The Seedy Side Of Town

I love plant seeds! Probably a little too much. Vegetable seeds. Flower seeds. Herb seeds. Any seeds. I love them all! And I have many. So many, in fact (and I keep acquiring more), that finding a good place to store them can be tricky.

Seeds the Day

I don’t have a lot of space. Everything is normally crammed into whatever empty niche I can find or make use of. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not trashy looking or anything, and I’m not surrounded by piles of stuff floor to ceiling, but it’s cramped. My house isn’t that big. And when I do find a place to store items, there’s the issue of having to move around a bunch of things to find what I want, when I want. Never mind the fact that I’ve reached a point in my life where finding anything can be overwhelming, as I tend to forget the “safe places” I’ve put them. If you’ve ever watched a dog or cat chase its tail, then this is a pretty good description of me looking for something. I’ve literally spent hours (even days) walking around in circles trying to remember where I’ve put this or that. It’s not pretty! Add in jars or bags or envelopes filled with seeds for the garden and this soon becomes scary.

Seed Storage Made Simple

Enter the Seedy Side of Town… my creative answer to seed storage which works for me. It’s nothing more than a large 3-ring binder filled with archival sleeves that safely houses all my seed packets (or envelopes of seeds I harvested myself). I even have it neatly organized into specific categories like Fruit and Veggies, Flowers, and Herbs. Each seed category is also in alphabetical order, so I can find exactly what I want, when I want. And as each seed packet gets used, I’m able to keep track of what needs to be replaced. I also keep extra archival sleeves on hand for new additions. Best of all, my binder fits easily on a shelf in a darkened corner of my office where it can be found anytime. No more walking or running around in circles.

So why the “seedy side of town” moniker? It’s simply a quirky play on words coupled with the fact that it’s not the kind of place you’d expect to find plant seeds. I’m a writer after all, and an unusual one at that. I’m also a gardener that loves planting seeds (and obviously collecting them too). At the time of this writing, seed catalogs are filling my mailbox, enticing me to add more interesting plants to my ever-growing seed assortment. And I have to say I’m up for a good challenge, though there may need to be another seed-packed binder in my future – perhaps titled The Need for Seed.