Extra Seeds

[Tim]

Hello All!

I am fairly new to this newsgroup and the gardening community in general. Can you share some of your thoughts on all the extra seeds you get when ordering packets. For example, I will be ordering Sage seeds, which come

200 to a packet. I'm certainly not planning on having 200 plants, or even 10 plants. How long are these seeds viable? Is it general practice to exchange extra seeds?

I really don't want to be wasteful and throw these extras out.

Thank you.

Tim Southern New Jersey, Zone 6

[The Cook]

Try Pinetree Garden Seeds. They sell in smaller quantities. Sage --

50 seeds --$1.10.

Sage seed should last about 25 years in the freezer. The plant is a hardy perennial in zones 4 to 9 so it should last a number of years.

I am sure that some people trade seeds. I would personally keep it to my neighborhood rather than get involved in cross country trading.

[jimnginger]

I live in Zone 10 in So Calif. and many of the things you plant in your zone may not be optimal for my zone - thus making seed mailing to different zones impractical. For example, I grow a green pole bean that does great in very hot weather but I do not consider it the best example of a green bean I have ever tasted. It does however keeps flowering during our extremely hot summers. I also buy my seeds from Pinetree Gardens in New England as the seed packs are smaller & I never even use all my seed as my growing space is limited. I keep mine in a wide mouth big jar from Costo in the refrigerator to extend storage life. I just sow heavier in subsequent years should I not see enough sprouts. I honestly would share seeds if I found someone in zone 10 who had interests in growing the same things as I do. That is a long shot however. Regards - Jim in So Calif.

[David Hare-Scott]

Share them with other gardeners

David