Storing unused heirloom seeds - Page 2

Ruth_10 · April 11, 2009

If you use the silica gel packs be sure to regenerate them frequently. Very frequently. They don't have that much moisture adsorbing capacity.

Using some indicator Drierite is a great way to find out just how airtight your storage conditions are.

I use Drierite (mix of white and indicator types) and Drierite jars. The jars, not surprisingly, are very airtight.

eddie46 · April 12, 2009

How would Foodsaver bags work?

Ed

eyolf · April 13, 2009

I don't believe that impermeable plastic is the way to go, but I have no proof.

I keep individual varieties in coin envelopes, which in turn are housed in 5X8 kraft mailers, between 4 and 10 varieties to a mailer. The mailers are labelled with variety names and last growout dates on them. The kraft mailers are stored in boxes sized to store the kraft envelopes neatly. Everything is alphabetical and cross-referenced...the second entry on the current "Ba-Be" kraft envelope says "Baer, John...see John Baer", as does an entry on another say "Bonny Best...see John Baer"..Copies of inventory lists with descriptions and growout dates accompany the seeds, as well as being stored electronically.

I've come a long way since I went begging for some Kotlas seeds on Gard web 10 years ago or so. Carolyn and a few others may remember that I had everything haphazardly stashed in a carboard box that was raided by mice.

AS regards seed age, I found some seeds from 1988, not fermented, just glued with gel to pieces of paper. I expected very poor to no germination. Yellow pear did about 10%, Marglobe 30%. Should I actually plant one of those yellow pears this year?

dice · April 13, 2009

Folk wisdom has it that mice hate mint. If you have any mint growing
in your garden, an occasional fresh sprig in with your seeds is
probably a good idea if the seeds are not in mice-proof containers
of some kind.

Edit:

Warning: mints are a particularly invasive plant that spreads
by underground roots. If you decide to grow some, it needs to
be contained (in a container, in a circle of 2' deep flashing sunk
into the soil around it, etc) to avoid having it become more of
a problem than a benefit. It is still nice to have some fresh mint
around in the summer for cooking, anyway.

garnetmoth · April 14, 2009

Cooking and mojitos. Just sayin :-)

We had some bed-planted chocolate mint in the side yard one year, and another year, and another year... finally got all of it. Big fan of planting it in a sunken pot now!

April 11, 2009	#16
Ruth_10 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MO z6a near St. Louis Posts: 1,349	If you use the silica gel packs be sure to regenerate them frequently. Very frequently. They don't have that much moisture adsorbing capacity. Using some indicator Drierite is a great way to find out just how airtight your storage conditions are. I use Drierite (mix of white and indicator types) and Drierite jars. The jars, not surprisingly, are very airtight. __________________ --Ruth Some say the glass half-full. Others say the glass is half-empty. To an engineer, it’s twice as big as it needs to be.

April 13, 2009	#18
eyolf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Central MN, USDA Zone 3 Posts: 301	I don't believe that impermeable plastic is the way to go, but I have no proof. I keep individual varieties in coin envelopes, which in turn are housed in 5X8 kraft mailers, between 4 and 10 varieties to a mailer. The mailers are labelled with variety names and last growout dates on them. The kraft mailers are stored in boxes sized to store the kraft envelopes neatly. Everything is alphabetical and cross-referenced...the second entry on the current "Ba-Be" kraft envelope says "Baer, John...see John Baer", as does an entry on another say "Bonny Best...see John Baer"..Copies of inventory lists with descriptions and growout dates accompany the seeds, as well as being stored electronically. I've come a long way since I went begging for some Kotlas seeds on Gard web 10 years ago or so. Carolyn and a few others may remember that I had everything haphazardly stashed in a carboard box that was raided by mice. AS regards seed age, I found some seeds from 1988, not fermented, just glued with gel to pieces of paper. I expected very poor to no germination. Yellow pear did about 10%, Marglobe 30%. Should I actually plant one of those yellow pears this year? __________________ a day without fresh homegrown tomatoes is like... ...sigh

April 13, 2009	#19
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	Folk wisdom has it that mice hate mint. If you have any mint growing in your garden, an occasional fresh sprig in with your seeds is probably a good idea if the seeds are not in mice-proof containers of some kind. Edit: Warning: mints are a particularly invasive plant that spreads by underground roots. If you decide to grow some, it needs to be contained (in a container, in a circle of 2' deep flashing sunk into the soil around it, etc) to avoid having it become more of a problem than a benefit. It is still nice to have some fresh mint around in the summer for cooking, anyway. __________________ -- alias Last edited by dice; April 13, 2009 at 01:42 PM. Reason: invasive plant warning

April 12, 2009	#17
eddie46 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: SW PA Posts: 160	How would Foodsaver bags work? Ed

April 14, 2009	#20
garnetmoth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: cincinnati, oh Posts: 492	Cooking and mojitos. Just sayin :-) We had some bed-planted chocolate mint in the side yard one year, and another year, and another year... finally got all of it. Big fan of planting it in a sunken pot now!