Yes Balsam, I got to doing that this year. Hubby and I worked out a spreadsheet, and then I used that to make my winter sowing log. I did not count how many varieties of seed I have on hand. It's crazy. I have a LOT of seed and I'm ordering more and more. However, I am trying to convince myself that many of the seeds I'm ordering are not just for me. We also sow them at our church greenhouse, and I use them for my gardening class students - ha! What an excuse. I've got more orders to send in tomorrow :)

GGG

Great topic, Balsam. I've pondered the idea however I need time to put it into action. I have no clue what to sow or when.

GGG, that is so cool you have a greenhouse at your church. Gardening is so good for the soul.

Ed-

Well, I sorted mine into two drawers yesterday to get them out of the way for classes, one drawer for those already sown or not using them at all, and one drawer for ones still needing sowing, or waiting for non freezing temps. I have a little chest of drawers by the back door for all my garden needs. Hey, we have snow predicted for Friday. It has only snowed here twice in 30 years and only once did it actually show once it hit the ground. : )

Being the obsessive/compulsive sicko that I am, I enventory everything, seeds, plants, pots, baskets, jars for seeds I don't have yet, yadda,yadda, yadda. I even have a list of my inventory books, my yard diagram books, and my 'idea' binders for things I'd likta do someday. Oh, I love inventories and lists. Cheryl

Cheryl, I hope you work as a cycle counter for some big plant. You're every logistics manager dream!

I'm not nearly as organized as you all. I usually scribble a list of what I sow and when, but that's about it. Maybe this year I'll get more organized and actually do a spreadsheet for the seeds I got from the seed swap.

Eduarda

Oh yes, I did my inventory a week or so ago. Mostly because I was tiding up the house and got sick of moving my seed box from one pile to the next, waiting for it to be sorted. In fact, I just posted a grab bag of seeds up on the exchange side for anyone interested. I have some doubles and seeds I have but am no longer interested in, mostly because I don't have luck with them.

I'm trying to be so careful this year with what I'm planting and also going to make sure I save seeds from EVERYTHING. We're going to start house-hunting late this spring and I want to take as much with me as possible.

Tracy

Finish painting shelves
Finish tiling wall
Finish ideas scrapbook
Sort and inventory seeds
Order pots
Build shelving for hoophouse
Set up hoophouse
Build fence
Level lawn and plant grass....

I could go on an on but it's on my list. I'm getting there lol.

MeMo

Ok, some of you are scaring me. ; ) ; ) ; ) I'm with MeMo - way too many other things to do and not enough hours in the day. My seeds go in a plastic drawer I have in my butler pantry. Once they're planted I mark on the package when I planted them, then put the package into a small photo album with clear sleeves that are just a tad larger than the seed packets. Found it at Michael's several years ago and it even has a floral cover. That's about it for the organizing other than all the pics I take as the plants grow and mature. That's where I make notes to help with future seed planning.

Diana, who loves all you list making garden folk. : )

"I usually scribble a list of what I sow and when, but that's about it."
Oh, my goodness, Eduarda, this just bowled me over. I have never even THOUGHT of writing down what I sow! I do more or less keep a journal of what is going on in the garden, what got planted and what is blooming, but it is sporadic.
It does get a bit disconcerting when the labels get molded and I have no idea what is in a pan of seedlings : )

Hey seamommy! I'm not an o/c sicko and I doubt you are, either :) I'm what most of my friends and family call "super-organized" (with a roll of their eyes). Part of it is my love of order and dislike of chaos, but part comes from years of training in the science field. Scientists (and those who work for them) have to be listmakers, obsessive record-keepers, and they are usually short on funding so knowing what you have and what you need is crucial.

Yes, I'm guilty of the spreadsheets, the lists, the garden plans, a garden journal, and a garden/home/yard "idea" book. Sorry to scare you, Diana ;) It really helps to keep my gardening in perspective, though. It's great to be able to look back a year or two to see what worked well, what didn't. Also, inventory helps me to prevent excessive seed purchasing - sometimes;) I've been keeping a garden journal since 1994. The past few years have lots of family/general interst entries, too. I tried keeping a separate personal journal, but wasn't very faithful, so I just do it all in one now. In winter, I record temperature, snowfall, birds I see at the feeders, animals I see around, etc. Summer is much the same, but also records of planting dates, harvest dates, etc.

I also have garden photoalbums (heehee). Mostly, I keep the garden pics on the computer now, but I have several books too.

I don't count pots though (well, not regularly anyway).

Balsam

I have been meaning to get back to this thread...and since I just placed a couple of seed orders...I remembered it.

"HehHeh. Guess you could say I'm a bit of a "collector":) Seeds make me happy. "

Ohhhhhh I can sooooo relate. LOL! I have a huge container of seeds. I keep a written list in the top of the container and I also have it on a list on the computer.

Even so though.....I still found the following that I had to order. Yeah, I just HAD to order. LOL!!!!

Petunia tidal wave collection....this is 3 packs of 10 seeds.
Black Peony Poppy
Osteo's Sky and Ice
Double click Cosmos
Jungle Gold Impatiens...had these last year..very pretty!!!
Cholcolate orange rudbekia
Torenia Duchess mix
Angel Hair grass
red top ornamental wheat
Spaghetti Squash
Cantaloupe Fast break
cucumber...Lemon Apple
Wind Dancer Love Grass
Impatiens Super Elfin blend 500 seeds
Marigold Sweet Cream

And the part that is really worrysome...is...you know I will still pick up some seeds when I am shopping locally. LOL! Beware its addicting.

Sierra :-)

I'm afraid I need to be committed. Um, really. I have no idea for sure (no written record of exactly what I've got), but I would estimate I have well over 1,000 packs of seeds in my stash. You know those little rubbermaid/clear plastic 4 drawer containers? Like 2 feet tall or so? Full. Organized alphabetically, separated into snack sized ziplock baggies by species. Example: top drawer has abutilon - clematis, second drawer has cleome - herbs (I don't grow many herbs, thus they're all lumped together), etc. Except, besides the 4 drawer container, I have more. Morning glories and poppies each have their own drawer (they're my favorites). It's really pretty sad. Please stop laughing... LOL

However, I keep no records of what I sow when; I just do it, and it works.

amanda 'romando'

I keep my seeds in a cookie tin in my refrigerator, so there's not much to inventory. I like the idea of keeping a formal writen record of what did well and what fizzled, but which way to go? A hand-written record is somehow more appealing then a computer one, but computers are so great for organizing.

I like Diana's idea of putting seed packets in a photo album; it's simple and tidy. With one of those little albums I could have my cake and eat it too, by still keeping it in the cookie tin in the fridge.

This thread is still making me chuckle :) Glad to know I'm not the only "addicted" seed collector.

boondoggle - I keep my seeds in the fridge too - only I have a WHOLE fridge for them in the basement. OK - I've been known to keep extra milk and a few beers there too, but it's mostly a seed fridge. Bags, envelopes, pill bottles, containers.............they're all there. Do I need to be committed????

I'm sending in my first seed order for 2007 today.............(Fedco Seeds in ME).