Survival Seed Packages--Points to Ponder

Hopefully, you're already planting your own garden each year and improving with the experience every season.  Being able to raise your own food is not a skill to acquire in the socialist paradise the progressives are striving to create.  There's a lot more to it than throwing some seeds in the ground and adding water.

If you haven't yet gotten serious about growing your own vegetables, you've probably been enticed into thinking about just buying a survival garden seed collection and then forgetting about it.  Ignorance is bliss, yada, yada, yada.

But let's get real here.  You don't need to go to such extremes.  You can gather your own seed collection and save yourself a chunk of change and a bit of grief as well.  However, suppose that money isn't an object in this case, and that you'd really like the convenience of getting one of those package deals.  Should you?

The answer is a resounding NO!

Look, I've got nothing against the various companies that put these together and sell them.  They see a need; they fill it.  It's the American way; capitalism and all that.  (In the interest of full disclosure, I'll admit that I have one of these collections, but I won it.  I didn't buy it.  And it didn't make sense to throw it away.  It may come in handy someday.)

However, let's take a closer look at these companies and their seed packages.  There's a huge range in the number and variety of seeds offered.  Most claim to have packaged their seeds so that they remain viable for at least a few years, assuming they are stored properly.  But the packages themselves are pretty much one-size-fits-all.  It the same collection whether it's being shipped to California or Maine or Georgia or Montana.  Anybody who has ever gardened can tell you that it's a totally different game raising your veggies in the clay soil of humid Missouri than it is in cute boxed beds in the high desert in Nevada.  You need to have seeds that do well in your climate.  Throwing any old seeds in the ground and praying for the best ain't gonna cut it.

If you're not yet convinced, then consider this:  Some of the seed packages contain very small amounts of each seed.  Though they claim to be able to support a group of six to eight people, I'm hard-pressed to think there is enough food for me alone.  Sixty-three corn seeds.  Hmmmm....  Corn seed has an average germination rate of 70%.  So that's about 45 seeds that should germinate, and most produce exactly one ear of corn.  If birds don't thin the seedlings for you.  (Not something I would plan on either.)  No, that is not enough corn.

One hundred-plus cantaloupe seeds?  Whatcha gonna do with all that?  It doesn't can or dehydrate well, and most varieties don't store well.  Without electricity, it won't be frozen either.  Something's wrong with this picture.

Do you really like that particular fruit or vegetable all that much?  While I really like butternut squash, all my children absolutely hate it.  And I don't believe that just because there are no longer any grocery stores that they are going to suddenly have a change of taste buds.  I think there is no chance I will ever like radishes.  But I think I'd still buy some--they grow very quickly in early spring, and there might be a time when it's critical to survival.  We don't like regular peas, but we really enjoy snow peas.  Grow what your family enjoys, not what some guy in an office building thinks everyone likes and eats.

Do you know how long these seeds are truly viable?  Onions  might make it three years.  Tomatoes have the possibility of going to twenty.  And most others are somewhere in between, but most definitely on the lower end of the scale.  As seeds age, they become less vigorous (don't we all?).  They may germinate, put on some leaves, maybe even produce some fruit, but not as quickly or prolifically as fresh seed.  And who are you going to blame for that?  Maybe you didn't fertilize well.  Maybe growing conditions were less than ideal.  Or maybe, just maybe, that seed isn't as viable as the guy in the office building claimed when you bought it five years ago. 

So what's a prepper to do?  You really are better off selecting your own seed for vegetables you like to eat and that grow well in your location.  And there are a few other factors you should consider when selecting seeds.  You've got some narrowing down to do, and it can be a bit overwhelming.  Let's make it as easy as possible.

First off, visit your local nurseries and take note of the specific varieties they carry.  These are the varieties that are going to perform best in your local conditions.  Next, keep in mind that you want to do what is best for your family to survive.  This means growing both heirlooms or open-pollinated AND hybrid seeds.  For some explanation of why you should do this, click here.

As you peruse seed catalogs (and once you get on one company's mailing list, you'll soon be inundated with them), pay attention to descriptions of the individual varieties.  How well do they can?  How well do they store?  Do they dehydrate well?  Are they better for fresh eating only?  How quickly do they start producing?  Does everything ripen at once (as is the case with most determinate tomatoes), or does it have an extended growing season (indeterminate tomatoes)?  Of course, all this information is not going to be included in every seed packet description, but it can provide some clues as to whether one or the other variety is going to better meet your needs.

Listed below you'll find several addresses for companies that offer these survival seed packages.  You can see what they offer in terms of packaging and variety.  Hopefully, you've been convinced to assemble your own collection.  Further on down is a list of a couple of seed companies I've been very happy with.  If I'm planning and planting for survival, I avoid the ten-cent packages and pretty much anything from a dollar store or Walmart.

The best way to store your seeds to maintain viability is in the refrigerator.  Put them in a #10 can or plastic container and pour in some flower drying silica gel.  (Follow the instructions on the package for preparing it for use--if I recall correctly it takes 10-20 minutes in the oven.)  The silica gel keeps the seeds dry, without totally restricting the oxygen.  After all, seeds are still living--they need oxygen. Buy fresh vegetable seeds at least every other year.  And for best results in the future, start growing a garden now.  Even if it's just a few plants, the experience is invaluable.

Links to related posts:
Heirloom vs hybrid seeds  

Survival seed packages
https://www.preparedplanet.com/original-survival-seed-vault-collection/
https://www.victoryseeds.com/gardencan_packlist.html
https://www.healthrangerstore.com/products/bug-out-seed-vault
https://mypatriotsupply.com/products/organic-survival-seed-vault
https://www.hometownseeds.com/products/preparedness-seed-bank

Seed companies

http://www.territorialseed.com/
https://www.johnnyseeds.com/
https://www.rareseeds.com/

 6 june2019