If there is anything that 2020 taught us it’s that we need to expect the unexpected and adapt to the changes. One surprise in 2020 was the increased number of home gardeners. The quarantine and stay at home orders forced people to find home based hobbies and activities like gardening to keep busy. The nice thing about gardening is that it isn’t only a hobby but also a way to grow food and take control of the agriculture system. What happened as a result was a bull rush on the seed industry causing massive seed shortages. So that brings up the question how do we as gardeners deal with seed shortages?
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Order Your Seeds Early
I usually order most of the seeds I want in January and February before the bulk of people are thinking about their gardens. I would argue that this time of year is actually the time you SHOULD be thinking about the garden.
Seed catalogs begin to come in toward late December and drop in the mail a few each week. But you don’t have to wait on those catalogues to come in, the online websites usually have the seed listed before the catalog comes so you can get a head start by scanning the webpages of your favorite seed companies.
To order seeds early you need to already know what you want to grow so that means you also need to plan ahead. Make you seed needs list in early December (or as soon as you can) and be ready to go as soon as the seed companies have their stock available.
Split Your Seed Orders with Friends
Chances are you have a few good friends who also garden. Get together and see if you can share seed orders and split what you get. Most seed packets have much more inside than you will grow in one year. You may have 25 to 30 seeds in a tomato seed packet and you only want a few tomato plants so 10 to 15 seeds may be more than enough! By splitting the order you are reducing the demand on the shortage a little bit as well.
Seed Swaps with other Gardeners
There are a number of social media groups you can join nationally or locally to swap for seeds. In those groups you offer an extra variety of seed you don’t need for one you want. The downside is you may not always get everything you want but it is a good way to find new seeds for your garden that maybe you haven’t considered before.
Save Your Seeds Each Year
Saving seeds may not get you new seeds this year but it will help you sustain your seed supply over the years. Save seeds from your favorite plants each year, the ones that performed the best. By selectively saving those seeds you may be gradually developing a variety that does really well in your climate and your garden. (Here is a seed packet template if you would like to try making your own seed packets.)
When you buy seed packets you are often buying seeds that have several years of viability in those seeds. Tomatoes and peppers can last for many years if stored in a cool location. I have had some tomato seeds that germinated 10 years after the date they were packed!
Not all seeds will last that long though. Onions (alliums) typically will last about a year and are best sown with fresh seed.
Don’t Order from Only One Company, Diversify
Last fall I thought I should try and get ahead on my seed orders. One of the plants I was concerned about was Lacinato Kale (Dinosaur Kale). I attempted to order it from a company I usually order from and it was available but was later removed from my order due to availability. I switched to another seed company and was able to find it. Having more than one company relationship is a good idea so you can easily find what you and and switch over to the companies that have the seeds you want when you need to. Loyalty to your favorite companies is great, just have a few favorites!
A Few Recommended Seed Companies
Seed Exchanges
Over the last several years many local libraries have operated seed exchanges. These exchanges work with the idea that you get the seed for free then save your seed and return it to the library. There are certain protocols that you need to adhere to in order to save the seed properly. (Nashville Seed Exchange)
Seeds from Grocery Store Produce
Finding seeds at your grocery store is a little more unconventional but when in times of scarcity people find opportunities! Seeds can be found in the produce section for all kinds of vegetables like tomatoes and peppers. What you grow could appear different from the produce you by but will likely be very similar. Peppers and tomatoes can self pollinate and tend to be grown in large fields with similar plants so the odds are that your tomatoes and peppers will have very similar genetics.
It’s not the ideal way to get seeds as you would rather be able to pick and choose what varieties of seeds you grow but if availability or money are issues finding seeds at the grocery store might be an option. I would recommend leaning toward heirloom varieties if at all possible.
I hope this is helpful in giving you a few ideas for dealing with potential seed shortages. If so please share it with other gardeners who may find it useful. I see the seed shortages as a good thing in the long run as more gardeners are entering the world of gardening. Once we adjust to the new demand for seeds seed companies will have plenty of seed for all of us to enjoy!
