Gardening and Seeds
Over the last several years more and more people have become concerned about the threat of natural disaster or a black out. These occurrences are being seen as a real danger because of current situations around the globe. Due to these concerns, people have been looking for new ways to not only keep their families safe in times of trouble, but also for options to provide their families with food in case trouble hits. One way to ensure that their family has enough food in case of a catastrophe is to store seeds. Stored seeds are of great value not only to those who have large areas of land to tend, but also for those who are living in the city.
To be sure a family is well provided for in case of a disaster is to have a variety of extra seeds on hand. Seed storage works for any type of seeds from the family’s favorite fruit, like strawberries, to well-loved vegetables like beans. There are two ways that people can get the seeds they need for their storage system. They can either choose to purchase commercial seeds or use seeds from their own gardens. If the individual is choosing to purchase commercial seeds there are a few tips they’ll want to keep in mind. The first tip is that the best time to purchase these seeds would be in the spring. Spring is the time of year when seed stores tend to have products, like fruit and vegetable seeds, marked down to their lowest prices. The family will also want to make sure to purchase good quality seeds from reputable growers to ensure they achieve the best end product.
Another option in regard to seeds for people who already have established gardens is to preserve their seeds from previous harvest to use in case of hardship. If the seeds are from the garden, and not from the store, you would want to make sure that they are dried out before being stored. Seed drying is achieved by placing the seeds on a cookie sheet in a slightly open conventional oven for six hours at 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It is very important not to overheat the seeds while drying them out, as this can cause the seeds to fail to germinate when planted later. Both the commercially purchased and home grown seeds will need to be stored in a cool, dry place so they don’t go bad before they are needed. It is also very important to store the seeds in an air tight container to prevent rot from occurring and destroying the seeds. If seeds are properly stored they can last for up to 10 years.
The steps to using these stored seeds will depend on the living condition of the individual. If, for example, the person has a large farm area they can easily use their seeds on their property. The farmer will want to make sure that they have a reliable water source to use on the plants, in case the ground water becomes unusable for some reason. In addition, if you are farming in a colder climate they might want to install a greenhouse that uses the sun’s energy so they can get fresh produce year round. Having all of these things set up in advance guarantees that you will not have to rush around in case of disaster and compete for products with those looking for last minute items.
City dwellers have a number of options in regard to feeding their families with their preserved seeds. Many people have well established successful indoor gardens that use LED grow lights to grow healthy plants hydroponically. There are a number of key items that need to be in place in order to have a successful indoor garden space. You will want to monitor their plants to make sure they are getting the water, light and nutrients that the plants need to survive. In addition, it is very important to have a backup energy source, like a generator. A generator helps if the power goes out and prevents the LED lights from going out and killing the fruits of all of their hard labor. Indoor gardening can be tough to learn, so it is advised that before going this route the person reads up on the subject and talks to garden center experts who specialize in this type of growing.
Regardless of which type of garden the person has, they will want to be well versed as to how to preserve their produce. Having canning supplies on hand will greatly help them in this effort. Having all of this in place helps be totally secure if disaster strikes.