How to save seeds?

[greenishfing]

I have dried several sorts of seeds and they are now ready for storage. But what's the best thing to store them in. In the past I've stored them in envelopes which end up getting damp or lots of seeds get stuck in the corners. I don't really want to use plastic. I thought of jam jars. I've got some of the individual glass pots you get in cafes (secondhand) with lids. Also lots of larger jars of varying sizes.
As long as I store them somewhere cool and dark does anyone see any problems with this?

[burnie]

https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/sit...esComplete.pdf

[Scarlet]

No - as long as they are dried well they can be stored in anything you choose.
Not sure how anything is getting damp? If you store in envelopes and then in a Tupperware box with a lid that would stop them getting damp. Or old video boxes like VC?
Jars are very difficult to store when you have several varieties? Or can be broken easily.

I'm also trying to move away from plastic - though I've a few to get through yet and I also try to reuse all the plastic bags I have. They aren't for single use.

The tiny brown envelopes are very good.
Nothing really gets stuck in the corners of the small brown envelopes? They are small enough that you can stick your finger in the corner or use a pencil.

[bikermike]

My one tip - don't store things in completely air-tight containers unless you are sure they are dry. I lost a load of bean seeds one year.

there again, if insects can get to them, they will.

stock-pile things with good, but not perfectly sealing lids would be my top tip. And writing detailed notes as to what it is and any growing notes etc. All seeds look very much the same the next year.

[greenishfing]

Thanks.
It sounds as if I have found another use for jam jars. I find boxes and bags of them left on my doorstep from time to time (still haven't found out who the donor is) and friends and family also save them for me.

[Scarlet]

My one tip - don't store things in completely air-tight containers unless you are sure they are dry. I lost a load of bean seeds one year.

there again, if insects can get to them, they will.

stock-pile things with good, but not perfectly sealing lids would be my top tip. And writing detailed notes as to what it is and any growing notes etc. All seeds look very much the same the next year.

Beans need to be really dry before storing. I dry mine near the Aga on trays after podding. And I leave them in their pods well after they rattle.

### also if you have bean weevil you will be thankful that you stored the beans in jars with tight fitting lids! I received beans in a swap once - stored in envelopes the things were flying everywhere. Yuk!! It really was disgusting.

[Scarlet]

Thanks.
It sounds as if I have found another use for jam jars. I find boxes and bags of them left on my doorstep from time to time (still haven't found out who the donor is) and friends and family also save them for me.

Glass jars just take up huge spaces - beans I do store in glass jars - those big storages jars, but I'm not sure I would want dozens of glass jars holding a handful of seeds each.

[greenishfing]

I know that generally jars take up a large area but the individual size jam jars (enough for a couple of slices of toast) are pretty small. I reckon they might be better for me as they might be slightly harder to misplace than envelopes. Nothing wrong with envelopes only with the forgetful gardener who loses them, lets them go through washing machine etc.

[Scarlet]

only with the forgetful gardener who loses them, lets them go through washing machine etc.

: that reminds me of my Mam!! She lost her iron. Searched for it for a few weeks until she had to go and buy a new one....a couple of months later while digging in the freezer there it was

[veggiechicken]

the individual size jam jars (enough for a couple of slices of toast)

I've never seen a jar of toast!!

I use some of the fish/meat paste jars (enough for a couple of slices of toast!) for random mixed seeds and jam jars for beans. Everything stores OK as long as the seeds and jars are perfectly dry.
Seeds I care about are in zip-lock poly bags (reused when empty), inside plastic boxes I scrounge from Morries salad bar. I've moved away from video cassette boxes as they were either too big or too small - although I still use them for the seeds I need to sow soon.

[veggiechicken]

: that reminds me of my Mam!! She lost her iron. Searched for it for a few weeks until she had to go and buy a new one....a couple of months later while digging in the freezer there it was

Best place for an iron too. I've no idea where mine is. Its been missing for about 10 years.

[Mitzi]

You could use folded pieces of paper and then store several of those inside a large jam jar, as you seem to want to use jam jars in some way, shape or form. Start with a square of paper, make 2 folds the same direction each way (i.e. dividing it in three - when unfolded, it looks like a noughts and crosses board. Place seeds in the central square and fold the sides in over it. Secure with a piece of tape if your folds aren't crisp enough or your seeds are bulky.