Heidi -- You are a brave, brave woman. I think the state of being seedless would be on par with cruel and unusual punishment.

Girlie, how do you function??? I am afraid to go through withdrawal symptoms from my morning coffee let alone my seed hoarder addiction.

U need seeds?

I collected unusual variety of seeds and treated them like gold. I showed the seeds to family and told them how special they were. My hands full of little plastic envelopes and a dumb grin on my face. My family all had the same flat look on their face. Like yes this is it folks! Shes lost it!
Planted all of my little 'special' specials seeds and waited. And waited. Then finally a sprout! Again showed all of my family all of the little pots full of my sown seeds and little sprouts that came later
Again I got that flat stare as they looked at a sprig of green no larger then a sweet pea. With me again telling them how 'special' they are.
Mourned when slugs descended on some and had a late night dinner on my 'special' seedlings. Mourned again when my son accidentally turned left instead of right on his bike and blazed a trail through my little pots leaving nothing but wreckage behind. Stood in a frozen state of shock to find our blue tick hound some how curling up and making a bed on other pots.
But through it all I still wound up with many 'special' plants out of it all. Got to see a smiles instead of a flat stares from my family when the first bloom finally showed up. It was a crazy adventure that I look forward too every year! Darla.

I just started this new obession this spring! My husband and sister (who live with me) are already getting bored/tired of hearing about my endeavors and following me to my "potting" station to see my lasted sprout/seed after only a couple months. I get a bubbly in the mail and my husband's first reply is "more seeds Breanne?" "what are you doing with / where are you planting all these seeds...you're going to kill all the grass with all those pots." To which I reply...."Well it's less for you to mow/weedeat, dear" I am hoping and praying that these seeds give forth the healthiest bounty...because if they don't these two people will officially think i've gone mad. Every evening I say i have to check on my plants brings on a new round of groans. I think it is an outlet for "empty nest" "biological clock ticking syndrome" for me honestly. I have a strong STRONG urge to nuture. I have all the pets that he will allow and still I need something to take care of. I am a graduate student, and currently my work makes it dangerous for us to start a family so....we wait until I'm finished with school. In the meantime...I nuture my sprouts :)

Haha I totally fit this description! I am most definitely a seed-a-holic. There is no way I could be without seeds!! Not sure how you did that. I always order more seeds several times a year, so much so that a couple of sites know me by first name!

I just rationalize it with my family by saying 'but this variety might grow better than what we have now,' or 'this variety looks too cool not to try!' At this point I only have 4 raised beds (approx 20'x4' each) to grow things but have over 150 varieties of just tomatoes! That doesn't even touch all the other veggies I have. I have wayyyy more seeds than places to put them, hence I always plant too much. Oh well, i always share my seeds though, so at least it's a good addiction to have! Now I just need to find some cleared land....

Dawn

Tried to define what would be "too many" and I could not do it. Only thing I know is, I have so many I need to try to give some away so I don't feel guilty about not getting them all planted.
Oh, and by the way, we just tilled up another swath that will double the perennial shrub butterfly area for next year. Three years old and it is crammed full. I'd say I'm addicted to something........

I was cleaning out a spot and found a Christmas card from the Secret Santa Swap with 4 packets of seeds. I had this urge to hide them and keep them, but I planted them.

I recently had this crazy thought. Maybe with extra seeds I can toss them behind Burger King which is next to a field. They can grow along the fence line and everyone can see them. Then they can reseed!

I think along those lines, too. Around here, there are chain link fences around empty lots. There should be unusual morning glories on the east facing fences, I say to myself. One year, I did plant morning glories on a steep RR embankment, in between stop signs on my daily morning route. It was a treat to see them later, stopping at each stop sign every weekday morning. They were Heavenly Blue and you know how that classic can go twenty feet, covered with wide sky blue flowers.

I have passed and admired many old rose or iris plants at old home sites where the homes are long gone. What a great idea to plant seeds in unused areas along patns we take. I never thought of that one.

seed bombs, i have read directions on how to make them

I harvested my first 2015 seeds this week, Allium Sensation and Blue Boy Bachelor Button. It's a whole new high!

I harvested my first columbine. They are the new generation of seeds I received in the winter theme swap winter of 2013-2014. That swap has contributed to many of the best spots in my yard. Now I'll be passing them on. ( and, maybe the addiction too)

Really! I love the nerve you had! I would have probably chickened out! But think of not only the beauty but the food it provides for birds and insects.

Well, it looks like I found the right place!

Heidi, You were kind enough to send me seeds for postage last fall that I wintersowed, and yesterday just planted some of the coneflower seedlings in my garden. yes, I m late. I got a little carried away (not that any of you would understand) and bought a bunch of bare roots at Walmart March-April and someone told me they'd probably dry out, so pot them up. I had a small nursery in my furnace room (lots of light, big window, 70-80 degrees).

But I digress...I wintersowed over 85 containers of seeds. Some were disappointing; did not sprout, but I had a ton load of seedlings, I am still working on planting. I laughed, WVgarden girl, when I read about your digging up lawn. Last summer I had the bright idea to make a new little (?) garden in the middle of the lawn so we could have some tomatoe plants and maybe a few flowers. My husband, who is usually very lawn-oriented, said "take all you want". BAD move on his part. Plus this spring, when I started tilling, he said "Did I say that?!" OOPS! TOO LATE! Yup, you did! I decided the back lawn is not really great (it's all weeds, my hubby has been talking about redoing for couple years, we bought the house few years ago and they never did anything in the back). So I now have a 14x24' foot new large garden bed and another smaller round one in the front of my deck (approx. 8 feet in diameter or more)...And I'm happily filling them up with bare root plants that DID sprout/grow (some were very disappointing) and seedlings and plants from friends/trades! Oh, plus 9 tomato plants! :o)

Last year I started early summer, decided lawn was overrated and I was going to make garden beds along the back yard. This has been a labor of love. I worked SO hard last year til November and it has been SO rewarding to see everything that's come back sprout and grow and some blooms...more to come! I put in more than that "dig up lawn" garden last year. It would have been infinitely easier to work on one area at a time, but why do that when you can have blooms everywhere!? :o)

Last spring I was seedless. This past year I have purchased and traded seeds since last fall, and have a stash that some would call me NUTS. Heck, if this is what it takes for "therapy", it is the best therapy I can think of... I tell my husband that plants and gardening (and seeds) is not the worst addiction I could have..it could be designer clothes and diamonds! HA HA!

I also volunteered to take over the newbie seed project from the gal that has been doing it for 10 years. I figured I would "pay it forward' in a way, to help those poor seedless souls obtain some seeds :o) What is better than bringing joy to others with seeds!?

Have a great day, ladies and carry on "seeding"/collecting. I am looking forward to collecting some of my own seeds this year from my plants. I just collected my first from an oriental poppy I bought for my new large garden bed :o)

Val, what fun! I'm glad your wintersowing went well. Will you post pictures sometime? I am going to remember that quote for my family, "Better than designer clothes and diamonds!" I always said, "Well, I'm not gambling or drinking!"

I did buy 5 clearance plants and took them home for my Lupine Bed, except I forgot that I'd planted poppies in the Lupine bed not expecting them to grow. They did grow. How could I forget that? The excitement of finding full-fledged lupines for $2! I have a few wintersowed, but they dwarf compared to these. I just hope they all come back next year and bloom, bloom, bloom. Yes, I found a place for them.

Heidi

I've posted this before, but I made 300 seed envelope templates. You can search Heidi diy seed envelopes or they are on Pinterest/xiangirl. You print, glue/tape, fill in # of seeds and date, fill with seeds, close and go. No pressure-just an option. Many methods of seed collection out there!

Holy Cow! $2 Lupines!! I never come across things like that! So, did you have poppies coming up around your lupine!??! I got about 7 lupines out of ALOT of WS seeds. And yes, my seedlings are pretty tiny (4-6") but hopefully will grow big and strong :o)

I was thrilled to get Gaillardia last week (3 varieties) and some white with lt. lavendar center Spiderwort to add to the garden. for $7 and $6 each respectively.

I'd post pics, but afraid they wont look like much NOW...Awaiting blooms! I guess most I'll have a long wait, but hopefully they will be worth it.

Heidi, I LOVE your little seed envelopes. THANK YOU for sharing!

When your Burger King flowers start blooming, you'll have to go by and take a photo/photos to post!!

Well, the Lupine had already bloomed which is why it was so cheap, but for that price I can plant them and baby them a bit. Yes, the poppies are coming up around the lupine. They getter GROW if they want to get some sunlight before the poppies take over!

I feel so much better now XD I too just caught the gardening/seed collecting bug for the first time this year. I have a garden full of growing veggies courtesy of the generous seed care packages at the need4seed forum, cups, containers and pots on the front porch with a multitude of container flowers, melons and tomatoes, and started 5 more seed flats today. I get weird stares when my stepdad catches me talking to my plants and/or referring to them as my 'babies', and when he said I had too many seed packets and should throw some away I gave him a glare as if he'd suggested I drown kittens. ^^; And yet I still look through posts hoping to get seeds to varieties I haven't yet acquired. Tomatoes especially...sheesh Lexiegurl....150 kinds of tomatoes? I have the urge to hike to the other end of the state and raid your stash ^_~

Margi Fisher there's another tomato lover, that's Erica Braun. That's her real name and her username. I'm not sure she has that many, but she has a bunch. You're right on the money. That's why we swap...it's like giving away kittens. You said it exactly. So if we're giving kittens (seeds) away, they have to go to a loving home! Someone who will appreciate their seed variety and uniqueness and not squander that.

I talk to my plants. I wasn't sure other people did, but I figured they did. Since my mother was a teacher and believed in positive reinforcement I'm always telling my plants when they're blooming well and look good! Everyone knows I'm crazy already, but I'm the good crazy! The happy crazy. Not the stalker crazy.

Heidi

Wait we are allowed to have one hundred fifty kinds of tomato seeds? I am not keeping up.

Hahaha... Margi, Come on over! I just counted tonight to see how many I truly have... Are you ready for this?

122 tomato varieties (that is just since 2012, I have seed from 2010 and 2011 that is not included in that count)

120 varieties of peppers

75 varieties of beans

I haven't counted all my other stuff yet, like my melons, cukes, cool season stuff, lettuce, etc.

Yes, I have a MAJOR addiction lol.

BTW, if anyone is interested in older seed (2010-2012), let me know and I will gladly send you some. I can list what I have if anyone is interested. Some is commercial, some from trades. They have all been kept inside in a nice, cozy house :) I will gladly be enabler ;) lol

I also just added someone else to the seed-a-holic club, someone I adopted from the adopt-a-newbie thread. She thanked me lol.

And yes my family thinks I'm crazy too. They keep telling me to stop buying more, but I'm in the process of looking for a bigger property, so eventually I will have enough room to grow them all! I just love trying new varieties, and finding better ones for my area, hence why I keep buying more.

Dawn

Wow...I'm currently growing red brandywines, yellow pears, san marzanos, chocolate cherries, black plums, black cherries, snow white cherries, isis candies, red currants, blondkopfchens, tiny tims, and mexican midgets...as far as tomatoes go XD Sweet peppers, zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, okra, bush beans, sweet potatoes, beets, peas, winter squash, cantaloupe and pumpkins are elsewhere. I started mulberry, gooseberry, purple tomatillo and sunflower seeds today. Ohhh if you could list what you have, I'd definitely be interested...even if I have to beg my mom for postage money lol

Well my addiction started out with plants. And when I say plants I mean it. Come winter my husband Drew laughs when I get everything in the house and says it looks like a jungle. I go every couple of weeks and rescue plants from walmart. I posted in the newbie site a couple of weeks ago and lexiegurl09 aka Dawn scooped me up. She sent me a ton of wonderful seeds. She has contributed to our seed addiction my oldest daughter Kiersten is 10 and she goes to the box with the seed packs in it everyday to see if I have snuck any more in. We are plant more seeds today. Today is our youngest daughter Kaitlyn's birthday she is 9. We plant something every year on her birthday this year it is apple seeds that she took out of her apple and we have sprouted them in a napkin. They are ready for pots today. I love collecting seeds now and look for new ones everday. I blame Dawn for the addiction and thank her for it too.

Haha, I'm such an enabler :)

Margi, check for a message from me (list is too long to put on here)

If anyone else would like the list, just let me know!

Dawn

SO HAPPY to find like-minded people! :o)

Hey all! I am a second year seed saver! I would love to trade flowers and some pepper seeds for other pepper and flower seeds, also looking for tomato seeds!

Please email me at kim@purplegoo if you'd like to do a trade! See my profile for my list, plus I have more to offer not on the list, let me know if you are interested!

Thank you!

Kim

Heidi

Heidi,

That's funny! I don't have any experience with that because I only grow veggies right now, but I can imagine lol.

Dawn

Dont laugh...I bought a couple Armeria past their prime at walmart (1/2 off) last week and figured I could collect seed. I can't figure out if the seeds have already dropped and I just have chaff or if the seeds are still in there. I DID google what the seeds are supposed to look like. I think I need to get my magnifying glass out! LOL

KIM - I'd be happy to trade with you. I have some tomatoes and flower seeds. I might have one (?) pepper (chili?) seed pack.

Hi Val!

That sounds great! My email is kim@purplegoo.ca if you'd like to send me your list and I can send you mine!

Thanks a bunch :)

Kim

Maybe we seed-a-holics should start a seed robin box this fall for fun!?

Anyone interested in participating, or do you find that trading one on one works better for you cos you get what you want?

Heidi,

I see all your wonderful seed packets you made...does that mean you have all those kinds of seeds!??! ;o) Maybe we can trade at the end of this season!?

I don't have all those seeds, no, but yes, I'd trade or do a Round Robin box. I am starting to collect seed for 2014 so the excitement begins! I've also had people ask me to make a specific seed envelope so that's where some of them come from.

Heidi

Ah, nice selection..i thought maybe those were all the seeds you planted and ran out :) LOL

I am in same boat...will start seeds to trade this fall/winter. It would be nice to trade with other seedaholics and "share the wealth" :o)

I too am a seed-a-holic! I have traded and sent sase for many seeds previous to moving last year. I had a whole container of seeds that I traded, received by sase, and some from my own plants. However, due to moving and having to stay in a very small apartment (there are 5 of us) temporarily, I didn't have the space to keep my beloved seeds. I was so sad to see them go, but gave all of them...YES, ALL OF THEM....to my sister-in-law. A year and a half later, I am longing for seeds again! I have slowly started to get more, but it doesn't take away the shame of giving away my beloved "seed stash". LOL

If anyone has any seeds they would like to send via sase, I'd be glad to partake. I don't have any seeds at this time to trade sadly though. Just glad to be back in a place where I can begin gardening again. It gives me such pleasure to see the harvest of hard work put into plants when you've planted them from seed!!

I participated in a winter trade through the Oklahoma group a couple of years and loved it!! Of course, I had several seeds to trade at that time. Whatever the amount a person sent, was the amount they received back. So if I sent 50 packets of seeds then I'd get 50 varieties of seeds back. There were several people involved, one taking on the task of the whole thing though. It was so much fun!! Like a little kid opening presents to see what they got!!

Glad I found the seed exchange again and look forward to future exchanges!! :)

Melissa, there's also a Newbie program. Since you are starting over you would probably qualify for this. There is a person who takes donated seeds and sends out an envelope with multiple packets to get people started.

Many of us don't have many (or any) seeds right now. I am in the process of collecting a few, but it will take time for seeds to mature so I can collect them.

We'll figure out a way to get you seeds to start over. It's not shame--it's just life. Family comes before seeds! But we're proud to have another seed-a-holic among us!

Don't forget...seeds will be going on clearance. Keep a sharp lookout and you can stock up for next year!

Heidi