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Tips for selecting and organizing garden seeds Sunday Jan 8, 2017 at 12:01 AM By Rhonda Nowak for the Mail Tribune "In the depths of winter I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." — Albert Camus, “Return to Tipasa,” 1954   The snowy weather has made it an ideal time to curl up next to the fireplace and spend hours browsing through favorite seed catalogues. Each picture of a vegetable, herb or flower beckons, “Grow me!” My imagined gardens are always bigger and better behaved than my actual gardens. Reality makes an appearance after I look at my plot maps and last year’s garden notes, but then I end up buying way too many seeds anyway. It’s easy to get carried away with buying seeds or adopting them from friends. And why not splurge? Seeds are usually less expensive than buying plants, and they will remain viable for 3-5 years if stored properly. Leftover seeds can also be shared at local seed swaps. Still, to obtain the best results from your seeds, here are several considerations: • When getting seeds from friends, be sure to write the year the seeds were harvested and the plant variety and cultivar on the package. You may also want to note color for flower seeds. • Buy seeds from local sources. Not only will you be supporting local agriculture and businesses, these seeds are ideally adapted to grow well in Southern Oregon. Try Siskiyou Seeds, Klamath-Siskiyou Native Seeds, Restoration Seeds and Territorial Seed Company. Look for seeds grown by members of the Southern Oregon Seed Growers Association. • Pay attention to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zones listed to determine which plants are most likely to thrive in the local climate. Medford, Jacksonville and Ashland are usually listed as 8a/b; however, microclimates on specific properties in Jackson County may range from 6a to 9a, depending on elevation, wind and other factors. It’s a good idea to buy perennial seeds that are listed for zones down to 6. • If you want to grow organic, non-GMO seeds, look for specific terminology on the label such as non-GMO, 100% Organic or Certified Organic. • Note whether seeds are for plant varieties that are heat-resistant, disease resistant and/or deer resistant, and whether they are noted for attracting garden pollinators. • If you had an infestation of a particular insect in 2016, consider holding off on buying seeds for plants in the same family as those affected. For example, if a horde of squash bugs made your vegetable garden their home last year, you may want to avoid  sowing cucurbit seeds this year (squash, cucumber, watermelon, pumpkin). • Note how many seeds or ounces of seed you are buying You can usually save money by going in with a group of friends and buying larger quantities of seeds. • Some seeds are more difficult to germinate than others. Look for special germination instructions, such as soaking seeds overnight, cold stratifying or placing in darkness. • Consider buying pelleted seeds for carrots and lettuce for more accurate sowing and reduced thinning. I organize my seeds in a way that provides protection and easy access. The method that has worked best for me is to place seed packets in zip-close plastic bags by the month they will be sown. The “Garden Guide for the Rogue Valley” (2007) is a helpful resource for scheduling; however, weather conditions change every year, so I also pay attention to current forecasts. I keep indoor and outdoor started seeds in separate bags for months when I sow several kinds of each. To remember successive plantings, I place seeds in the bag for each month the seeds will be sown. Once the seed packages are open, I add a tissue sachet of powdered milk to each bag to reduce moisture. Then I store all of the bags by month in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator — a reminder of the invincible summer within. Meanwhile, check out pictures of my seed organization system on my blog at http://blogs.esouthernoregon.com/theliterarygardener/. — Rhonda Nowak is a Rogue Valley gardener, teacher and writer. Email her at [email protected].