Seed Banks. Who stores seeds?

[enbloc]

I have been storing seeds for 16 years, and use them by FIFO rotation.
Anyone else "Bank" seeds? Nature's "PM's?"
Precious Materials...


Types of Seeds Preppers May Want to Stockpile - AllOutdoor.com

Now's the right time of the year to "squirrel" away seeds while the variety and availability are at their best.
I treat seeds like ammo. Shoot a box, buy two to replace it...

 

[BMX]

No need. Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s have lots of “ancient grains” now. Just show up after SHTF and go shopping. You’ll be among armed friends.

 

[Al-Jim19]

Buy two, plant one is a great strategy. They’re so cheap and so small there’s no reason not to have a shoebox full stored away.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

These folks: Svalbard Global Seed Vault - Wikipedia

 

[mousegunguy]

Knowing how to save seed from one year to the next is a great skill to have. Every generation you select the best of the best to produce seed your veggies become better adapted to your personal garden space. And it’s fun.
Ive save seed for hundreds of different varieties of veggies over the years. I have pea seed that I’ve been saving every year for 23 years. No one in the world but me grow these.
It’s also important to know your wild edibles. In a shtf scenario you may not have a secure place to grow anything.

 

[enbloc]

Wonderful post mousegunguy. Thank you. ~Matt

 

[Choctaw]

I am just starting down this path. I have tried for several years to grow from seed. My track record is abysmal and I end up buying plants from a local nursery. This year I was somewhat successful (50% survival rate) and I plan to save some of the seeds. It is a very interesting hobby and a healthy lifestyle from many perspectives. Previously I was buying seed packets from the hardware store. This year I ordered heirloom seeds so that I can learn to save and replant.

Thanks for the thread.

 

[enbloc]

Buying started plants in addition to starting seed yourself is how I began learning about seed stock selection and what it means for the future. Burpee may not always be there...
Plus it's fun. I call it Vegetable Husbandry...

 

[Cowgirlup]

Knowing how to save seed from one year to the next is a great skill to have. Every generation you select the best of the best to produce seed your veggies become better adapted to your personal garden space. And it’s fun.
Ive save seed for hundreds of different varieties of veggies over the years. I have pea seed that I’ve been saving every year for 23 years. No one in the world but me grow these.
It’s also important to know your wild edibles. In a shtf scenario you may not have a secure place to grow anything.

Better get a patent before Monsanto finds out about them!

I've been saving some seed with mixed success. I saved seed from a pumpkin that was supposed to be organic. But it was a hybrid that they must have grown in organic soil to put that label on it, or it got mixed up with a hybrid. Last year the seed grew into some freaky types of squash. Still edible but not that great.

I try to let wild edible plants grow in the yard. I started 2 areas with wild ramps and some garlic. It's something but they don't have much in the way of calories. I planted some nut trees in the woods hoping I could get some of them before the squirrels if I needed them. Or just use them for bait and have squirrel stew.

 

[enbloc]

Better get a patent before Bayer finds out about them!

FIFY...Lol

 

[enbloc]

Is it me, or does this structure scream: "TEOTWAWKI"

But I wholeheartedly support their effort!

 

[JayMcB]

Have had luck with parsley, basil and tomatoes. What you discover is viable seeds need a viable sprouting process, instead of having them sprouted in a mexican greenhouse and shipped to the local box store. Squash, pumpkins, zucchini is a hard fail so far.

 

[MrsStrangeNH]

From seed, growing salad greens and carrots are easy. I still need to figure out how to save seeds from these.

I've had good results growing hubbard squash from seed when I remember to start them early enough, but not great germination rates the following year with seeds saved from those squash.

You guys should also look into growing things that some back year after year, like asparagus. Blueberries and raspberries are good too.

 

[Al-Jim19]

The garden this year didn’t get off the ground due to a move, but we have a few tomato plants in some pots.

Last year we grew cilantro and parsley, which both came back without any effort at the old place.

 

[enbloc]

...but not great germination rates the following year with seeds saved from those squash.

A poor germination rate for squash seeds harvested from your own squashes can be caused by the lack of "scarification" of the seed stock.
The scarification helps the seed by scratching at the protective surface of the seed hull, which allows water into the endosperm and embryo of the seed.
In Nature this is caused by being eaten and processed by animals (acid-etching) and the rough conditions of soil, wind and water on the protective coat of the seed. You can "scar" your seeds from this harvest next Spring buy rubbing them gently between both hands with a little coarse sand for 15-20 seconds. Key is "gently".
See if your germination rate increases and post back here.

If you've looked at the sheen that develops on pumpkin and squash seed hulls during the drying process, you'll know exactly what I mean...

Another one of "Nature's Conditions" that many seeds require to sprout is "Stratification" or the freezing of the embryo as if over-winters.
Many new seed "harvesters" think that you simply pull the seeds from your favorite source crop and dry them for next year and they will be viable.
Not so.
Research has found that you must mimic what Nature has taken millennia to perfect.

Hope, you find this of some use...
~Matt

 

[Frizzle Fry]

Is it me, or does this structure scream: "TEOTWAWKI"

Looks like the lair of a Bond villain. I approve.

 

[mousegunguy]

A poor germination rate for squash seeds harvested from your own squashes can be caused by the lack of "scarification" of the seed stock.
The scarification helps the seed by scratching at the protective surface of the seed hull, which allows water into the endosperm and embryo of the seed.
In Nature this is caused by being eaten and processed by animals (acid-etching) and the rough conditions of soil, wind and water on the protective coat of the seed. You can "scar" your seeds from this harvest next Spring buy rubbing them gently between both hands with a little coarse sand for 15-20 seconds. Key is "gently".
See if your germination rate increases and post back here.

If you've looked at the sheen that develops on pumpkin and squash seed hulls during the drying process, you'll know exactly what I mean...

Another one of "Nature's Conditions" that many seeds require to sprout is "Stratification" or the freezing of the embryo as if over-winters.
Many new seed "harvesters" think that you simply pull the seeds from your favorite source crop and dry them for next year and they will be viable.
Not so.
Research has found that you must mimic what Nature has taken millennia to perfect.

Hope, you find this of some use...
~Matt

While scarification and stratification are indeed very important germination requirements for many plants but very few traditional garden veggies need these treatments. The biggest causes of poor germination are usually selecting immature seeds, storing them improperly or letting them dry out once they germinate.
I just started transplanting paw paw seedlings that I stratified over the winter. With out that cold wet four months the seeds would not have sprouted.
Something like May apples need scarification to grow. They used to be spread by eastern box turtles that would eat the fruit and get the seeds scratched up (scarified) in their digestive tract before crapping them out somewhere new with a pile of fertilizer.
Box turtles are not as common as they used to be so not many mayapples anymore either.

 

[enbloc]

I concur.

 

[MrsStrangeNH]

A poor germination rate for squash seeds harvested from your own squashes can be caused by the lack of "scarification" of the seed stock.
The scarification helps the seed by scratching at the protective surface of the seed hull, which allows water into the endosperm and embryo of the seed.
In Nature this is caused by being eaten and processed by animals (acid-etching) and the rough conditions of soil, wind and water on the protective coat of the seed. You can "scar" your seeds from this harvest next Spring buy rubbing them gently between both hands with a little coarse sand for 15-20 seconds. Key is "gently".
See if your germination rate increases and post back here.

If you've looked at the sheen that develops on pumpkin and squash seed hulls during the drying process, you'll know exactly what I mean...

Another one of "Nature's Conditions" that many seeds require to sprout is "Stratification" or the freezing of the embryo as if over-winters.
Many new seed "harvesters" think that you simply pull the seeds from your favorite source crop and dry them for next year and they will be viable.
Not so.
Research has found that you must mimic what Nature has taken millennia to perfect.

Hope, you find this of some use...
~Matt

Thanks. I have been storing the seed in my freezer. The roughing up step seems to be what's missing.

 

[mousegunguy]

Thanks. I have been storing the seed in my freezer. The roughing up step seems to be what's missing.

Only seed that have almost totally dried can be frozen with out damaging the germ plasm. Squash seeds should snap in half when you bend them. Then they are ready to store. Cool and dark is usually better than freezing. Freezing is for long term storage.
I’ve never ever scarafied any squash seeds ever. They do not need it.

 

[enbloc]

I’ve never ever scarafied any squash seeds ever. They do not need it.

Excellent information. I may have added a step I didn't need to. It didn't seem to harm the squash seeds and I have had excellent results with germination.
This probably just means that I have been stratifying for no good reason too.
~Matt

 

[mousegunguy]

Excellent information. I may have added a step I didn't need to. It didn't seem to harm the squash seeds and I have had excellent results with germination.
This probably just means that I have been stratifying for no good reason too.
~Matt

Stratifying or scarifying?
It probably doesn’t hurt but I doubt it helps either.

 

[enbloc]

Stratifying or scarifying?
It probably doesn’t hurt but I doubt it helps either.

I've been stratifying for the last 6 years after mature seeds are good and dry (snap, not bend) the scarifying started about 2 years ago after I read about it on the internet (Lol)
I guess when the seeds proved viable, I thought I was on to something. I will test this Fall. 50/50
I'll let you know what happens.
~Matt

 

[mousegunguy]

I've been stratifying for the last 6 years after mature seeds are good and dry (snap, not bend) the scarifying started about 2 years ago after I read about it on the internet (Lol)
I guess when the seeds proved viable, I thought I was on to something. I will test this Fall. 50/50
I'll let you know what happens

I’d be interested in the results

 

[mousegunguy]

What medium, what temp and for how long do you stratify your squash seeds?

 

[enbloc]

What medium, what temp and for how long do you stratify your squash seeds?

Folded paper towels (non-printed) and then slid into ziploc quart freezer bags w/ date and variety. The paper towel seems to make freezing a little more uniform and keeps them from freezing together.
Fridge displays 3 degrees F
I do 30 days, or 31, depending on the month. Basically start on the 1st and remove on last day of the month because it's easy to remember.
Then into lick-closed, manila envelopes (cash size) date, and variety.
Those then go into a clear plastic sterilite shoe-sized box, and separated by start date and finally alphabetically with non-stratified/scarified seeds.
~Matt

 

[Cowgirlup]

Have had luck with parsley, basil and tomatoes. What you discover is viable seeds need a viable sprouting process, instead of having them sprouted in a mexican greenhouse and shipped to the local box store. Squash, pumpkins, zucchini is a hard fail so far.

I usually start my plants about 6 weeks before I think I can plant them. I save the 6pack plastic pots I get when I buy plants. I start them in those with damp but not too wet soil and then put some plastic wrap over the top, not too tight and put them in a sunny window. That way they don't get over watered. So far no problem growing any type of squash.

The garden this year didn’t get off the ground due to a move, but we have a few tomato plants in some pots.

Last year we grew cilantro and parsley, which both came back without any effort at the old place.

I grow all of my tomatoes in pots. Then I add carrot seeds around them. According to a companion planting guide they work well together. The last 2 years I've gotten lots of nice carrots and they grow better in the pots with the looser soil than in the garden. plus I'm using space that would otherwise go to waste.

 

[Cowgirlup]

I save some seeds and buy others. I keep them in the basement so they stay cool. I'm curious to know which ones might need a freeze to germinate. I'll have to check that out.

 

[weekendracer]

My head hurts after reading this. I have a lot to learn it seems. I'm off.......to the internets to learn.

 

[KBCraig]

I'm busy trying to spread mine.