LOST all my seeds

So, city dweller here (not by choice but circumstance). I was collecting seeds and had quite a few. Due to a move, I had to put everything in storage unit... well, that led to critters and then to my seeds being found by them and they pretty much got munched or strewn all over the floor. Needless to say, I have no more seeds.

Honestly, I don't even know if I had them stored properly to begin with.  I collected the seeds from some of the plants I had actually grown, but most were from store produce.  I put them on a dry paper towel, let them dry so they wouldn't mold from the moisture, put them in little packets & stored them.  I probably should have used my mason jars, but alas...

My question is: did I do the collection process correctly? And would the mason jars have been a good spot to store them?  Or is putting them inside a container a potential for mold growth?

I looked it up before I started collecting, but there is SO much out there and some of the "wisdom" is just bunk.  I honestly hate doing any research online anymore b/c of all the BS of AI & many of those "know it all" gardeners who actually don't know it at all.  So I'm reaching out to Permies.  I know I'll get more reliable information here.  Thanks everyone!  --Tess

A friend of mine lost most if not all of her seeds to critters, so I feel your pain. If the rats didn't chew them, or spread them, they simply peed on them and destroyed the labels.

I admit I store my seeds in containers in the back of my fridge. We have so much risk of mold and critters, it seems like the only safe thing to do.

I am a firm believer in my climate that paper packets inside glass jars with metal lids (rats will chew plastic lids), is the safest approach. The fridge adds a layer of "keep cool and dark" which is also good.

Not all seeds want the same things though. There are a few seeds I killed because they weren't supposed to dry out or get too cold. Other seeds actually require cold stratification to germinate.

Collecting seeds from the grocery store either as dry goods or from buying fruit is a totally permie way to do things. I just transplanted another 6 baby Dragon Fruit (I really must start remembering the plant name... Pitahaya or Latin Selenicereus undatus I think - it was a white fleshed fruit I saved seed from.)

Growing out grocery store veggies and then collecting their seeds is also fair game. Carrots and onions have worked for me, and I'm sure there are more worth trying depending on your ecosystem.

I agree, there is a lot of wisdom out there on seed collecting/saving so it can seem a bit overwhelming. I don't think there is necessarily one right way to do it, but I think different type of seeds might require different approaches.  

Personally, I believe the best evaluatory test of if your seed saving technique works or not is when you sow them. If the seeds germinate, you did a good job! If not, maybe some re-evaluation is in order. The reason I save seeds is because I want to grow more plants at a future date.

My technique follows a similar technique to you. I retrieve my seeds and attempt to dry off the surface through air exposure. I may put them on a dry cloth to try and wick away what I can. I might leave the seeds out for a few days and then I place them in some form of container. As an extra cautionary preventative, I use a clay based desiccant packet in the container to further mitigate moisture issue.

This year I'm going to try saving tomato seeds for the first time. I am reading about how-to ferment to separate the seeds from the tomato funk. It is a little more involved than the ole dry cloth trick.

Jay Angler wrote:A friend of mine lost most if not all of her seeds to critters, so I feel your pain. If the rats didn't chew them, or spread them, they simply peed on them and destroyed the labels.

I admit I store my seeds in containers in the back of my fridge. We have so much risk of mold and critters, it seems like the only safe thing to do.

I am a firm believer in my climate that paper packets inside glass jars with metal lids (rats will chew plastic lids), is the safest approach. The fridge adds a layer of "keep cool and dark" which is also good.

Not all seeds want the same things though. There are a few seeds I killed because they weren't supposed to dry out or get too cold. Other seeds actually require cold stratification to germinate.

Collecting seeds from the grocery store either as dry goods or from buying fruit is a totally permie way to do things. I just transplanted another 6 baby Dragon Fruit (I really must start remembering the plant name... Pitahaya or Latin Selenicereus undatus I think - it was a white fleshed fruit I saved seed from.)

Growing out grocery store veggies and then collecting their seeds is also fair game. Carrots and onions have worked for me, and I'm sure there are more worth trying depending on your ecosystem.

Thank you, Jay!  Yes, if not large mice, then rats. I was devastated.  I will start over, this time I'll go old school and actually read up, rather than online research. I prefer that anyway, especially now with chaos on the internet at every turn it seems.  I didn't know you could (or even in some cases should) refrigerate. Like I mentioned, there was so much out there... I just start again.  But more prepared & knowledgeable this time.  --Tess

Timothy Norton wrote:I agree, there is a lot of wisdom out there on seed collecting/saving so it can seem a bit overwhelming. I don't think there is necessarily one right way to do it, but I think different type of seeds might require different approaches.  

Personally, I believe the best evaluatory test of if your seed saving technique works or not is when you sow them. If the seeds germinate, you did a good job! If not, maybe some re-evaluation is in order. The reason I save seeds is because I want to grow more plants at a future date.

My technique follows a similar technique to you. I retrieve my seeds and attempt to dry off the surface through air exposure. I may put them on a dry cloth to try and wick away what I can. I might leave the seeds out for a few days and then I place them in some form of container. As an extra cautionary preventative, I use a clay based desiccant packet in the container to further mitigate moisture issue.

This year I'm going to try saving tomato seeds for the first time. I am reading about how-to ferment to separate the seeds from the tomato funk. It is a little more involved than the ole dry cloth trick.

Thanks Timothy!  And yes, I guess it would be after you plant them if you'd know for sure if you stored them properly.  Good luck with the tomato seed saving!  I hope you share your process with us!  --Tess

My suggestion would be to sweep up what is on the floor and put them in a mason jar for now. You can sift the dirt out of them before putting in the mason jar though dirt will not hurt them as long as they stay dry.

When you are able use your best guess as to what they are, then go ahead and plant them.

It sounds like you were drying them well though next time dry them a little longer if in doubt.

You can make paper envelopes to put the seeds in next time than place the seed packets in mason jars.

Anne Miller wrote:My suggestion would be to sweep up what is on the floor and put them in a mason jar for now. You can sift the dirt out of them before putting in the mason jar though dirt will not hurt them as long as they stay dry.

When you are able use your best guess as to what they are, then go ahead and plant them.

It sounds like you were drying them well though next time dry them a little longer if in doubt.

You can make paper envelopes to put the seeds in next time than place the seed packets in mason jars.

Thanks Anne!  Sadly, due to all the critter poo, I was too afraid to save any. I ended up sweeping up everything I could - dirt, seeds & feces pellets and tossed all of it.  I was too grossed out by the fact they could have peed on any of them as well.  It probably wouldn't have mattered in the long run, but in the initial EEWWWW, DISGUSTING freak out I had, I just swept & tossed.  Next time, I am just going to save in glass, store what needs to be stored in cold & store the rest according to their needs.  I love the help & insight here.  Everyone is so supportive & encouraging  --Tess

Sounds like you did a pretty good job collecting and drying them. It is fine to seal them up in something once they are dry. Glass is great but I often use hard plastic bottles of various types saved from the trash. My favorite for long storage is those stainless-steel water bottles or canisters often seen on shelves at flea markets, get the ones without the sipping spout and with a rubber O-ring intact if possible. They are lighter and more durable than glass.

Mark Reed wrote:Sounds like you did a pretty good job collecting and drying them. It is fine to seal them up in something once they are dry. Glass is great but I often use hard plastic bottles of various types saved from the trash. My favorite for long storage is those stainless-steel water bottles or canisters often seen on shelves at flea markets, get the ones without the sipping spout and with a rubber O-ring intact if possible. They are lighter and more durable than glass.

Never thought of that, Mark!  Thanks for the suggestion.  I'll keep my eye out for those when I go thrifting.  

Mark Reed wrote:Sounds like you did a pretty good job collecting and drying them. It is fine to seal them up in something once they are dry. Glass is great but I often use hard plastic bottles of various types saved from the trash. My favorite for long storage is those stainless-steel water bottles or canisters often seen on shelves at flea markets, get the ones without the sipping spout and with a rubber O-ring intact if possible. They are lighter and more durable than glass.

Hard plastic?  Hmmm... I have a favorite juice I love to get & that is a somewhat harder plastic with a tight lid. I wonder if that will do.  Now you got my noggin' working!!

My experience is that rats will gnaw through many hard plastics too.  I'd say glass or metal are more reliably rat resistant.  Good luck!

Animal poop doesn`t hurt seeds.

Pee and poop are a garden`s friend.

Maybe those seeds will come up where you tossed them and furnish folks with free produce.

I spread out seeds on newspaper or tissue to dry. Often they sit there for a few weeks. Then I put them in plastic containers.
Plastic is inferior because if there is the slightest exterior moisture the seeds will mold. So, my long drying time.
I put corn seeds in the freezer, due to insects that can come in with the seeds.
Seeds that come in still on the stalk will go into paper shopping bags. Lettuce, some flowers, tobacco. These hang on the wall in the garage.