5 Golden Rules for Handling Seeds During Spring Planting

Protect your investment in seeds with the right care

Seeds are a precious resource that can take a bite out of your food bills. They can remain viable and valuable for many years if taken care of in the right way. Taking some precautionary steps to protect your seed investment can spell the difference between seeds that germinate 5 or more years from now and those that won’t.

This is critical when you are a seed saver protecting and shepherding heirloom seeds, but it is also about basic home economics of not wasting resources or using more than you have to. Perhaps this is my focus because I grew up with parents who survived the Great Depression. I was taught (strongly) to value food and what seeds represent for our long-term survival. This framework is increasingly important as we see the cost of food skyrocket and the instability of supply chains.

The basic premise behind these “golden rules” is to keep your seed clean, dry and at an even temperature. Here are some of the best ways that I know to make that happen.