Storing and Organizing Seeds

Seeds can be stored so that they are viable for a few years. The key is to make sure they stay dry, are kept in a cool and dark location. I store my seeds in zip lock bags, medicine and vitamin bottles, and plastic containers(my local thrift store sells yogurt, margarine, sour cream etc containers). Some people store their seeds in the fridge or freezer. If you go this route make sure the seeds are in a water proof container.

I have struggled with years on how to organize my seeds. I have never found a solution I liked til I started using plastic containers for the pumpkins, gourds, and winter squash. That just left the problem of how to store the vegetable packets such as tomatoes, herbs, etc. How do I store them in a way that the packets stay upright and I can find what I want easily? I found the solution: an accordion file. It's perfect, exactly what I needed, and what I wish I would have used years ago.

If storing them in a place where pests, such as mice, rodents etc can access the seeds make sure the seeds are in a container which the pests can't chew through. Mice, voles, rats etc love seeds! Some seeds do not do well in storage. Crops like carrots, parsnip, onions, and leeks are notoriously short lived and should be purchased every year and not stored. To keep seeds viable keep them: dry, cool, and dark.