Sorting/Storing Seeds

IronPete · November 7, 2015

I am about a week from having a few days on my hands to go through and reorganize my seed collection. It started really small and was easily sorted in a big envelope once. Then I moved to a small plastic recipe box. Then to a long, plastic recipe box with tabbed cards inserted to mark them as 'a' 'b' ans so on according to their names. I've been thinking, though, with the ever-increasing collection getting more and more unwieldy if I shouldn't find a new way to sort them. Maybe the same approach but stratify them first into sub categories like "Pastes", "Beefsteaks" and so on. On the other hand maybe it makes more sense to do them by size?, shape? colour?

My question then which is really kind of for folks working with 100+ varieties is how do you sort them and why?

How do you store them? (mine a plastic sealed container with silica packs in it but not kept in the fridge or anything).

Do you have a catalog of your varieties? (I started this but have run off the rails in the past year, lol)!

Any comments would be welcome. I am not a professional. Just a little garden guy with eyes bigger than his dirt patch!

Thanks;

Pete

KC.Sun · November 7, 2015

I've come to the same problem.

I will be sorting by region of origin and color. I grew up in a pan Asian type culture heavily influenced by Europeans. So for me, I'm trying to isolate and recreate some long forgotten recipes. This method seems to work the best for me, at least mentally thinking about it.

That way I can mix what I want to experiment with and what I want to recreate when I plan out my grow list.

I'm storing all my seeds in plastic baggies because I couldn't find smaller containers like pill bottles. Storing in plastic baggies so the seeds don't dry out.

I'm thinking about a section to add for varieties I need to grow so I keep the seeds fresh.

Nothing really solidified yet, but I'm thinking small card boxes for my seeds. Of course this could change.

AlittleSalt · November 7, 2015

I'm in the process of doing that today. I use binders and card saver pages. I had them in alphabetic order in one binder but ran out of room as the amounts increased.

Now I'm categorizing them in 4 sizes/shapes.

Small = Cherry, Grape, Current
Medium = Saladette to less than 10 oz.
Large = 10 oz.+
Paste/Heart

KarenO · November 7, 2015

I use pocket style photo albums.
One for reds and pinks
one for yellows and GWR
one for stripes and bicolours
one for blacks
one for dwarfs
one for cherries
One for my own crosses sorted by generation
and so on....

Alphabetical is difficult if you continue to add to your collection.
I can find anything I am looking for quickly as long as I know what colour or basic type it is.
The binders store neatly.

KarenO

habitat_gardener · November 7, 2015

I've started sorting mine by year grown, simply because it's easier to find the seeds I have to share (for this year, 2013 to 2015 seed).

For seeds I've bought or received in trade, no system! They used to be in alpha order. Then I sorted out a few "must grow next" -- which turned out to be more than I had space for. I started 50 varieties from seed this year, and there were easily at least twice that amount in the "must grow next" category.

One of these days I need to go through all the seeds and decide which ones are "will grow soon" vs. "nah, probably not" and cull the herd.

Allisa · November 7, 2015

Since I don't have a big quantity of seeds I store them in zip lock bags in albums 4 in x 6 in (pocket style) and in zip lock compact disk storage bags about the same size. For me this type of storage is very convenient.

I sort them by size/shape, type (det/indet, early/late) and color

Worth1 · November 7, 2015

I think it has to do with a persons preference.
For me I was going to post this idea on another h=threads and it go so complicated I gave up.
I will try yet one more time to do this.
My first preference would be to sort them as Early Mid and Late season if at all possible.
Then it would be by type.
Beefsteak Oxheart and so on.
Then it would be by color.
This way I could look and see early oxheart yellow.
No one on earth would do this but me but that is the way I would like it.

There is no right way just your way.
As for keeping large amounts of seeds the vile is the best way to go.
The idea of the freezer or refrigerator should be looked over the spare seed drawer is just fine.
I planted years old cucumber seeds kept in a hot barn this year they came up just fine.
Worth

IronPete · November 7, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarenO

I use pocket style photo albums.
One for reds and pinks
one for yellows and GWR
one for stripes and bicolours
one for blacks
one for dwarfs
one for cherries
One for my own crosses sorted by generation
and so on....

Alphabetical is difficult if you continue to add to your collection.
I can find anything I am looking for quickly as long as I know what colour or basic type it is.
The binders store neatly.

KarenO

I like this idea! If it is in 2 slot rows there would be room for a card in the one on the right with the variety's details... And maybe a pic! Hhhhhhmmmnnnn...

Pete

AlittleSalt · November 7, 2015

I forgot to add that I make a MS Word list with info about each variety as well.

KC.Sun · November 7, 2015

I think I'm going to add the seed source too. That way I can keep track if I get a cross or if the variety is correct.

Gardeneer · November 7, 2015

I have just thrown them in a small recipe box and and out grow it to a zipper bag.
So far I have no system. All I have done so far to keep pepper seeds separately.
Pocket type of binder sounds good to me.

But by last count my collection is under 50 varieties. That is not a challenge yet to know and find the seeds that I want.

Gardeneer

ContainerTed · November 7, 2015

Because I save so many seeds, I use old prescription bottles to store saved seeds. I like the humidity seal that comes with using them. I also made a couple of boxes to store seeds that are in the coin envelopes.

I am using my custom program for tracking all my seeds.

imp · November 7, 2015

I've been saving the aspirin/ibuprofen bottles to save seeds in. I think they will be easy to label and the caps are secure, add a silica pack just to make sure it all stays dry.

But, I am still thinking it over at this point.

Cole_Robbie · November 7, 2015

I finally organized my stuff a few weeks ago. I bought a mini milk crate-looking plastic box, 4x6 index cards, and alphabetical 4x6 A-Z tabs. My seeds are in mini zip lock bags. I have been just taping the baggie to the index card with scotch tape. The tape is the weak part in the system, but it is cheap and easy. Every tomato is alphabetical by variety name. I have all my peppers under P, then sorted alphabetically by the pepper name.

Gerardo · November 7, 2015

I place them all in identical plastic baggies, and just use an XL paper clip to maintain the alphabetical order. They live inside a recycled floppy box with some silica gel baggies that I save from my new sneakers.

I place an additional round sticker with the essentials (ind, large, red, early, heart, etc) to help refresh my memory on the spot. My collection is growing quickly, thank you Tomatovillians.

MMMM will require a 2nd paper clip, but these are good problems to have.

PS that looks real nice Ted.

November 7, 2015	#1
IronPete Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Charlottetown, PEI, Canada Posts: 302	Sorting/Storing Seeds I am about a week from having a few days on my hands to go through and reorganize my seed collection. It started really small and was easily sorted in a big envelope once. Then I moved to a small plastic recipe box. Then to a long, plastic recipe box with tabbed cards inserted to mark them as 'a' 'b' ans so on according to their names. I've been thinking, though, with the ever-increasing collection getting more and more unwieldy if I shouldn't find a new way to sort them. Maybe the same approach but stratify them first into sub categories like "Pastes", "Beefsteaks" and so on. On the other hand maybe it makes more sense to do them by size?, shape? colour? My question then which is really kind of for folks working with 100+ varieties is how do you sort them and why? How do you store them? (mine a plastic sealed container with silica packs in it but not kept in the fridge or anything). Do you have a catalog of your varieties? (I started this but have run off the rails in the past year, lol)! Any comments would be welcome. I am not a professional. Just a little garden guy with eyes bigger than his dirt patch! Thanks; Pete __________________ Thanks; Iron Pete "We can agree to disagree."

November 7, 2015	#6
Allisa Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Oregon Posts: 176	Since I don't have a big quantity of seeds I store them in zip lock bags in albums 4 in x 6 in (pocket style) and in zip lock compact disk storage bags about the same size. For me this type of storage is very convenient. I sort them by size/shape, type (det/indet, early/late) and color Last edited by Allisa; November 7, 2015 at 03:43 PM.

November 7, 2015	#2
KC.Sun Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: 6a Posts: 322	I've come to the same problem. I will be sorting by region of origin and color. I grew up in a pan Asian type culture heavily influenced by Europeans. So for me, I'm trying to isolate and recreate some long forgotten recipes. This method seems to work the best for me, at least mentally thinking about it. That way I can mix what I want to experiment with and what I want to recreate when I plan out my grow list. I'm storing all my seeds in plastic baggies because I couldn't find smaller containers like pill bottles. Storing in plastic baggies so the seeds don't dry out. I'm thinking about a section to add for varieties I need to grow so I keep the seeds fresh. Nothing really solidified yet, but I'm thinking small card boxes for my seeds. Of course this could change.

November 7, 2015	#3
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I'm in the process of doing that today. I use binders and card saver pages. I had them in alphabetic order in one binder but ran out of room as the amounts increased. Now I'm categorizing them in 4 sizes/shapes. Small = Cherry, Grape, Current Medium = Saladette to less than 10 oz. Large = 10 oz.+ Paste/Heart

November 7, 2015	#4
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,931	I use pocket style photo albums. One for reds and pinks one for yellows and GWR one for stripes and bicolours one for blacks one for dwarfs one for cherries One for my own crosses sorted by generation and so on.... Alphabetical is difficult if you continue to add to your collection. I can find anything I am looking for quickly as long as I know what colour or basic type it is. The binders store neatly. KarenO

November 7, 2015	#5
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	I've started sorting mine by year grown, simply because it's easier to find the seeds I have to share (for this year, 2013 to 2015 seed). For seeds I've bought or received in trade, no system! They used to be in alpha order. Then I sorted out a few "must grow next" -- which turned out to be more than I had space for. I started 50 varieties from seed this year, and there were easily at least twice that amount in the "must grow next" category. One of these days I need to go through all the seeds and decide which ones are "will grow soon" vs. "nah, probably not" and cull the herd.

November 7, 2015	#7
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I think it has to do with a persons preference. For me I was going to post this idea on another h=threads and it go so complicated I gave up. I will try yet one more time to do this. My first preference would be to sort them as Early Mid and Late season if at all possible. Then it would be by type. Beefsteak Oxheart and so on. Then it would be by color. This way I could look and see early oxheart yellow. No one on earth would do this but me but that is the way I would like it. There is no right way just your way. As for keeping large amounts of seeds the vile is the best way to go. The idea of the freezer or refrigerator should be looked over the spare seed drawer is just fine. I planted years old cucumber seeds kept in a hot barn this year they came up just fine. Worth

November 7, 2015	#11
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,919	I have just thrown them in a small recipe box and and out grow it to a zipper bag. So far I have no system. All I have done so far to keep pepper seeds separately. Pocket type of binder sounds good to me. But by last count my collection is under 50 varieties. That is not a challenge yet to know and find the seeds that I want. Gardeneer

November 7, 2015	#13
imp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Posts: 4,832	I've been saving the aspirin/ibuprofen bottles to save seeds in. I think they will be easy to label and the caps are secure, add a silica pack just to make sure it all stays dry. But, I am still thinking it over at this point.

November 7, 2015	#14
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I finally organized my stuff a few weeks ago. I bought a mini milk crate-looking plastic box, 4x6 index cards, and alphabetical 4x6 A-Z tabs. My seeds are in mini zip lock bags. I have been just taping the baggie to the index card with scotch tape. The tape is the weak part in the system, but it is cheap and easy. Every tomato is alphabetical by variety name. I have all my peppers under P, then sorted alphabetically by the pepper name.

November 7, 2015	#15
Gerardo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: San Diego-Tijuana Posts: 2,598	I place them all in identical plastic baggies, and just use an XL paper clip to maintain the alphabetical order. They live inside a recycled floppy box with some silica gel baggies that I save from my new sneakers. I place an additional round sticker with the essentials (ind, large, red, early, heart, etc) to help refresh my memory on the spot. My collection is growing quickly, thank you Tomatovillians. MMMM will require a 2nd paper clip, but these are good problems to have. PS that looks real nice Ted.