Jun192011
About those “survival seed banks”…
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PDFI thought I was getting a good deal. Dozens of seed packets for less than $40, all non-hybrid. I’d be able to grow acres of produce. My family would never go hungry!
All seemed well and good until I took a closer look at the varieties I’d received. Living smack in the middle of the Arizona desert, I quickly noticed that many of these plants would never live through one of our summers. They need more humidity, more water
image by Alexandre Dulauncy
and way less heat.
If you’ve been taking a look at one of these so-called Survival Seed Banks, ask yourself:
1. Are the varieties of seeds compatible with my climate zone and growing season?
2. Assuming that everything grows and produces, will my family eat what is harvested?
3. Am I better off creating my own customized seed bank by buying individual packets?
4. Will the selection of seeds allow me to plant over multiple seasons?
Like a pre-packaged, “One-Year Food Supply!”, a survival seed bank has its place. Just think and analyze before you buy!
© 2011, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.
(21) Readers Comments
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I'm not complaining about the climate, Tom. In fact, Phoenix has a yea
Sassy
I so agree with you. We got a seed bank a couple yrs back and as I went through it I noticed a couple of things we don't eat. That's not too bad but what about those who might not eat more than that. We also live in an area where most everything will grow, but not everyone like you can do that unless you have a really nice, large green house.
I too bought more seeds in seperate packages to help us along as we have never saved seeds before and more of what we will eat. I needed to know I had a couple seasons here while reading and gathering info for drying seeds for future use. I do can & dehydrate much of what we grow, things I've learned to do in the last 3 years. It's been interesting, fun, tiring, trying and ultimately satisfying, healthy and convenient.
Loved this post, thank you.
MaryB in GA
Right you are Lisa! I bought one of these survival seed containers early on in my prepping. While most of the plants will grow pretty well in my zone, some won't. I don't regret buying it because it gives me additional peace of mind, is well sealed, all of the seeds are heirloom, etc., however, after buying it I started finding out how easy it is to find packets of individual heirloom seeds. I can put together seeds for the foods that we'll eat and can grow for much less money than the pre-packaged cans. I have never bought one of the pre-packaged food supply kits. So many of the cans are salt, sugar, corn starch, drink mixes, etc. Things I can very cheaply buy and store, your last sentence is good advice.
Janet Liebsch
Good reminder and totally agree! Our dilemma with pre-assembled anything is hubby's celiac disease and food allergies so we have to make our own food and seed kits. Sprout seeds and kits are always good to keep on hand too.
David Scripter
Remember people you can always barter what you don't use!!!
TheSurvivalMom
That's a good suggestion for seeds that someone simply doesn't like. Seeds that aren't compatible with an area's climate might not be of value to anyone else in your area, either.
LizLong
True, but there could be someone "passing through" on their way to somewhere else who could use them. If the SHTF, there will be people stranded who need to get to somewhere else or who choose to go to somewhere else because they have resources or family there.
TheSurvivalMom
Good point!
HerbieGrandma
I selected individual packets while thinking of climate, preference and food storability. i have them in a sealed metal container in a cool area of the basement. I feel really good about my choices.
MasterPo
Even with seeds compatable to your location, it takes MAJOR time and effort to cultivate a good garden. Not something you do in your spare time.
countrygirl
I got both a premade package and a bunch of Alaska specific stuff, because of our colder climate. I figure in a big emergency I could use the Alaska specific stuff in the first year, where food may be a bigger problem, ie., just trying to survive may be priority.
Barbara
I'm in Colorado– DRY and HOT summers, but short growing season. We don't have time between frost dates to get those huge watermelons grown, and a lot of tomatoes are just getting to their high point when the snow starts falling. Without a greenhouse, I need short season breeds. Quick growers. Those one-size-fits-all seed collections are for Virginia with it's long mild summers and beautiful warm Falls. Buy seed bred for where you are going to grow it.
Ellen Seltz
We recently reviewed a very helpful info product about setting up a permanent, self-seeding garden plot that uses many biointensive techniques for maximising diversity and yield. Great to start anytime with an eye for the future, a low-maintenance gardening method. You can continually test and adapt seed varieties to acclimate them to your local conditions. http://www.andrewseltz.com/2011/05/18/review-food…
rightwingmom
I checked into the Seed Survival Banks a couple of years ago and found the same problem. The seeds were not conducive to my zone. I've chosen to stockpile heirloom seeds from a local garden store. They're experts on what grows in our area, and ONLY sell those seeds.
Even if you plan on bartering, in a SHTF scenario, traveling great distances will become more limited. If you live in zone 8 and have seeds for zone 3…what are the chances of encountering a traveler who needs them? (Just a thought.)
Need to water my tomatoes…this TX drought is killing them!
HighHeelsonaDirtRoad
I've been looking in to buying a seed bank but unfortunately NOTHING is growing here this year. I live in the arid TransPecos of Texas and we're having a particulary dry and windy year. I think it would be helpful to find out about how to utilize one's native plant population in case of an emergency. Granted, all we have is alot of cactus but our Native American population made good use of it for thousands of years so we could as well if we knew how. So that's a project in my spare time….lol
Michelle
highheelsondirtroad.blogspot.com
Orange Jeep Dad
We did buy from a seed bank. If I can name it, its SeedForSecurity, if not, Lisa can delete it. I've posted on my blog about our success with their non-gmo seeds growing well with our little knowledge or gardening. We're still learning the hard way but that is what our gardening experiment is about…LEARNING.
Lynda
I've had equal luck growing from these seed banks and from those I bought from Burpee directly. I think soil conditions and the time and effort are the biggest contributors toward yield, as MasterPro commented.
teresa
We live in the Pacific NW, but at high elevation with cool summer nights. My tomato, squash and corn seeds (warmer weather type vegetables) are Russian, Siberian and Canadian seeds. They grow really well here reguardless of our short growing season and cool nights. If anyone lives in this type of climate, these type seeds really do well and can be found easily on the internet.
Carolyn W.
Some seeds like onions and parsnips will only store for a year or two before they do not germinate very well. Other vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, carrots, beets, and cauliflower are biannual. this means that a person needs to find a way to save the plant over the winter so that it can go to seed the second year. Here in zone 4 (20 to 30 below zero temperatures) in Wyo. that takes some thinking. My root cellar helps with this. What will people do about potatoes that need to be grown from cuttings? I have saved my potatoes for 2 or 3 years, but eventually the potatoes do not sprout or grow very well and new seed potatoes need to be purchased. I still haven't figured this problem out. The seed packets often say the number of days it takes to grow the vegetable, but that is the amount of time it takes for the plant to produce food. It usually takes quite a bit longer to grow the ripe seeds. Just a few thoughts. Get out there and plant that garden!
Chandra
RE: potatoes… You can sprout the potatoes, break the sprouts off and plant them. This will not yield well the first year but the spuds will have less disease load and should produce well when planted the following year. Also you can save the potato seeds (the true seed) and plant that. They will not come true to type but you might just get a great new variety. The seeds grow in little tomato looking fruit. There wont likely be many but it is a way to get disease free stock when you cant get it shipped in.
kdonat
Besides the barter aspect of the seeds not appropriate to your "current" location, you may find yourself elsewhere in a time of crisis and they could turn out to be a godsend. If they haven't been chemically treated, you could also sprout them where ever you are
Bunny
Native Seed Search in Tucson AZ is excellent for local, heirloom, organic seed. Most originate in Az, Northern Mexico, Western side of New Mexico. Native American, Mexican & Seeds that have adapted to AZ soil & rainfall. I do "Basin style gardening with deep mulching, saves water. Raised beds waste water in my area. I'm in the North side of the Catalina foothills at 4200' We harvest rain water & put to good use Brad Lancasters books about rainwater harvesting.