Tuesday, August 20, 2013

How I store and save my seeds

Everyone has a different way to store their seeds for the following planting year. I have seen all sorts of fancy little envelope systems, filing systems and even a picture album with the packets of each different kind of seed in where the pictures go. I thought that one was interesting, but it would not work for me.



Between the many medications I am on and the few my hubby are on, we end up with a bunch of pill bottles from the pharmacy every month. We have been saving them, mostly for my hubby's fishing tackle boxes. We have a bunch sitting on our kitchen table and I thought they were perfect to hold my left over seeds and any seeds I save.


I put the remaining seeds (if I have any) in a bottle. The packets I save to put in my garden journal that I am using (but am very bad at keeping up). The lids have a little clicky lock part so they won't open and spill. Not quite child proof, but my arthritic hands can open it easily.


Once the seeds are in the bottle, I write on them with a Sharpy marker what is in the bottle. Because I save the packets in my journal, I just write what kind of seeds they are an don't go into detail. I can always look in the journal for that info. I also keep any receipts for my seeds and where they were bought in the journal.


Instead of having a bunch of bottles with my seeds in them all over the place, I put them in a big bucket. We have a few of these around the house. Again we tend to save anything we might be able to use later, at least when it comes to containers. This happens to be a ice cream bucket.


Yum fudge ice cream. hehe. I just wrote seeds on it so the hubby and son don't think it is something else. We also have one of these buckets in the chest freezer full of ice cubes.


What do you use to store your seeds?



15 comments:

  1. Hey, I am using some plastic containers, but this is a REALLY good idea, Heather!

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    1. Thanks. I figured we have a bunch of these little bottles, why not put them to good use. Not sure what I will do with the others once I have all my seeds stored though. hehe

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  2. I have flower seeds stored on the back of my bedroom door in a hanging jewelry thingy..and the seeds are in small clear jewelry ziplocks that I purchased from Michael's. I have more stored in the garage, in a plastic file box, that has file card index that are alphabetized. DH is on a lot of medications so when one is empty, he stupidly throws it into the trash and I go behind him, retrieve the empty container, peel off the label; place that stickly label inside a folded sheet of paper and shred it into my cross cut shredder. He thinks because we are in a secured community, that information can't get used. I am trying to teach him about Identity theft possibilities and he just thinks I'm being foolish and obsessed. It makes me so angry that he's so blind to Identify theft despite all you read and hear about it.
    Guess " there's no fool like an old fool."

    Mr. Brown Thumb has a photo on his gardening blog of how he puts empty medication bottles, empty throat lozenger tins, small envleopes, magic marker or pens inside a gal zip loc that he keeps handy to collect seeds as he finds them. Maybe a good idea would be to place a blank label on the empty bottle first before I put it into the seed gathering baggie, then all I would have to do is write the contents and date collected on the label when I retrieve the free seeds.

    Thanks for sharing your idea with us.

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    1. I do the same thing as you when it comes to our personal information. It all gets shredded. I do carry little baggies in my purse with me just in case. hehe

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  3. Why not spray paint the medication bottle lids before you put them inside that ice cream container or whatever plastic container you use? Makes it look more uniform and attractive. You can still write on it. What about using chalkboard paint on those lids and you can get that in a lot of colors and use a neon wet erase marker. Not sure if that's waht it is called exactly but I've seen it used on some of the DIY blogs. One can of spray chalk paint could go a long ways and you can buy your marker from your local craft store. Use their 40% off coupon and it'll cost you less. Now to find the colored chalkboard paint that I am talking about!

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    1. That does sound like a good idea. Not sure why I didn't think of it. I think I'll have my son do it. Have him spray paint the little bottle lids and the bucket lid with chalkboard paint so I can write on them. Thank you for the idea :o)

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  4. Your question "how do you store your seeds?" made me giggle because they are just kind of all thrown together in half opened packages in a plastic container. My mom just gave me TONS of empty pill bottles just today and then I read your blog! YIPEE! Now I will have an answer to this question next time I am asked! Thank you!

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  5. I absolutely think this is genius. I chose you as my favorite link for the From the Farm party last week. Thanks.!! Elaine @ http://www.sunnysimplelife.com/

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  6. Great Idea!
    Thanks for sharing with the HomeAcre Hop.
    Sandra
    http://www.mittenstatesheepandwool.com

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  7. I did follow up and DO THIS! I spent a bit of time on Monday and pop my seeds into little bottles. AND discovered some that I had forgotten about in the process so that was an added bonus. Thank you for the simple but so efficient tip that I would NOT have thought of. Happy Friday!

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    1. You are very welcome. Glad my little idea has inspired you. hehe

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  8. I use my pill boxes too. My son is a diabetic so I use his test strip containers. They are so much easier to open then the pills containers.

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    1. My hubby and dad are both diabetic too. I might have to start saving up those test strip bottles for smaller seeds like the carrot and lettuce seeds. Thanks for the idea!

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  9. Cute idea, I just put them in an envelope but I will try this, great way to recycle!
    Kim

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