Sort Your Seeds in Autumn: Store Them Ready for Spring
Check leftover packets, label dry seeds and note sowing dates: a simple autumn routine for organising your seed supply.
Among empty pots and the last harvests, they turn up again: opened seed packets and seeds collected from the garden. A quiet autumn afternoon is enough to turn them into an organised supply. Dry seeds, clear labels and a suitable storage spot make the difference.
Three steps for your seed box
Check your supply and keep the details
Lay out bought packets and your own collected seeds separately. Keep original packaging with variety names and sowing instructions. For home-collected seeds, record the plant species, variety if known and harvest year. A short list shows what you already have and what you actually need next spring.
Dry first, seal afterwards
For species suitable for dry storage, let home-collected seeds dry thoroughly in an airy, shaded place before packing them. Remove remaining plant debris. Put only dry seeds into labelled paper envelopes, then place these in an airtight container. Closing a lid does not make damp seed keep better.
Choose a consistently cool spot
Keep your supply dark and protected from moisture. A cool indoor room with a fairly steady temperature is more suitable than a damp garden shed. Open paper packets alone do not reliably keep moisture out. For bought seed, follow any storage instructions on the packet too.
Not every species belongs in the same box
Dry storage is not a universal rule: some seeds tolerate drying poorly, while others quickly lose viability in storage. Check the needs of each plant species before putting home-collected seed away until spring. Flowers grown from collected seed may also differ in colour from the parent plant.
A note helps avoid a false start
Arrange packets by their intended sowing period. For older supplies, a germination test before sowing can offer a useful indication, but it cannot guarantee the eventual result. For “Velvet Queen”, note April–June and check the packet instructions and conditions at your site in spring.
Before you finish: label seeds clearly and store them separately from food. Then close the box and look forward to another gardening season.
