear-bags/crystal-clear-zip-bags

I tried ULINE (online), 1.5"x1.5" Ziplocks for storing tomato and pepper seeds in a smaller space. Good quality & good price even after S&H: $16/1,000 and 1.9 cents each after S&h.
http://www.uline.com/BL_208/2-Mil-Reclosable-Bags

I'll buy glassine from ULINE (cheaper but poor quality) or "Clearbags"
http://www.clearbags.com/stationery/envelopes/translucent-envelopes/glassine-envelopes
http://www.uline.com/BL_5507/Glassine-Bags?keywords=Glassine+Bags

I like the 3x5.5" glassine "# 1 Peanut Bags" because I can stuff 20-25 2x3" Ziplocks into one 3x5.5"glassine bag, and they take up less space in my storage tubs. $22 per 1,000 or 2.2 cents each (before S&H).

Organza bags from here:
http://www.yourorganzabag.com/organzabag.htm

Hey Rick it had been so long ago I started this thread I had forgotten all of it ,thanks for bringing it back up for my storage I now use old medicine bottles plus my wifes diabetic test strip bottles which are great as they have a flap type lid that is airtight and impossible to lose

>> old medicine bottles

Thanks for reminding me that I promised a few dozen of thsoe to soemone months ago!

Glad that I found this thread. I have always saved seeds for myself, but now I have close friends asking for seeds. I'm trying to decide how I want to put up extra seeds to share with others. I've always wrapped the seeds in foil and placed them in donated unused greeting card envelopes sealed with scotch tape. Then, I place each envelope in a resealable plastic sandwich bag. I store the envelopes on end in shoeboxes so that I can flip through them. I write the info.; such as; variety & year saved; with a black marker on the front of each envelope. Perhaps, what I'm doing now will work for my friends.

>> Then, I place each envelope in a resealable plastic sandwich bag.

Since there is paper inside the plastic Ziplok, it would be a little better to zip them up on the dryest possibloe dayh. paper absorbs moisture, and this will seal that inside the plastic. Those Ziploks do "breath" just a little bit, very slowly, so it might not matter.

I just put dry seeds into a 2x3" Ziplok for trading. You can tape those to index cards to make them stand up and flippable. Or put many 2x3 Ziploks into one paper envelope. (The little Zippies are 1 cent in most WalMart Craft departments.)

If I plan to store them for months, I put the little Ziploks into a plastic tub (with a tight screw-on lid) and add a packet of dessicanrt to the tub.

I use silica gel (it can be regenrated by baking. Some people use very dry rice as a dessicant: like, bake it until a little before it turns brown, then store it tightly sealed.

If you are interested in a very low cost option, you can make them yourself and use a wax stick (NOT glue stick) from Michaels or other art supply store for sealing/resealing. I make my own this way and use archive quality scrapbooking paper. They are pretty and I don't need to worry about acids in the paper harming my precious seeds.

I put them in ziplock baggies when I carry them out into the garden to plant. Sometimes I have an accident with the hose or sprinkling can, so it's to keep them dry.

>> I put them in ziplock baggies when I carry them out into the garden to plant.

Good idea. Some source warned me against bring my WHOLE pkt of seeds outside while planting.

"Opps - I dumped them ALL out."
"rain sprinkle: now they're all damp"
"set them on something - now the pkt is muddy:
"handled it with muddy fingers - less eager to put it back inopt the jar with ALL my other seeds"

When I buy a BIG pkt, sometimes I divide it up into many smaller pktsd, around trade-size, or sowing-size. And each pkt always has two labels, each with the full name, planting depth and spacing, so I can even leave on label top mark the row and one in the pkt to label remaining seeds (even if I don;t put the muddy pkt back into the seed bank).

One tidy way to organize 10-20 2"x3" Ziploks is to stuff them all into a 3.5" x 5" Glassine envelope. It keeps them together in one place, so I know how much more of THAT I have, and it squeezes them together so they take up less room.

I put all the envelopes of one variety in a ziploc bag, so sometimes I have 4 envelopes in one ziploc bag. Then, I put a list of the contents inside the bag where I can see it. I also write the number of seeds on the list & year. It's a system that I've developed over many years of gardening that works for me.

Another reason for the ziploc bags is that I've also been caught out in the rain before when planting. Some of the bags are several years old. They're really very durable and seldom need replaced. The tops aren't always zipped all the way when filed in the shoebox because sometimes I'm in a rush.

The one thing that I'm picky about is wrapping the seeds in foil before placing them in a paper envelope, so it's foil, paper, then plastic; all in a cardboard shoebox. I really don't know how well they breathe or don't breathe. lol

My biggest fault, is not always keeping them at the right temp. That I need to work on.

My thought is that foil doesn't really keep out humidity or oxygen: even if you press it together, how tight is the seal? I suppose that rolling and crimping would have an effect.

Unfortunately, humidity can migrate right through polethylene plastic film, just slowly. And the "zipper" is more of a mechanical closure than it is a seal. If you zip a Ziplok with air inside, then re4st a heavy book on it, it will gradually deflate.

But I think the basic fact is that a handfull of many kinds of seeds in an open paper bag in a closet will probably germinate fairly well for 3 to 5 years ... some crops last 10 or 15 years ... as long as you don't live in a rain forest. (I have heard that FLUCTUATING temps and humidity are bad for seeds if you want to keep them a long time.)

My fear is that "short-lived seeds" , which seem to include every flower that I get particularly interested in, are going to fade away in a few years no matter what I do, except possibly for dry-and-freeze.