[kev]

The thread on the doomsday vault got me to thinking, I needed to take inventory of my seed stocks. I took my seed box out of the freezer, made a quick run through the box and put the box back in the freezer.

Last weekend I counted my fertilizer, I have about 300 pounds of assorted fertilizer in the shed. My goal is organic gardening, but that takes time to learn.

So here is my seed stock list, its not an exact count, but close enough to give everyone an idea.

Small packs are defined as having less then 1 ounce of seed. Large packets may have more then one ounce of seed or may contain several ounces of seed.

Squash and Zucchini: - including straight neck and crook neck squash.
14 packs of assorted seeds, both hybrid and heirloom.


Carrots - Danvers <--- I need more carrot seeds
One large pack


Snap Beans: <--- Need more snap bean seeds
2 large packs


Okra: 2 different types
2 large packs


Spinach: <--- Need more spinach seeds.
1 large pack


Bell Peppers:
2 small packs


Watermelon: - Congo, All Sweet and Jubilee
1 medium pack of each type. All are heirloom


Turnip Greens: <---- I need more turnip seeds.
2 large packets and 2 small packets


Mustard Greens:
2 large packs


Radish: <----- This is too low. I need to stock up on Radish seeds.
1 large packs


Lettuce:
2 small packs


Bell Peppers: <----- I need some more of this.
2 small packs


Cilantro:
1 small packet


Pickling Cucumbers: <--- I need fresh cucumber seeds. A lot of mine are harvested.
2 big packs
1 small pack
4 big packs of harvested seeds


Cantaloupe: <--- I need more cantaloupe seeds.
4 big bags harvested seeds


Pumpkin: Sugar and pie <--- I need more pumpkin seeds.
1 small bag


Corn:
1 pound of G-90
1/2 pound of field corn
Few ounces of Bodacious


Peas:
2 1/2 pounds of Mississippi purple hull pink eye
1 pound Contender Bush
1 pound BVR

 

[shawn]

It seems like a large amount since I probably have half that many. Be interesting to see what others have.

 

[texasok63]

Looking good there red devil , oops Kev, that avatar justs gets me.

 

[Survival Helper]

A new idea for the board?

Hey kev what about a survivalistboards co-op? I got about 100 pounds of golden bantam and would love to find more variety of non hybrid corns and veggies in bulk. Might be something to consider in our store front or something? Might just put up a few ads for trade in the mean time.....

BTW. nice assortment, at the present I have corn and soy beans but as a laugh it is Indiana LOL

 

[test]

nice load of seeds you got there. is it good practice to always keep seeds in the freezer or only if theyre going to be stored for along time?

i just ordered one package each of heirloom broccoli, spinach, pumpkin, green onion, squash, zuchinni and lettuce for my very first garden. i understand the heirloom plants produce good enough quality seeds to be replanted so i shouldnt have to buy anymore. although ive never seen seeds in the lettuce or broccoli ive eaten, where are the seeds found?

 

[soldier506]

One thing I try to get is a variety of maturity dates when buying seeds. That way you are having things like corn on the cob longer or fresh small peas. If the maturity dates are all the same, your plant varieties will ripen about the same time.

 

[421slicer]

Cool Kev... Way too many to list, but the usual...

Soybeans, Green beans, Peas, Cayenne(A WHOLE LOT!), other misc spicy peppers, parsley, chives, cucumbers(slicing and pickling) Cherry Tomatoes, Brandywine Tomatoes, bunching and sweet spanish onions, Half Long and Nantes carrots, spinach, crookneck squash, zucchini, Spineless Okra, Bantam Corn (just a little), butter crunch lettuce, mesclun mix, cantaloupe, ice box melons.

Got quite a few 3+ year seed I gotta get in the ground this year (if they'll even sprout.

I do have some non-heirloom varieties in there, but They'll go first as well. The "theories" behind the seed vault are 1.) Doomsday Preservation, and 2.) Control of heirloom varieties, so GMO crap is all you can get.

 

[421slicer]

although ive never seen seeds in the lettuce or broccoli ive eaten, where are the seeds found?

... search google "saving seed [enter vegetable here]" and read up... that's what I did!

Also see here: http://www.seedsave.org/issi/904/beginner.html

 

[kev]

Last summer I gave my stocks of Cabbage seed to my step son. I am not sure if he used them all, but just to be safe I am going to go buy some more this week. I might even plant some cabbage this weekend.

The seed I want to buy this week is cabbage and snap beans.

 

[kev]

Its so nice to live in a small town.

At lunch my wife and I went to the post office, local feed and fertilizer store and sonic. While at the feed store I picked up 3 more packages of seed:

1/2 pound - Roma 2 beans

1/2 pound - Contender bush bean

Several ounces - Cabbage Seed.

Both of the beans have a maturity rate of about 55 days. I am planning on planting the beans on March 15th and a row of cabbage next weekend.

 

[421slicer]

Must be nice to be in texas... Were under snow here in TN. I probably wont be able to plant until at least april.

 

[anne36]

I just figured out what I want and tommorow I'm buying my first order of heirloomm seed.

Question? Will it be ok to store these in a container instead of freeze? If I freeze my seeds and the power goes out will they be ruined when they thaw and refreeze?

 

[NAUTHIZ]

Hi everyone,
I am new here and from England.

I have a question regarding seed-saving.
I have a number of small packets of seeds, but I am a total amatuer and am unsure how to discern which, if any, are heirloom seeds? I specifically prefer heirloom seeds. I know for sure that a few aren't because they say 'Hybrid' on the packet, or they say 'F1' I presume F1 means hybrid?
The others say neither 'hybrid', 'f1' nor 'heirloom'. What they do have is names, is that how we can tell if they are heirloom? Is there some common seed names that are known to be heirloom?
For examples I have;
Strawberry- (Alpine) Mignonette
Chinese Pak Choi
Kohl Rabi- Logo
Swede- Ruby
and so on, on these seed packets it makes no mention of hybrid or heirloom so what is the standard method to figure this out?

I really like the videos too, but our seeds here appear to be a whole lot more expensive!

One last question- Kev, you seem to favour beans, and snap peas and such a lot, why is that? Are they a good carb source for storing and eating, are they reliable, or do you simply just like them?

Thank you.

 

[anne36]

I ordered my seeds finally. I am going to try winter sowing my spinich and peas. There is still a lot of snow on the ground up here in Michigan. I only can hope that I get lucky and see some grass by the end of the month so I can start getting my new veggie patch and soil worked for spring.

 

[BakCompat]

I have a number of small packets of seeds, but I am a total amatuer and am unsure how to discern which, if any, are heirloom seeds? I specifically prefer heirloom seeds. I know for sure that a few aren't because they say 'Hybrid' on the packet, or they say 'F1' I presume F1 means hybrid?
The others say neither 'hybrid', 'f1' nor 'heirloom'. What they do have is names, is that how we can tell if they are heirloom? Is there some common seed names that are known to be heirloom?
For examples I have;
Strawberry- (Alpine) Mignonette
Chinese Pak Choi
Kohl Rabi- Logo
Swede- Ruby
and so on, on these seed packets it makes no mention of hybrid or heirloom so what is the standard method to figure this out?

I really like the videos too, but our seeds here appear to be a whole lot more expensive!

One last question- Kev, you seem to favour beans, and snap peas and such a lot, why is that? Are they a good carb source for storing and eating, are they reliable, or do you simply just like them?

Thank you.

F1 seeds are the first generation of hybrid children seed. They will exhibit traits from both parents. They are not heirloom seeds. They are hybrids. Heirloom seeds should be specifically labelled as Heirloom seeds. If not, then they are either GMO, hybrid, or other strains. If your packets are not lebelled as anything in particular, it is quite likely that they are hybrids or developed strains from seed companies. You won't be able to tell which unless you get the word from the manufacturer.

I ordered my seeds finally. I am going to try winter sowing my spinich and peas. There is still a lot of snow on the ground up here in Michigan. I only can hope that I get lucky and see some grass by the end of the month so I can start getting my new veggie patch and soil worked for spring.

Spinach is a cold crop and should grow as long as you are able to work the soil. If the ground is frozen and you can't turn it, then you should probably consider starting your spinach seed indoors in a seed starting tray of some sort and later transplanting them into your soil when the ground is not frozen. Hardening them off for your climate will be necessary unless the strain is already from there. What variety of spinach will you be growing?

 

[Cryptkeeper]

as you guys are stocking up seeds for the SHTF dont forget herbs/spices. there are alot of herbs that can take the place of basic medicans you take. also some are great for seasonings.

 

[kev]

One last question- Kev, you seem to favour beans, and snap peas and such a lot, why is that? Are they a good carb source for storing and eating, are they reliable, or do you simply just like them?

Thank you.

Beans and peas have been eaten for about 5,000 years ago. http://gardening.wsu.edu/library/vege006/vege006.htm

Plants like the bush snap bean are high producers. My cousin was picking her beans every other day last year.

Peas produce natural nitrogen and put the nitrogen into the soil. Crops like corn can use the nitrogen the pea puts back into the soil. So this means that peas are like a helper plant.

Deer and other wildlife love peas. So if the deer eats the peas, shoot and eat the deer.


Native american indians used Squash, peas and corn in their main diet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_Americans_in_the_United_States

By 800 A.D. the Native Americans had established 3 main crops which were beans, squash, and corn called the three sisters.

 

[Cryptkeeper]

Hi everyone,
I am new here and from England.

I have a question regarding seed-saving.
I have a number of small packets of seeds, but I am a total amatuer and am unsure how to discern which, if any, are heirloom seeds? I specifically prefer heirloom seeds. I know for sure that a few aren't because they say 'Hybrid' on the packet, or they say 'F1' I presume F1 means hybrid?
The others say neither 'hybrid', 'f1' nor 'heirloom'. What they do have is names, is that how we can tell if they are heirloom? Is there some common seed names that are known to be heirloom?
For examples I have;
Strawberry- (Alpine) Mignonette
Chinese Pak Choi
Kohl Rabi- Logo
Swede- Ruby
and so on, on these seed packets it makes no mention of hybrid or heirloom so what is the standard method to figure this out?

I really like the videos too, but our seeds here appear to be a whole lot more expensive!

One last question- Kev, you seem to favour beans, and snap peas and such a lot, why is that? Are they a good carb source for storing and eating, are they reliable, or do you simply just like them?

Thank you.

be warry of the ones that say nothing those are the ones the manufacturer doesnt want you to know what and where they come from most likely they are genticly altered. if they change 1 gentic trait in a vegtable to what they want it also randomly changes about 100 others that they dont want, but hey it looks good, even though it has no insect/disease resistance and it tastes a 1/3 as good

 

[BakCompat]

as you guys are stocking up seeds for the SHTF dont forget herbs/spices. there are alot of herbs that can take the place of basic medicans you take. also some are great for seasonings.

www.heirloomseeds.com has two different packs of herbs they sell. There's a culinary pack of 15 herbs and a medicinal pack of 15 herbs. Each includes a little booklet (about 16 pages) which gets the job done. Very basic stuff, but if you are looking for this, then they have them precompiled for you.

 

[Thedragon]

Some varieties of green asian leaf vegetables are ready for harvest at around the 30 day mark. Green leaf vegetables can be harvested by only breaking off the leaves you need for consumption rather than the whole plant. This promotes more growth and still leaves the main plant for seed harvesting.
In Australia we have seed clubs (Eden and Diggers club, others.) who sell open pollinated seeds to the public, I assume there are similar clubs overseas.
These clubs also sell herbs for medicinal and food consumption.