You don’t need a green thumb to realize that quality seeds are integral to a successful harvest. Not only will heirloom seeds ensurea thriving garden, they can also provide an abundance of food for years to come. This is important when making an emergency preparedness plan for any emergency situation. Maintaining anheirloom seed bank is key to long-term survival.

When it comes to building your own seed bank, there are several factors to consider:

-What kind of seeds tostore?

-Do all seeds produce the same?

-How to harvest and preserve seeds?

-How long can these seeds be stored?

In this guide, we'll outline tips and ideas to create your own seed bank at home!

Know your seeds.

If you are serious about storing seeds, you will want to get to know your seeds. It is important to know which seeds will store well for many years and which do not. Heirloom seeds (whether certified organic or not) are the only seed which will consistently grow the same produce year after year. Hybrid vegetables and fruits have been modified in a lab to produce beautiful produce to display on store shelves; however, their seed may or may not grow the same produce. For example: a bright red tomato from the store may have been crossed with a bright red pepper to get the beautiful color. When the seed from that fruit is regrown it may grow a tomato - or a pepper!When choosing your seed, look for Heirloom - the proof is in the name - heirlooms are passed down for generations due to their value!

The easiest way to start your seed bank is to purchase a seed kit that has already been packaged and sealed in an airtight, lightproof, container. It's also a good idea to use seed with a long shelf life. Below is a list of vegetables which will store for extended periods of time (3-10 years) with proper storage.

 

Asparagus	Cauliflower	Mustard Greens	Squash
Beet	Celery	Onion	Squash
Rutabaga	Collards	Okra	Squash
Broccoli	Cucumber	Onion	Sweet corn
Brussel Sprouts	Cucumber	Pea	Tomato
Bush Bean	Eggplant	Pepper	Tomato
Bush Bean	Kale	Pepper	Tomato
Cabbage	Leek	Pumpkin	Turnip
Cantaloupe	Lettuce	Radish	Watermelon
Carrot	Lima Bean	Spinach

 

If you need to test if your seeds are viable:

• Place them in a container with some water (just enough so they can float). Let stand overnight at room temperature.

• If they sink, they're good! If they float and have cracked or split open, toss them out as they are no longer viable.

***NOTE: once the seed is wet, it must be used or dried - DO NOT place in same package, the moisture will create mold and spoil the remainder of your seeds.

Determine the best storage method.

If you want to store your seeds in the refrigerator, freezer or at room temperature, determine which is appropriate for each type of seed. Some seeds will go bad if stored in certain conditions. For example, some varieties of peppers are best kept in the fridge while others do best when stored at room temperature.

Some gardeners choose to freeze their seeds, while others choose to store them in a cool, dark location. Research on freezing seeds is still out. Some swear it lengthens the lifespan of their seeds; however, if storing seeds for an emergency situation, a refrigerator or freezer may lose power. Gather your own evidence, consider the space you have readily available, and decide which method works best for you.

Heaven’s Harvest heirloom vegetable seed kit includes 39 varieties of hand-selected, non-hybrid, non-gmo, open-pollinated vegetable seeds. Each variety of vegetable is individually packaged in its own UV, moisture, radiation-resistant mylar foil bag. This kit has approximately 4,700 individual survival seeds, almost 2 lbs of seeds ready to store for an emergency.

Save time! Choose Heaven’s Harvest.

You may want to purchase a sealed seed kit if you don't have time or the inclination to start from scratch. These kits often include pre-measured amounts of each type of seed in a convenient container that can be stored until needed. Then, if an emergency situation arises, the seeds can be removed from storage, planted, grown and harvested to help sustain your families food supply.

At Heaven’s Harvest, we’ve done the work for you and assembled only the best seeds on the market. Not only is there a large variety of vegetables to choose from, each variety is hand-packaged in its own resealable, light-proof, and waterproof bag. Heaven’s Harvest Heirloom Vegetable Seed Kits store safely and easily. All seed kits store well at room-temperature with no need to refrigerate.

You can store seeds for years with Heaven’s Harvest seed kits.

We’ve spent years tinkering with food storage and came to the realization that we needed to be able to sustain ourselves when all other food sources ran out. Heaven’s Harvest Heirloom Seed Kits provide security and peace of mind for up to 10 years. No need for prep or further research. You can place your seed kit straight into your food storage cache and rest easy knowing you have years of food on your shelf.

However, if your are particular about the seeds you’d prefer in your kit, here are some suggestions to get you started.

There are a few different ways to store seeds, but the most popular way is using silica gel packets. Silica gel absorbs moisture and keeps air from reaching your seeds. You can buy these packets online or at your local craft store for around $10 per 100 of them (you'll need about 20-30 packets). The next step is to label each packet with the name of the crop and the date it was harvested from its original source (e.g., "Roma Tomatoes" harvested September 2nd, 2022). Keep this information somewhere safe so that when you want to plant in the future, you know which seeds are viable. All of this information and is usually accessible on a seed-pack label in the Heaven’s Harvest Heirloom Seed kit.

To summarize, the best way to save seeds for future use is by storing them properly in a cool, dry place. If you want to be extra sure that your seeds will be around for years, consider buying a sealed seed kit that includes everything you'll need from Heaven’s Harvest.

PRO TIP: There are lots of tools that can be kept with your seed bank. After all, once the seeds start growing, you’ll need to nurture and cultivate your harvest. Below is a list of items you’ll need to foster your garden once it’s time to break into your seed bank.

• Soil

• Mulch or fertilizer

• Fencing

• Rodent deterrent

• Shovels and rakes

• Garden baskets

• 5 gallon buckets

• Wheelbarrow

Heaven’s Harvest is here to help.

However you decide to set up your seed bank, Heaven’s Harvest has resources to guide you along the way; from individual seed packets to literature, you’ll feel comfortable in your garden knowing you have all the information you need at your fingertips.

Our team of representatives is ready to assist you with any questions you may have.You can also find more information about each individual seed on our webpage. Heaven’s Harvest wants to help your family survive and thrive in the garden!