Preppers: Stores Getting Their Seeds In Stock
Kevin Felts 01.07.19
Looking to start a survival garden seed stockpile? Or maybe the reader is looking to fill gaps in their existing stockpile? Well, late winter is probably the best time to get started.
Why is late winter probably the best time to get started? Stores are getting their seed supplies in for the year.
Starting around early – mid January big box outlet and locally owned farm supply stores start getting their seed orders in. The difference between big box and rural farm supply stores? Rural farm supply typically sell their seeds by the ounce, or pound. Big box outlet stores sell their seeds by the packet.
Here is the catch, some types of seed have a tendency to sell out rather quickly, such as corn. Farmers in rural areas will buy corn seed buy the pound, rather than by the ounce. I have seen corn seed sell out in a matter of a couple of weeks. Once sold out, some places may not restock.
Then there is the issue with seed shortages. Sometimes certain seeds may be in short supply, or may not arrive at all. Several years ago a local farm supply was unable to get any cucumber seeds. People at the store were informed there was a shortage, and seeds were being sent to major farms rather than stores in rural areas.
If a reader decides to visit a rural farm supply store, they may want to ask about any seed shortages, and which seems sell out the fastest. As stated earlier, corn is typically a fast seller, followed by potatoes.
A good rural farm supply store may have seeds for:
- Acorn squash.
- Beans, including snap, bush, and pole.
- Corn.
- Greens.
- Peas.
- Spinach.
- Yellow summer squash.
- Zucchini.
Only to name a few.
Good Deals on Seeds
Looking to land a good deal on seeds? Ask the owner of the feed supply store if they are willing to sell last years seeds at a deep discount. Some stores will throw their old seeds away when the new seeds arrive. Rather than throwing the seeds away, offer to buy them.
Are seeds from a year ago still viable? Of course they are. When left on a shelf and not frozen, seeds will typically last a couple of years. I have heard numbers along the lines of 10% – 20% loss in germination when stored on a shelf. However, when stored in a deep freezer, seeds have the possibility of lasting for decades.
Several years ago I germinated, planted, and grew crops from decade old seeds that had been stored in a deep freezer. The squash seeds had an excellent germination rate I would estimate at around 80% – 90%.
Final Thoughts
New seeds are starting to arrive at stores, but certain types should sell out quickly. For someone interested in stockpiling, or filling gaps, the time to buy is here.
If someone waits too long, certain types (such as corn) may be sold out.
Stay tuned and we will talk about crop planning and types of seeds to stockpile.
