Buying Seed in SubZero Temps

Banadoura · December 16, 2016

Hi All,

I've been hesitant to order seed lately because our temps went below 0 (c) and will most likely remain there for at least the next 2 months.

My concern is regarding the seed packs spending a night or two in the mailbox before they get picked up. Do you think they would become harder to germinate?

Would subzero temps also affect fertilizer like tomato tone?

Thanks for sharing your experience,

tash11 · December 16, 2016

I worry about that too, however IME it's fine. I have an Indigo Rose that has volunteered from tomatoes that were left in the garden every year for years now. Through both really bad winters and mild winters.

jmsieglaff · December 16, 2016

I don't think there will be any issues--I think extreme heat would be worse on a seed than extreme cold. I've ordered seed and traded seed during cold spells and haven't had an issue.

Rootwad · December 16, 2016

I keep seeds in the freezer.

KarenO · December 16, 2016

Potential freezing Will not be an issue for properly dried and packaged vegetable seeds. It would be a problem for any bulbs, tubers, corms , onion sets. Crowns, roots or plants.
Feel confident ordering seeds in winter but other plant parts wait til spring.

KarenO

Banadoura · December 16, 2016

Thank you all for chiming in!

Time to order some Jaune Flamme & Taxi, my last two varieties missing from my 2017 grow list!

RJGlew · December 17, 2016

I have not had issues with seeds arriving in cold temperatures. My annual Pinetree order arrived this week and sat in the mailbox at -25 for a number of hrs.

Banadoura · December 17, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJGlew

I have not had issues with seeds arriving in cold temperatures. My annual Pinetree order arrived this week and sat in the mailbox at -25 for a number of hrs.

We've been having the same arctic wind as you guys out east, it was -31 yesterday. By the time the seeds arrive we should be coming back to seasonal norms next week.

bower · December 19, 2016

All the seeds I've bought commercially came packed in bubble wrap - that means no risk of the seeds getting wet when the storm starts blowing sideways into our Canada Post mailboxes. As it does!

Bubble mailers are great for winter seed travels.

December 16, 2016	#1
Banadoura Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Laval, Quebec - Zone 5B Posts: 144	Buying Seed in SubZero Temps Hi All, I've been hesitant to order seed lately because our temps went below 0 (c) and will most likely remain there for at least the next 2 months. My concern is regarding the seed packs spending a night or two in the mailbox before they get picked up. Do you think they would become harder to germinate? Would subzero temps also affect fertilizer like tomato tone? Thanks for sharing your experience,

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December 16, 2016	#2
tash11 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Ohio Posts: 156	I worry about that too, however IME it's fine. I have an Indigo Rose that has volunteered from tomatoes that were left in the garden every year for years now. Through both really bad winters and mild winters.

December 16, 2016	#3
jmsieglaff Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Southern WI Posts: 2,742	I don't think there will be any issues--I think extreme heat would be worse on a seed than extreme cold. I've ordered seed and traded seed during cold spells and haven't had an issue.

December 16, 2016	#4
Rootwad Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: ky Posts: 39	I keep seeds in the freezer.

December 16, 2016	#5
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,931	Potential freezing Will not be an issue for properly dried and packaged vegetable seeds. It would be a problem for any bulbs, tubers, corms , onion sets. Crowns, roots or plants. Feel confident ordering seeds in winter but other plant parts wait til spring. KarenO

December 16, 2016	#6
Banadoura Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Laval, Quebec - Zone 5B Posts: 144	Thank you all for chiming in! Time to order some Jaune Flamme & Taxi, my last two varieties missing from my 2017 grow list!

December 17, 2016	#7
RJGlew Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Alberta, Canada Posts: 646	I have not had issues with seeds arriving in cold temperatures. My annual Pinetree order arrived this week and sat in the mailbox at -25 for a number of hrs.

December 19, 2016	#9
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	All the seeds I've bought commercially came packed in bubble wrap - that means no risk of the seeds getting wet when the storm starts blowing sideways into our Canada Post mailboxes. As it does! Bubble mailers are great for winter seed travels.