Wondered how and where people stored there seed packets? until they needed them .
Thanks all DC2
In a shoe box, if you haven't already read it look at seed addiction S.A.A. You can search for it on this site. Very funny and a lot of seed addicts here.
Most of mine are in a military ammo-tin in my shed. It keeps a nice tight seal that is 100% waterproof. Some are currently in a bag in the kitchen storage cupboard but only because they are new and recently purchased seeds that I have not got around to putting in the tin yet.
In a Cadbury's chocolate tin. I enjoyed the chocolates :)
Ooh, I should move mine into an airtight container. They're in a cardboard box in the lean-to - but the cardboard feels like it's absorbing a bit of damp from the air. I've tried to get my hand-picked seeds really dry with the oven-dried-rice method:
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/Drying.html
so it's a bit silly to undo the good work by letting the winter damp get in...
one of ray's tool boxes and a quality street tin
I also enjoyed the chocolates ;D
In a shoe (no, boot) box on a shelf next to my desk. That way I can keep an eye on them, count them, and check they're not misbehaving. They are all in categories, neatly tied together with rubber bands and the categories tally with my excel spreadsheet, so I always know exactly what I have at any given time of day or night.
Addicted ??? ??? Not as bad as some on this site ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
what is the oven dried rice method?
I have five stackable air tight plastic boxes.
1. Pink Box = Flowers including cauliflowers and purple sprouting
2. Purple Box 1 = Fruits, i.e all my peas and beans
3. Purple Box 2 = Fruits, i.e tomatoes, peppers, corn, courgettes etc
4. White Box = Roots, i.e Carrots, parsnips and beets etc
5. Blue Box = Leaves, i.e Cabbage, lettuce, herbs etc
I keep them in the porch where it's north facing, gets no sun and stays cooler than the rest of the house.
Mine are in a box in my vegetable rack.
I keep mine in the bottom of the fridge (I threw the salad draws out a long time ago)..
Lottie Lou, the oven-dried-rice method is the drying method described on the link I gave, that Realseeds.co.uk recommend for drying harvested seed. After that, they're dry enough to put in plastic bags without any danger of getting mildewy - as larger seeds might.
I keep my small seed packets in a 5 in binder in 4x6 picture size album pages.
the bulk seed i keep in 5 machine gun amunition boxs. I picked up surplus.
Asbean, I'm so pleased I'm not the only one with a spreadsheet... :D
I did one while I was ill in bed and wanted to tot up what seeds I had. Different pages for flowers, veg, herbs, peas & beans, and another page for swaps, i.e. stuff I've got in enough quantity. Ooh I can't wait for the spring!
In biscuit tins which are kept in a cupboard in the spare room;
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd27/tgalmanac/Miscellaneous/Seeds.jpg)
In a box, but sorted out in large envelopes by when first plantings are going to be made.
I kept finding seeds I should have already put in!
My fruit and vegetable seeds in packets are separated according to type in large grip sealed clear plastic bags. Any loose seeds that I have collected myself, such as peas or beans are in paper bags or envelopes. These are then put in a plastic box with a lid together with my labels and Letratag machine.
My flower seeds are not so organised as the packets are all mixed up and stored in a smaller plastic box. I don't have as many flower seeds as vegetables.
I too keep spreadsheets on which I have the vegetables in alphabetical order, listing the varieties held, showing the months to sow them and whether they are for the greenhouse or outside. I tick them off once the seeds are sown then print a new list each winter when I have added or taken off different varieties of seeds.
The flowers are listed on a separate spreadsheet, similar to the above and they are also in alphabetical order.
Forgot to mention my seeds are usually stored in a cupboard in the utility room but at the moment they are under my computer desk as I have been sorting through them.
Freebie from Freecycle....one of my better finds! Kept in the unheated study, so a nice cool temp, and I can have a regular rummage to er....check on them, organise into groups or sowing schedule.......or just drool over them! :D
(http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l47/dlp133/nov2007034.jpg)
I've got a cardboard DVD storage box and file card marked with the months of the year on it. I file them under the first month of sowing then move them forward as i reach the month and either sow them and move the left over's forward to the next month etc moving them back to the start if there's any left once the last sowing date is reached.
Does it work?...sort of...it's got a bit cramped so I need another DVD box and I should then seperate flowers and vege.....the squash seeds are taking up too much room. Oh and i now can't fit in the packets of seed that seem to roam lose in the house.
I was puzzled by the packet of leeks that turned up in my bed one morning. :o
Then i remembered the magazine I'd been reading in bed on Sunday morning while listening to the archers had had them on the front.
I love this thread (and the seed addiction 1) !
And there was me thinking the filing cabinets in the study were there for bank statements and the like - I wonder how OH will take to seeds in amongst the paperwork :-\
My seeds started life in a small bag, then got transferred to a larger plastic box and some old cat food boxes, but are now in a large shoe box on my desk. I also use old film canisters for odds and sods collected along the way. Expecting for more deliveries, so will have to separate out the flowers from the veg. There's always the spare room to take over....... ;D
I used to keep mine in a shoe box but last year I got meself a nice siver metal CD box.I have put the seeds in alphabetical order to save me scratting through all of them. The large packets still have a home in the shoe box though
Whoah Shirl, Seeds living in the lap of luxury... ;D ;D
You are all SO inspirational! Think I must go tidy my seed shoeboxes now.
I did make file dividers for them last year labeled for each type veg. which helped the chaos but haven't done a computerized database! :o So impressive you are!
Quote from: GrannieAnnie on November 25, 2008, 21:31:05
You are all SO inspirational! haven't done a computerized database!
I have done a spreadsheet over this past month. Probably spent about 12 hours on it. But that was because I researched every variety of veg seed I intend to sow from next year as have made some changes and some additions. Now it is done it will only take 2 minutes here and there to keep on top of it.
I have a six "shoebox" affair from IKEA and still have a whole set of pea and bean jars.... ::)
Wow i really fancy the metal cd box, Shirl!
For storeable veg seeds - in the freezer in a sealed container with a sache of silica Gel.
Job done!
in zip lock bags sealed with rice in them, inside airtight lock and lock containers, in the seed fridge in the garage
there is a list of everything on the fridge door
and lots of beans and peas in jars
i cant be an addict i dont have a spread sheet.
Wow what a great response to this :)
And great ideas .
I am also someone who keeps theres in a sealed container in the fridge
and wondered if the was a reason for you should not do this but I see I am not the only person doing it so I guess not .
Thanks for replies all :) :)
Unless I had a separate little fridge for seeds, no room! Now there is an idea..... ;D
Quote from: Deb P on November 27, 2008, 08:46:59
Unless I had a separate little fridge for seeds, no room! Now there is an idea..... ;D
deb mine is in the garage i got it from freecycle :)
i have a little table and a chair out there as well so i can visit them lol
Now you're talking! ;D ;D ;D
QuoteI have done a spreadsheet over this past month.
I haven't done mine yet but for those who are interested I do it this way.
As you have seen previously all my seeds are in biscuit boxes plus I am awaiting my 2009 order coming before I do my spread sheet.
Firstly I take the seeds out of their biscuit tin and list them Genus/Variety in columns 1 & 2 on my website.
At this stage I list them as they come then I go into 'tools' and 'sort' them, so this puts my list in alphabetical order.
Then I go into my website which is listed in alphabetical order and note the sowing date and any particular things such as covering or not covering the seed as the case may be.
Once I have done this I go into tool again and do a 'sort' but this time I sort the sowing dates i.e. earliest sowing date first.
Then it is a simple matter of placing my seed packets back in the tin in sowing order ready for the time they are needed.
I find this system suits my 'senility' to a 'T' now that the old grey matter is losing its viscosity ::)
It's great having folks like you TeeGee who do all the hard work for us. Cheers
mine are in a hold all in zip log bags ;D (its one that's to big for hand lugage :o )but I need another one as they don't all fit any more :-[ (slowly slinks off to SAA ::) ::) ::) )
Lots on here probably have seen my seed saving trays - so only posting cos some might not have :)
Old CD sleeves are for the saved seeds (apart from loads of marigold seeds that won't fit)
Anyone looking for companion planting seeds welcome to pm me :-D
(http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t87/ninnyscrops/DSCF0253.jpg)