Organize Your Seeds in 3 Easy Steps

Hey there, East Idaho!

February is a wonderful time to check your seed inventory so it’s easy to use when it’s time to plant. But if you’re like me, distractions come frequently and without warning, so we need to move fast!

Let’s prep first by getting a good container that’s easy to use and easy to store. My favorite is this photo organizer from Hobby Lobby for only $14!

https://www.hobbylobby.com/scrapbook-paper-crafts/scrapbook-storage/rainbow-photo-storage-organizing-case/p/80973396

(I use the clear version, but I couldn’t find a link for it on the website. The color really doesn’t matter. Get whatever makes you happy.)

This container gives you lots of small boxes for different categories, all in a large box for easy carrying and storing. It’s so nice and easy.

Now that you have something to organize your seeds in, let’s start the process!

Step 1: By age

Start out by doing your best to remember how old the seeds are. Many gardeners don’t start knowing they should mark the age of the seeds on the packets, but eventually you run into seed viability issues and realize that just writing the year you got your seeds on the front of the packet is a really good idea. If you haven’t been doing that, do it now if you can remember. From here on out, do it as soon as that packet is legally yours. It will save headaches down the road.

If your seeds are old, it doesn’t mean they’re not viable. It just means you will need to test them. Set old seed packets aside (a small basket or shoe box will be perfect for this) and we’ll test them later. Keep them in a cool, dry place until we’re able to get to them. For now, it’s time to sort your seeds that are new (and likely very viable) into their proper boxes.

Step 2: By season

Most gardeners in East Idaho only garden in one season: warm. They plant around Mother’s Day and are likely done around October. If this is you, I have one question: Are you having trouble with bitter and bolting lettuce? If so, it’s because we actually have three growing seasons here, and lettuce doesn’t love the one that’s normally used.

When the average high temperatures are between 65 and 84 degrees, that’s a warm season. Plants that do not tolerate frost should be planted during this season. Typically, we have a warm season from May through September.

When the average high temperatures are between 35 and 64 degrees, that’s a cool season. Plants that do not like heat but do fine with frost should be planted during this season. We have two of these cool seasons: one from March through April, and one from October through November. Salad plants, for example, will do great planted during the spring or fall, but will turn bitter and bolt during the summer unless they’re in a cool part of your yard.

So, it’s time to separate your seeds according to season.

If it fits, you could have one column of small boxes for cool season and the other for warm season. Some may have more seeds than will fit in the two columns, in which case you can use one big box for cool season and another case for warm season. You could also just mark each box with, say, blue and orange to differentiate the season for the seeds.

But don’t put your seeds into boxes yet! Just put them in the two piles. We’ll be getting them down into their smaller categories in the next step.

If, at this point, you have seed packets left over, check the back of the packets. There should be something that helps you know if the plants are frost tolerant or what temperatures they grow best in.

*If you have seeds that are hot season, know that you will need to use advanced techniques for these plants! Plan ahead, and don’t feel bad if it takes a while to get the success you’re looking for.

Step 2: By size

To get the most out of your garden beds, you need to plan ahead for the size of your plants.

As a rule of thumb, large plants take a long time to harvest, while small plants take a short time. So, logically, if you plant your large plants in the center of your garden, ringed by medium plants, then ringed by small plants, your whole garden bed becomes easier to manage. Add a thin ring of herbs and beneficial flowers around the edge and you add an amazing boost to your beds as far as repelling bad insects and attracting good ones.

The easiest group is the herbs and flowers. Collect them all first and place them in boxes of warm and cool.

Divide the remaining seeds by size.

Large plants will grow one foot or more in diameter or have a spacing distance of 12″ or more.

Medium plants will grow about four per square foot or a spacing distance of about 6″.

Small plants will grow six, nine, or even more per square foot or a spacing distance of about 4″ or less.

Keep in mind that some plants (like kale) can be medium or large, depending on how you want to harvest them.

Now that you have everything separated out, it’s time to put them in their proper boxes! Use as many boxes as feels right for each category. Each gardener has a unique collection of seeds, so find what works for you. Just be sure to label both the box and the seed packet with the season and size of the plant where you can easily see it. That way you can put the packet back quickly and easily after you use it.

To make all of this easier for you, you can click here for a simple and free printable that you can keep in your case to help you now and with future seed organizing endeavors.

Happy gardening!