Seed Shortage Prevention
Is there a way?
Every year in the months of January and February, I go through my seed catalogs and online resources searching for seeds for the coming growing season.
This year it has been a little different because gardening has become a more popular option to the high produce prices in the grocery store (in my opinion). As a result, my go-to's for seeds have been running out of supplies faster than normal (usually "out of stock" by the end of March).
Which spurred the question "is there a way to prevent a seed shortage"?
As an individual family, I believe that we can certainly do our part to help prevent a shortage.
Here are some suggestions to "Seed Shortage Prevention":
VARIETY
Choosing a variety of sources for seeds will ensure that seeds will be available if one source runs out. The "don't put your eggs in one basket" approach when you look for seeds. I buy from 2 to 3 online seed companies, a local greenhouse, sometimes a big box store, and a local nursery. If one runs out, I look to another!
PLANNING AHEAD
Like everything in life, planning ahead is a benefit in many ways. To the gardener, planning ahead with buying your seeds will not only provide you your seeds but will have more choices and more varieties of seeds to choose from.
HEIRLOOM SEEDS
Investing in heirloom seeds will give you the benefits of genetic diversity and saving the seeds from year to year. Heirloom seeds are open-pollinated or non-hybridized seeds meaning they have not been genetically modified, and they have been passed down from generation to generation. The genetic diversity of these types of plants can make them more resilient to pests, diseases, and environmental stress. The result is a stronger plant that will produce seeds that can be planted year after year, thus giving you a supply of seeds!
PERENNIALS
Perennial plants grow from year to year. This type of plant can be another way that you can save seeds. Mature plants will produce seeds at the end of the season that you can harvest and save for the following growing season.
GIVING BACK
What I love about the gardening community is that people are not only willing to share their information but share their seeds too! Many times, I've shared my heirloom seeds with others who might not have been able to get a certain type of seed or couldn't afford to purchase them. Giving back and blessing others is a fantastic way to prevention.
IF YOU ARE NEW TO GARDENING OR WANT TO LEARN MORE....
