Starting plants from seed is a rewarding experience often leading to a garden full of beautiful, thriving plants that have been loved and nurtured with your own two hands from their inception. When using seed packets, there are often seeds left over. Rather than throwing them away, they can be stored for the next growing season, to again have the opportunity to bask in the beauty of a homegrown, flourishing garden. Also, if your plants set seeds, you can collect these and save them to sow in the future.
Storing seeds properly is crucial to ensure the success of your plants for next season. You want to keep them in a secure, airtight container/jar or sealable bag, in a cool, dark and dry location, making sure to keep moisture from reaching your seeds.
A good way to safeguard your seeds from unwanted moisture is to use the desiccant packs that often come inside of new shoes, purses and other products, and putting them in your seed-storing containers. These packs are made to absorb moisture—that's their purpose in the items with which they're packed—and will help to keep your seeds dry. Just keep them separated by wrapping them in a paper towel.
Image: Helmie Azmi
