Saving seeds from your own garden is a valuable skill that every gardener can easily acquire and learn, even in their first growing season. Storing them, however, is a slightly different story. Yet, that’s an easy enough to manage aspect of seed saving too.
You don’t need any fancy storage containers with humidity control to properly save your seeds. All you need is a container or paper envelope (handmade or printable seed packet) and a safe place to overwinter them. Preferably in a cool or unheated room or closet. Seeds are stored best in the dark and away from sun and artificial light.
Seems simple enough.
Luckily, I’ve included a free PDF version below.
And now, we’ve made it as uncomplicated to store your garden seeds as it can possibly get with the help of a printable seed packet.
that and a little bit of glue.
Below, you can download and print as many seed packets as you wish. You can even trace them on some brown kraft paper or watercolor paper for an even more decorative and DIY look. Plus, it gives you a chance to practice your handwriting, which is something we probably could all use.
Why Save and Give the Gift of Seeds?
We’ve already published a more extensive article about how to save seeds for future garden harvests, so we won’t get into lengthy details here.
What you need to know is that seed saving is one of the most important, yet often overlooked, aspects of gardening.
However easy it is to go to the gardening center every spring and buy your favorite varieties, it’s far more rewarding and practical to save your own seeds. This ensures that you can sow a crop every year with viable seeds that are able to withstand your climate and growing conditions.
To the extent that we save our own seeds, we are practicing self-reliance and preserving a food culture that is important for future generations. Where would we be without heirloom tomatoes or multi-color corn?
Give the gift of seeds with love and practicality in mind.
As the gardening season approaches a lull, for there is never a true end, it’s time to think about all the gifts it had to offer us, and what we can keep on giving. If you’ve made pickles, chutneys and salsa from the garden, I know firsthand that those make the best gifts for anyone who enjoys a thing or two about eating.
Then there are other giftees who prefer the gift of seeds.
Seeds that can be sown from the offspring of your beautiful garden.
They aren’t a gift of clutter, nor do they harm the Earth. In fact, they do just the opposite and are a true eco-friendly present. They also happen to have a practical side as well, in that seeds offer the hope of a future source of food. And your giving it away for free speaks volumes in terms of helping those in need.
Are you worried that giftees don’t have a green thumb?
Never fear. Worries only create more worries. What you need is a list of seeds that anyone can sow and grow. Then, focus on giving those harder-to-propagate seeds to more experienced gardeners.
Easy-to-save and easy-to-grow seeds:
When it comes to gardening, there really is something for everyone. And everyone could use more zucchini seeds, right?
Seed Packets as an Organizational Tool
Just because your garden is messy doesn’t mean your seed storage container has to be.
Okay, I’m also guilty of not having the most organized seed storage, but I’m about to change that with some new seed packets.
I’ve printed up a few for easy use.
You can download the file here.
To take it one step further, if you have a Canva account, you can even add your own fonts and images to a seed packet template.
Putting a seed packet together is simple. Let me show you how.
- Download the seed packet PDF template. Print on any sort of paper – as long as it fits in your printer. White or colored paper is ideal. Keep in mind that although card stock is thicker, it is also harder to fold.
- Cut along the outer lines of the seed packet. Then, cut a semi-circle along the dotted line.
- Start by folding the middle line of the package, then fold the appendages.
- Use tape or apply glue to the flaps and secure them firmly.
- Tuck the larger flap in. If you’d like to secure it with tape or glue, be sure to wait until the seeds are inside.
- Fill in any and all necessary information on the front of the seed package. Use space on the back if it doesn’t all fit.
- Cut out and fill in the additional squares for the seed packets if desired.
- Fill with seeds and store properly.
- Gift away the excess!
With one seed packet out of the way, you can go ahead and cut some more.
Print as many as you think you’ll need, plus a few extra, just in case.
You may find that most printable seed packets have text pre-printed on them.
Here, that’s simply not the case because I want to encourage you to draw, paint and create your own labels. After all, whatever grows in your garden is special to you, so why not extend that uniqueness out of the garden, too?
It’s not a must to be super-creative. You don’t have to sketch or hand-letter in perfect form.
If all you do is write by hand on the seed packet, you’ll be more than happy with the results. Get your kids or your spouse to help out, too, and make it a family seed-saving event.
Missed the link from up above?
Here’s the PDF link again for the DIY Printable Seed Packets.
And don’t forget that seed packets make a wonderful last-minute gift!
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