5 reasons why every Gardener should have a Seed Box

Now spring is here, gardeners will be thinking about sowing seeds. Here I am going to give you 5 reasons why every Gardener should have a Seed Box. Whether you are gardening beginner or more of an experience green fingered person. Storing your seeds correctly in a Seed Box is a must.

Remember seeds are living embryo’s of a plant and therefore they will only survive or stay healthy if looked after.

My 5 reason to have a Seed Box are…

 

1.Get Organised

Hands up who currently stores their seeds in a carrier bag in a big pile with no organisation?  Unfortunately this is a sure way to waste seeds. You will miss sow by dates and not maintain the health of your seeds to give the highest chance of germination.

Get a good system for storing your seeds, organising them into the months in which to sow them will ensure you don’t miss another sowing season. Seed divider cards can help do this and will turn your seed box into a really organised system and a real joy for any gardener. These will help you avoid wasted seeds. You can purchase seed divider cards for only £7  here.

Using a Seed Box with plenty compartments is essential for you to organise your seeds well.  Our Chester & Cooke Wooden Seed Box has compartments engraved with Herbs, Veg & one with flowers and then also a larger section for oversized packets. You can purchase a seed box either in dark brown or grey here.

Once you have used some seeds make sure you seal the seed packets shut properly.

Ensure your seeds are fresh, good quality seeds to start with. Purchasing your seeds from seed growers will ensure they are from the best plants & will produce the best quality plants for you. Seed growers have a reputation to maintain so it’s in their interests to grow strong, healthy and virus free plants that will produce good quality seeds. Check the dates on your seeds before purchase to ensure they are fresh.

 

2. Use a Seed Box to help regulate the Temperature

The temperature needs to be stable; you should avoid environments where temperatures will fluctuate. Green houses will get too hot in the summer, and too cold in the winter. Seeds don’t like to be baked or frozen. It is better for seeds to be in a cool environment rather than a warm one. A warmer environment could cause seeds to degenerate. I have designed our seed storage box from a stylish wood, as unlike a metal seed tin it will maintain a stable temperature and not conduct heat or Cold, like metal. Our seed organiser boxes can be viewed here.

An ideal temperature is between 0.5 – 4.5 degree C. So it would be better to store them in an dry, draft free outbuilding than in a central heated house.

 

3. Use a Seed Box to store your seeds away from the light.

My 3rd reason why every Gardener should have a Seed Box is that Exposing seeds to bright light will affect its health. I would always recommend storing your seeds in packets to help prevent deterioration due to sunlight.

If you harvest your own seeds, Seed storage envelopes are very useful to help keep them in the dark, and to also write down vital details such as the type of seed, date they were harvested, when to sow and details such as height & colour. At Chester & Cooke we sell sets of 12 Seed Harvest envelopes especially for you to use for harvested seeds. You can find them here.  I would avoid putting harvested seeds directly into glass jars, especially in a green house.

Our Seed Box Organiser Set includes the Seed box, a set of divider cards and also 2 sets of harvest Seed Packet envelopes. You can purchase them here starting at £72.00  a fantastic gift for a gardening beginner or Pro alike.

 

4. Using a Seed Storage Box will help to control the humidity.

Seeds should be stored in a dry place, if you have harvested your own seeds they should be dried well before storage – Any dampness will cause seeds to mould and rot & therefore will render them useless. A draughty shed could cause your seeds to become too damp. If you’re not 100% sure your seeds are dry enough you could always add some silica gel packets to your seed box.

 

5. Bring joy in the winter months & Improve your gardening & your harvest.

Looking at your seed collection during the winter months and being super organised with your seeds will mean that you are planning ahead.  This is such a great idea when you are gardening.  Planning out areas of your garden or allotment with what you will be growing in advance is a great idea. It will spur you on to research techniques and different methods. Different types of composts and the best places to grow each plant. You may want to read our blog about Peat Free compost you can access it here. Having a seed box that you are proud of and want to treasure really helps get you excited about your gardening adventure. We can help make them extra special by personalising the lid. It will therefore help to produce the best plants and increase your harvest yield.

If you have packets of seeds that have been sat in your seed container box for a while. Then you may want to check if your seeds are still viable. You can do this simple test to check. Place 4-5 seeds on a piece of wet tissue and leave them on a sunny windowsill. Then, wait and see how many germinate. If none of them germinate, you can assume that they will no longer grow, and it will be time to purchase some more for next planting season. Make sure to write a note at the front of your seed box to remind you what seeds you need to replace.

I hope you have enjoyed finding out why every Gardener should have a Seed Box. It is really important to keep organised, gives your seeds the best chance to maintain good viability and enabling them to make it through to the next sowing season,and to also help you to plan your gardening and vegetable production.

Your can purchase a Seed storage Box here & a Seed Box organiser gift set here.

Thanks for reading.

Liz