S14 E3: The #1 Way to Save Money on Garden Seeds

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S14 E3: The #1 Way to Save Money on Garden Seeds

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Jill Winger - Old Fashioned on Purpose

6 ай бұрын

Tis the season for fresh garden dreams and pretty seed catalogs. It's easy to get swept away in the excitement of a new season, but before you whip out the credit card and order a pile of new seeds, take a moment to listen to this episode.
I'm sharing some money-saving advice that will not only help your garden to be more efficient, but also save you some cash in the process.
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Пікірлер: 15

@marcidevries5515 6 ай бұрын

I organize mine by planting week (peppers and flowers at 8, tomatoes at 6, etc) in two photo organization boxes, one for direct seeding and one for inside planting. I write "empty" on packets and put them in their own smaller box so I can make my shopping list for the next year. The packets show which catalog I need to go back to. A friend and I order together to get free shipping and to make sure that we share packets where we just want to try a couple of plants of a new variety. I print out a calendar with four months per page and label the weeks there. I block out vacations and fair week. I plant so the beans don't all start when we are gone ;) As I start seeds, I use a red tag for any varieties that I need to save seeds from (especially tomatoes and peppers). I save a couple of plants worth of seeds from each variety of beans and peas.

@cherylpresleigh6403 6 ай бұрын

This will be our fifth growing season, and our second growing season using Dixondale Farms onion sets. We also grew leeks from them which were awesome as well. My first attempt at growing onions from seed was a disaster. After hearing multiple people speak highly of their experience using Dixondale Farms, I gave them a try. I was not disappointed. Their prices are reasonable, and they have done, what for me, is the hard part, and that is getting them from seed to a plant. Plus it saves a lot of room on the seed starting rack! Anyone disappointed in their attempts at growing onions might give them a try. I use a box for seed starting like you speak of. I bought mine at a craft store like Michael’s or JoAnn Fabrics. They do come on sale from time to time and they sure are helpful. Thank you for the video!

@debarnold5019 6 ай бұрын

I just alphabetize my seeds. When I plan my garden I grab a packet, read it and write on the calendar when to start them, harden them off, plant them out, direct sow them and when to succession plant them. Then when I do my weekly life plan, I transfer the seed/plant task to that weekly plan.

@baneverything5580 6 ай бұрын

I had a bag of dry black eyed peas from the store for over 5 years that had fallen behind a metal popcorn container. I planted some and nearly all grew. But I`ve noticed onion seeds go bad and I`m sure others do as well. I bought bulk seeds in 2020 "just in case" to mass sow in my winter and spring gardens as cover crops...mostly greens...and they do poorly in the summer heat but put down deep roots. By fall/winter they`re the only things alive and they grow huge when cool weather arrives and produce more seeds by spring.

@accidentalcountrygirl 6 ай бұрын

I love my photo boxes! Made such a difference in my organization. 😄

@tomdixon7264 6 ай бұрын

About potatoes, when I was buying them from the store, if that bag didn't get used up soon enough it sure DID start growing. No, I never bought organic. I dare you to try to keep one of those from growing, they WILL and I have now had potatoes from a bag that was storebought about 8 years ago. I just save my best ones each year to plant the next year now, since seed potatoes ARE expensive. I also cannot find good reliable onion sets any more in Canada, so I have to grow my own from seed. They sure can be difficult, but I finally had a decent harvest last year for the first time ever.

@baneverything5580 6 ай бұрын

Me too. My seed potatoes were bought at the store last fall. I got a bag of the little golfball sized red ones. I planted black eyed peas from a store bag last year and just planted green peas from a store bag.

@Greens5511 6 ай бұрын

So ironic this episode, I vowed today was the day to gather them all up to organize to decide what I need

@mehtarelingolien 6 ай бұрын

Have you ever heard of soaking (tomato) seeds in chamomile tea for a few hours to increase germination rate?

@baneverything5580 6 ай бұрын

I just planted dry green peas from the store. Otherwise I have to pay big bucks for packs of 10 seeds.

@authentichomestead 6 ай бұрын

Is there a good way to test viability of your seeds first, so you know if you need to buy them again or not prior to seat starting?

@hibiscus-dreams 6 ай бұрын

I had called my local Master Gardener office in last few yrs to ask this same question. Apparently a common practice is the "paper towel" method. Seeds are placed in a folded & dampened PT - then placed in a sandwich bag. Viable seeds will germinate/sprout. I have tried this (does work)

@authentichomestead 6 ай бұрын

Thanks. I was just hoping there was another way without getting them wet. Otherwise, once I do that, I have to seed start them. But if they were all bad, then I have to place an order. And I wanted to do that before I was ready to start seed starting. It's a scheduling thing. So I'm not behind when I do my seed starting. @hibiscus-dreams

@marcidevries5515 6 ай бұрын

You can paper towel 10 (or fewer) seeds from a packet you're concerned about and get an idea of whether or not you have to sow heavily to get the number you need.

@hibiscus-dreams 6 ай бұрын

@authentichomestead I agree with Marci. Not sure what type of seeds you're asking about, but pull a %-age of them from the packet. I've read & seen articles that some seeds only last a season or two (short viability) whereas others can last much longer. The other thing you could try is a form of direct water scarification. Place 1-2 seeds in water overnight. Keep a close eye on them. If viable they will sprout under water. If they do, you would need to plant those sprouts immediately (& very gently)