Organizing Seed Packets

Hey guys!! I’m so glad you could join me, Jill, Amy, and Megan for another awesome Homestead Barn Hop! It has been so much fun visiting everyone’s homesteads and seeing what you’ve all been up to! Keep the great ideas coming!

This weekend I’ve been working on organizing my entirely-too-many seed packets. For a newbie like me, it’s hard to keep track of what to plant when, what to start indoors, what to direct seed, etc. when all I can see is a stack of seed packets in a tub. Sorting through them one-by-one trying to figure it all out just wasn’t working for me. I needed a better system.
So, I searched the house and found a plastic storage container with a lid that I thought would work perfectly for my project. Using large index cards, I made monthly dividers to file the seed packets under.
Next, I went through my stash of seeds and sorted them into groups: produce, herbs, and flowers.
Garden Produce Seeds
Starting with the fruits and veggies, I looked up each plant to find out when was the best time to plant that particular seed in my area. I also noted whether it should be started indoors, and what that start date was, or if it should be direct seeded into the garden. Once I knew when I needed to worry about dealing with that pack of seeds, I could file it under the correct month.
So, for instance, in March I have: spinach, lettuce, swiss chard, carrots, and parsnips.
On the back of each index card I also have written which seeds should go under that month, and whether they should be direct sown or started indoors, plus any other helpful tips I may want to remember.
Herb Seeds
Next, I worked on sorting my cooking and medicinal herbs. I’ll file them by month as well, though most of them are to be planted at about the same time- after the danger of frost. Some are to be started indoors (which I probably should have already done a couple of weeks ago), so I’ll get on that this week. I’m researching the herbs more thoroughly though, since the majority of them are perennials and will only need to be planted once. I’ve been looking each one up, determining when to plant, how to plant, and where to plant (full sun/part shade), and how tall they will grow.
I’m charting what I’m finding about each plant, so that I can map out where I will put them. I’m also writing any specifics about that plant on the seed packet so I won’t lose the information. I’ll file them away in my box once I’m done.
Flower Seeds
In the wipes container in the back of the box is where I have all of my flower seeds. This will be the first year I’ve even bothered with flowers. Now that I know how important they are for attracting pollinators though, I don’t wanna be without them! Plus… they’re pretty. And some of them make great companion plants for the veggies in my garden.
I’m not filing them by month since pretty much all of them are to be sown outdoors after the last frost, though some needed to be started indoors, in which case I’ve begun doing so.
I’m thinking this will be a great way for me to stay on top of things and not fall behind. It’s easy to miss planting something, or get a late start, when it isn’t laid out nicely for you.
Do you organize your seed packets in any particular way? I’d love to know what you’ve found to work best for you!
If you’ve done something constructive this week, learned something new, or tried a new recipe, be sure to link up below and share what you’ve been up to! It’s always fun hopping from homestead to homestead for even more inspiration!
  http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2011/03/mondays-homestead-barn-hop-organizing-seed-packets/