How do you keep seeds?

[suziquzie]

In my quest to someday be uber-gardener, I'm going to try keeping some of the seeds from this year to plant next year...

Do you just dry them out and put them away?

[sattie]

I can only speak for basil seeds and butternut squash seeds, I dried them out and stuck them in a plastic container, stored in a cool, DRY place.

[suziquzie]

how cool? under the stairs in the basement crawlspace sound cool enough?
Or maybe my mother's house?

[BreezyCooking]

While I don't save many of my own garden seeds, the ones I do plus the leftover seeds I have from what I buy every year have, after storage, successfully germinated for me after as long a time as 10+ YEARS!! Proper storage is everything, & can save you a lot of seed money.

Tape-seal dry seeds in their envelopes & place in airtight glass jars or plastic containers. Place these in boxes or a large plastic storage container & place in a dry, dark, cool-to-moderate-temp place - a closet in the main part of the house is best (mine are in a spare bedroom closet). No basements, no garages, no attics - the humidity & temp changes will screw things up.

[sattie]

Ha!!! Nah, I just kept my in a drawer in the kitchen. Nothing special. I guess you just want to keep it away from direct heat. If you want to keep them really cool, you would send them to my MIL's home! Did I just say that out loud????

[suziquzie]

lol! no but you typed it out loud!!!
:)
thanks.

[attie]

Just be aware that some seeds will not produce what you have this year if they are hybrid plants Suzi----.They will resort back to the strongest gene.

[Claire]

Since I moved to northern IL, our season is short and I want all of my seeds to be viable, so I buy from Mr. Park. That said, when I used to save seeds, I put them in a baggie in the crisper drawer in the fridge with great success.

[quicksilver]

Gosh, I've saved seeds for 10 years, plants I loved up north that won't grow down here. And I've sent some back up north to friends who've had no problems growing from them. I use BreezyCooking's method also.

[dragonbomber]

I also have been saving seeds this year from my peppers grown and peppers eaten. I am hoping to save plenty of the patio bells, naga morich, and poblanos though we shall see. I have put aside patio bell, cayenne, and new mexico peppers, and poblanos so far, and have to dry more seeds out when I cut up the peppers I have in the fridge and hanging on the plants outside.

I'm glad someone mentioned keeping them semi cool, as I might have otherwise left them on my PC case here in the dining room until late Feb when I'll start planting and germinating. Thank you.