Seed organisation

[evtubbergh]

I decided to label all my seed packets properly so I found some sticky labels and started typing. Then I had to have some pictures, but ordinary pictures just would not so. So they all had to be botanical illustrations. I ended up searching for hours for the right pictures and spending an inordinate amount of time creating my labels. Haha.

But it turned out lovely didn't it?

[Juliuskitty]

It sure did. those are beautiful. Great job.

[digitS']

You would hardly believe how much better those look than what I've got, evtubbergh. Good Work!

My saved seed is mostly in zip-lock snack bags with a paper label on the inside . A step up from that: When I have saved a lot of seed, as with radish or bok choy, I've got some plastic jars with screw on lids.

I had reason to go thru several boxes of a duke's mix of purchased and saved seed today. It is no wonder that I buy things and then never think of them until the growing season is past because I overlook them in those boxes!

Steve

[evtubbergh]

Oh believe me mine looked terrible once upon a time. I had different things to store them in and it was messy. But then I was in a stationary shop one day and they had these bundles of brown paper envelopes so I bought them. Then my handwriting is messy and inconsistent and it was messy again. So this.

If anyone wants the word document they can just ask. I can email it to you. They are designed for Tower P229 labels but can easily be changed for other sizes.

[digitS']

Are they still called "stationary stores" in South Africa, evtubbergh?

I like that! It is a name from years ago . . . now, we have Office Supply.

Staples . . . Office Depot . . . chains. I guess "stationary" was a bit staid but the name and stores always intrigued me . Nothing very stationary about pieces of paper - envelopes, postage.

The stores were kind of like libraries - intriguing places, too! Especially the children's library in my old home town with the images from Aesop's Fables on a mural, above the shelves and shelves of books. But, in a stationary store - the paper was blank! There was nothing printed on it, sort of flighty pieces of paper waiting for someone to write on them .

Steve

[imafan26]

Those are lovely seed packets. Mine are all stuffed in a very large plastic bags taking up a shelf and a drawer in my refrigerator. I have gone through it and thrown some of the older stuff out. Mostly things from 1998 and older and a few things that I didn't really like even when I did grow them. Some of them are not even labeled and I either recognize the seed by sight or smell. Some of the seeds actually leaked from the packages and I have mystery seed at the bottom of the bags. I wish you could come over and organize some of my stuff, I really could use the help.

[evtubbergh]

digitS', pretty much, even the big ones. We have some impersonal large scale chain places but my favourite is this company that runs out of an old house and delivers to companies. They don't get too much walk in traffic but you can go in anyway and it's such fun to look around and find cool stuff on the shelves, which are stuffed and not laid out like a shop. I love it. I love paper shops too; so much potential.

Haha imafan26, I know all about the mystery seeds at the bottom. The other day I just chucked them all out into a section of garden to do what they wanted. They were mostly mustard anyway and some even grew. That is actually what prompted the envelope thing. I also started folding up pieces of parchment to protect my seeds inside the envelopes and so they don't fall out. Also I had all these unlabeled tomato and pepper seeds, which I will grow for a surprise but I still don't want to keep doing that.

I love collecting but I decided that I should just use them up cos they don't last forever. I've started sowing in big trays and then giving them away to my friends. My mom is a great place to send seedlings when I don't have space.

I still have a whole bunch of shop packets not in that picture (and I had not finished so I only photographed half the new brown ones ) but I'm so happy with it I am doing the other half tonight.

PS don't seeds die after that long?!

[evtubbergh]

I'm feeling very organised.

[gillespieza]

Those are just beautiful! I wish I'd seen this during my holidays, because now I'm inspired to bunk work and make seed packets like that instead!

[gardeningwithe]

Oh gosh, those look so good... yep puts mine to shame. It's looking like a day off of work so I may just have to pretty mine up as well Very inspiring.

[imafan26]

gillespieza to become active you just have to post more. I forgot the number but you have to have so many posts to become active so the best way to do that is to answer some questions or post one of your own.

[gillespieza]

Ok, evtubbergh, all ready to post - I got distracted by making pretty seed packets, inspired by yours



The image is a bit blurry -soz (the hazards of cellphone photography)

[rainbowgardener]

beautiful!

Mine are in regular paper envelopes, like letters go in, with the name written on the outside.

[gillespieza]

I was keeping mine in the original seed packets (for commercially bought seeds), or in a plastic ziplock baggie for home collected seeds. But evtubbergh inspired me, plus I was looking for something to do to "justify" avoiding doing any work

[evtubbergh]

Oh that's awesome I'm so glad you were inspired.

Very cool. If you want the pictures I have I can always send them to you.