How many leftover seed packets do you have lying around? Here are six ways to make sure you plant only the seeds you need.
I was part of the horticulture swarm that descend on the seed swap during the National Heirloom Expo held in Santa Rosa , Calif. , in September . It was my first prison term to attend an event like that so I was n’t sure of the communications protocol and I had n’t thought to bring semen to swop .
But it took only a few second to read the wide-eyed germ swap rules : grab an empty gasbag , find seeds , sprinkle them into the envelope , label the packet . repetition .
Even though it go well-to-do , there were heaps of other seed swappers vie for the same semen .
I came away with mail boat of Ukrainian Beauty eggplant , Royal Black tomato , Thai Mae Sai cucumber vine , Gigantus helianthus , and Bergamot lavender monarda . I could have mark many more varieties , but I ran out of empty packet boat at the same time I ran out of energy to keep ( politely ) elbowing my way of life through the crowd .
I noticed that some of the seed packets had “ packaged for ” dates that went back four or more years . That did n’t stop a single gardener because seeds stack away in a nerveless , wry seat can remain viable for several years .
Once I got home and added the envelopes of seed - swap packet to my hoard , I recognise I had dozens of veg , herbaceous plant and bloom seeds leftover from previous time of year . While I ’ve been using seeds from some of these mail boat for several years , I found packets that had never been opened .
I ’m sure I ’m not the only gardener who ’s gotten post away at the first of a horticulture season and bought too many seeds . Because come catalogs will before long start flooding my letter box , I ’ll once again be tempted to rate more seeds ( and spend more ) than I can set .
Here are six approximation for acquit out the old provision to make room for the new :
Do you have other ideas for leftover semen packets ? If so , please share them here !
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Put your leftover seed packets to good use by donating them to community gardens or swapping them with other gardeners.Photo/Illustration: Jodi Torpey
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