We spend tons of money on guns, ammunition, knives, backpacks and all kinds of things labeled “tactical” – but what about seeds? Many of us that prepare for “bad times” ahead consider gardening an integral part of our systems. Seeds are ultra-inexpensive and readily available most anywhere.
I am not going to get into the whole Heirloom versus Hybrid debate. Why? It’s pointless. Why again? Because most of the vegetables seeds that are available locally are in fact Heirloom. Additionally, in a medium to long term survival situation Hybrid seeds may actually provide some benefit. I do not believe that Hybrid seeds should be looked at with the same “avoid at all costs” as GMO-seeds. This can be discussed in another article on another day.
OK – when it comes to saving seeds I generally put away Heirloom varieties. I assembled a list of common Heirloom varieties a while back over at SeasonedCitizenPrepper.com and am republishing it below.
Seeds can still be found in local stores and are cheap right now. If gardening is part of your future plans for food gathering go buy some seeds and put them away in a cool, dry place.
Let’s get to the list – feel free to suggest others and I will add them:
Artichoke, Green Globe
Asparagus, Mary Washington
Basil, Greek
Bean Shell, Bush Dragon’s Tongue Wax
Bean, Bush, Early Bush Italian
Bean, Cannelino
Bean, Gold of Bacau
Bean, Italian Rose
Bean, Lima, Big Mama
Bean, Pole, Green Anellino
Bean, Purple Podded Pole
Bean, Runner, White Half
Bean, Snap, Red Swan
Bean, Triumphe De Farcy Bush
Bean (Pole) Romano
Bean – Harvester Bush Snap
Bean – Kentucky Wonder Pole
Bean – Henderson Bush Lima
Bean – Top Crop Bush Snap
Bean – Cherokee Yellow Wax
Bean – Contender Bush Snap Beans
Beet, Albino
Beet, Bull’s Blood
Beet, Chioggia
Beets – Detroit Dark Red
Beets – Ruby Queen
Beets Early Wonder
Broccoli, De Cicco
Broccoli, Green Sprouting Calabrese
Broccoli, Purple Sprouting
Broccoli, Romanesco
Broccoli – Calabrese
Broccoli – Waltham 29
Brussels Sprouts, Catskill
Brussels Sprouts, Long Island
Cabbage, Brunswick
Cabbage, CharlestonWakefield
Cabbage – Copenhagen Market
Cabbage – Early Jersey Wakefield
Cabbage – Golden Acre
Cabbage – Michihili
Cabbage – Pak Choy White Stem
Cabbage – Red Acre
Cabbage – Savoy
Cantaloupe, Hales Best Jumbo
Carrot, Danvers 126 Half Long
Carrot, Touchon
Carrot – Chantenay Red
Carrot – Little Finger
Carrot – Scarlet Nantes
Carrot – Tendersweet
Cauliflower, Snowball Self-Blanching
Corn, Country Gentleman
Corn, Golden Bantam
Corn – (Sweet) Golden Beauty
Cucumber, Lemon
Cucumber, Straight Eight
Cucumber – Boston Pickling
Cucumber: Lemon
Cucumber, National Pickling
Cucumber, Spacemaster Cucumber
Cucumber – Poinsett 76
Cucumber – Marketer
Cucumber – Marketmore 76
Eggplant, Black Beauty
Eggplant, Long Purple
Lettuce Head – Iceberg
Lettuce – Black Seeded Simpson
Lettuce – Buttercrunch
Lettuce – Salad Bowl Green
Lettuce – Romaine
Onion – Red Creole
Onion – Tokyo Long White
Onion – White Lisbon Bunching
Pea – Green Arrow
Pea – Mammoth Melting Sugar
Pea – Wando
Pea – Lincoln
Pea – Alaska
Pea – Oregon Giant
Pepper – Hot, Cayenne
Pepper – California Wonder
Pepper – Jalapeno
Pepper – Sweet Banana
Pepper – Grand Bell
Pumpkin – Jack O Lantern
Pumpkin – Small Sugar
Squash – Crookneck
Squash – Straightneck
Tomato – Delicious
Tomato – Beefsteak
Tomato – Rutgers
Turnip – Purple Top White Globe
Watermelon – Congo
Watermelon – Charleston Grey
Watermelon – Sugar Baby
Watermelon – Crimson Sweet
Zucchini – Grey
Zucchini – Dark Green
Zucchini – Black Beauty

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I have romas, Spanish onions, snow peas and strawberries in. Just how long will a collection of seeds sit on a shelf and still germinate… Are seeds an annual collection process?
Once I tried Tendergreen Burpless cucumbers from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, I never wanted to plant anything else! Amazing taste, tender skin and never bitter. You will not find a better cucumber than this.
Can’t remember where I saw this recommendation, probably Emergency Essentials since that is where I bought the package, but they recommended freezing. I bought a mixed large can, hermetically sealed, from EE. It is currently in my freezer. In addition, I’ve purchased as food stock, bulk baby lima beans, black eyed beans and wheat. I have also vacuum packed packages of these items and frozen them. Hope it works.
BTW, if you are watching the news, today I saw where California has jumped from 25% to 33% of the state is now in serious trouble.
“How bad is California’s devastating drought? Just in the past week, the percentage of the state identified as being in “exceptional drought”—the most severe category—jumped from a quarter to a third…and as of Tuesday, nearly 77 percent of California was in “extreme drought,” which is just one notch below exceptional drought.”
Meanwhile, in the “doing my thing” state, “While farmers have seen their irrigation allotments from state and federal water projects cut to near zero, coastal Californians seem oblivious to the browning of their proudly green state.”
The drought in California may be a long way from the East Coast, but you can bet it’s going to hit us all in the pocket book. So, if you never have gardened, it may be time to start.
Rourke- good list. Hybrid seeds will NOT come up when you plant them. Heirloom seeds will. This can be verified by any gardener. I save our heirloom seeds. I have also stocked up on packets of heirloom seeds and the sealed seed kits from Emergency Essential-they can be kept in the freezer fopr several years.
Oren-Yes the Calif drought will hit us all. I submitted a post re this a couple of weeks ago.The weather channel today showed that the Calif drought has now hit 95 %. Some areas are
more severe than others-but the entire state is in a drought.Stock up now on products from Calif . (apricots,olives, almonds, pistachios, etc.)Arlene
Irish 7 IF memory serves me right-smile ! I believe those seeds if kept dry and cool
(or frozen) will last several years and will provide quite a large garden for an average family.If you grow vegetables from these seeds you can keep the new seeds.There are some exc. books about saving seeds. One good book is The manual of seed saving by Andrea Heistinger. Seed Savers exchage is good also. seedsavers.org
Arlene
I bought a few cans of seeds from Emergency Essentials, too Arlene. That’s it for our seed stock. I am not even sure how many are in there, or if they have an expiration date. I guess I better that out, huh?