Seed saving is a valuable task for any gardener to add to his to-do list. The little extra work of saving seeds from flowers, vegetables, fruits, or berries can save the gardener quite a lot of money at the end of the day! Why purchase new seeds every year when you can simply learn to save your own from the previous year’s crop? One of the biggest factors in successful seed saving is knowing how to best store them away. I’ll share my 4 Seed Storage Tips with you!
Looking for even more gardening content? Check these out: How to Prepare Your Garden for Winter, How to Easily Harvest and Save Sunflower Seeds, Why Seed Saving is So Beneficial, How to Plant a Spring Garden, and much more!
4 Seed Storage Tips
Seed Storage Tip 1: Maintain Cool Conditions
Keep the seeds out of direct sunlight and in a cool spot that maintains a fairly consistent temperature. Think of a cool closet, basement, or a room on the north side of your home that stays fairly cool all year round.
Seed Storage Tip 2: Maintain Dry Conditions
Before you place your seeds in storage, it’s important that they are dry. Not sure? A simple bend v. snap test is a good starting point. If the seed can be cleanly snapped in half or shatters under stress, it is likely dry enough for storage, even in a freezer. But if it bends or smashes, the seeds should be be dried further before being stored.
Seeds need to be stored in dry conditions too avoid molding or germinating. Avoid rooms that are humid or places were the seeds may be dripped on. Sheds, garages, or other places that aren’t climate controlled aren’t typically good seed storage areas.
Seed Storage Tip 3: Protect the Seeds
Another risk factor to seeds are pests. Critters, bugs, and rodents all enjoy munching on seeds, so make sure to keep them in a location that is pest-free. Glass jars, metal containers, or wire mesh can further protect seeds from invaders.
Seed Storage Tip 4: Freeze Certain Seeds
Some seeds do not fare as well in storage. Crops like carrots, parsnip, onions, and leeks are notoriously short lived. For these, freezer storage is best as seeds from these varieties that are stored at or near room temperature will quickly lose their ability to germinate and grow. Do a little research on each seed before choosing to store them at room temperature or freeze them.
More on Gardening
- How to Easily Harvest and Save Sunflower Seeds
- Why Seed Saving is So Beneficial
- How to Save Tomato Seeds for Next Year
- How to Prepare Your Garden for Winter
- Managing the Garden with a Schedule
Dollar general always has a huge clear out of seeds about this time, if I bought them now, will they last until next season or would it be a waste?
I’d go for it! I’d say your chances are good that they’ll work for next spring.