This year, I changed the way that I organized seeds for my garden, and it made a world of difference! Last year, I struggled to remember planting dates, and this year I hardly had to think twice. Keep reading to find out how to organize seeds for your garden!
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Supplies You’ll Need for Organizing Your Seeds
You will need some supplies to get organized. Here’s what I use and where I recommend purchasing the items from!
- Seeds (I buy mine from True Leaf Market and Botanical Interests)
- Plastic Photo Organizer
- Painter’s Tape
- Sharpie
- Calendar (you could just use a virtual one, too)
- Label Maker (optional, but more aesthetic)
How to Find Planting Dates for Your Seeds
The first year I tried this organization method, I organized by seed type instead of planting dates. I found that organizing by planting dates makes planting so much easier… it just requires a bit more work up front!
If you look on the back of your seed packet, it will tell you how many weeks before or after your last frost to start your seeds. To calculate the correct dates, start by determining your garden zone by looking it up online. Then, use a calendar and count back the weeks. There is usually a range of dates that you can plant them in, so I recommend writing that range on the tape (or use a label maker) to give yourself some wiggle room!
Organizing Your Seeds by Indoor vs. Outdoor Starts
Some plants will need to be started indoors in order to give them the best chance to thrive. Others can be started directly in the soil outside. When labeling, I just wrote the letter /i/ for seeds that needed to be started inside and an /o/ for ones that needed to be started outdoors.
Read this post to find out how to start seeds indoors. If you are just starting a few plants indoors, I highly recommend this grow light because of it’s effectiveness, style, and ease of use!
Other Tips for How to Organize Seeds for Your Garden
In order to preserve your seeds, I recommend storing your seed organizer in a cool, dark, dry place. I keep mine under our stairwell because it is dry, doesn’t have humidity issues, and it doesn’t get a lot of light.
You’ll also want to tape your seed packets closed after using them. I forgot to do this the first year, and my seeds spilled and got all mixed up in the individual compartments!
Planning a garden is a lot of work and requires a lot of thought and organization. Using this method will reduce a lot of the thinking and will make planting your garden simpler come fall and spring!
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