Seeds for survival gardens? How reliable are they?

Before ordering from a new-to-me seed company, I always plug their name into the search box here:

http://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/

The Garden Watchdog has saved me a small fortune with just a few clicks. It is a "directory of 6,750 mail order gardening companies. Here gardeners share their opinions on which companies really deliver on quality, price and service."

Keep in mind, a few bad reviews does not always mean a bad business, but a long string of them is a good indication that something is not right.

Speaking of not right…

Hmmm...looks like more than a few ‘survival seed’ companies are jumping on the $eed wagon these days. My concern with some of these new boys on the block is their integrity.

Without naming names, I’ll just use a typical example of a ’survival garden seed’ outfit selling an (x) number of thousands of seeds, almost two dozen variety heirloom seed package for a total of $X.95...

For what it's worth, my alarm bells were clanging and banging when I visited their site.

I was put-off and a bit suspicious of the hype-hype talk, especially since the heirloom seeds they're offering are not exactly 'rare' as they claim. The same varieties are commonly available--by the small pack and in bulk--at reputable places such as Fedco, Baker Creek, Seeds of Change, Johnny's Seeds, Territorial Seeds and others. Also the emphasis on their seed count was silly and pure hype (almost insulting, really). Most small-seeded varieties are normally sold in multi-hundreds or thousands anyway.

Because heirloom seeds are essential to a survival garden, more folks are appreciating their value. Heirloom seed sales are skyrocketing, and as with any other profit venture, there will be unsavory merchants.

If venturing outside well known and established companies...buyer beware! Companies with reputations similar to the ones I listed are a safe bet for your large orders.

Some 'new kids on the block' look promising, but they'll get small trial orders from me before I would consider investing in a larger order.

For long term storage purposes and as a hedge against hard times, I'd rather assemble the packet myself with seeds from reputable companies that are well known for their fresh-as-possible seeds labeled with honest germination rates and dates.

I'm not saying all new companies are bad news, but...

If your food source is--or will be--from your garden, get your seeds from a well known and reputable seed source before trusting the success of your food garden to brand new or unknown entities.

Seeds of all food plants can be safely stored many years (in most cases for up to ten times longer than normal germination rates, longer in some cases) if they are frozen in airtight containers and if the seeds are dried to about 5% - 8% moisture. If they are not dry enough, the excess moisture inside the seeds will expand when frozen and derange their internal cell walls. As a result, germination and seed vigor may be poor.

How dry is enough? If the seed breaks or shatters instead of bending when folded or whacked with a hammer, it is good to go.

If you can’t freeze the seeds, the next best place to store them would be the refrigerator. Failing that, a cool dry and dark place would be third best.

Tip: When you take your seeds out of the freezer or refrigerator, allow the container to completely reach room temperature before opening (overnight is best). If you don't, you may have problems associated with condensed moisture inside the container.

Because fluctuations in temperature will also shorten the shelf life of seeds, I like to package my seeds in many smaller containers instead of a few large ones. That way I don't thaw out a big wad of seeds when I just need to remove a few from frozen storage.

And just in case you didn’t know…it is possible to overdry seeds! For example, if you stored a desiccant (a drying material such as silica gel, etc.) with seeds that are already plenty enough dry, you could shorten their life span considerably.

Seeds that are stored with less than 5% moisture may suffer a poor germination rate over time, and the ones that manage to sprout may suffer loss of vigor. You can test one or two seeds from each batch the low tech way. When the seeds reach the point where they are dry enough to crack and shatter when lightly whacked with a hammer or when bitten with your teeth, they should be stored in an airtight container without a desiccant.

Never dry seeds in an oven or in direct sunshine! Damage begins when the temp rises above 95* F. When you harvest your own seeds, it is best to dry them on window screens in a warm airy place. I like to boost the air circulation with a fan, and park the seedworks in the same room as my woodstove. On the days when I don’t want to fire up the woodstove, I use a fan, a thermometer, and a portable electric heater with a built-in thermostat to dry seeds in a small room.

A great food garden starts with great seeds!

Grow forth and be happy!


This article is an excerpt from Mrs. Tightwad's Handbook #1: HOW TO SURVIVE DISASTERS AND OTHER HARD TIMES. For more information, see the left sidebar on this site: http://purecajunsunshine.blogspot.com/