A few years ago, I reorganized my seeds and put the packets into folders in bins because no other organization method works.
Shortly before a singular audacious murine vermin invaded my containers, I had been introduced to an older gardener who kept his seeds in 5-gallon buckets in sheds! Can you imagine having enough seed of anything that you needed to store it in a 5-gallon bucket? Wow! He also had some recycled spaghetti jars full of tiny seeds. I thought that was cool too!
Then, the mouse got into my seed bins. I did not lose many seeds, but, oh, it made me so mad! Everyone in the house knew it because I fussed about it out loud. The nasty, stinking, whizzing all over everything, little vermin ate through some of my paper seed packets and chewed on a few of the mylar ones. (It did not seem to like the mylar and did not chew all the way into any of those.) It ate seeds that could have fed my family or livestock. It only got into one of the boxes though.
I have no problem with mice. They make sweet little contained pets for those who want them. Here, they can live outdoors as long as they stay out of my grains. If they get into the livestock feed shed, it's game on. If they come into my house, it's war! As long as God gives me strength, ANYTHING that comes into my home and steals from my family is not going to fare well. Our seed-stealing invader did not last long once I discovered the issue, and I spotted the destruction fairly quickly. I lost two seed packets.
Fed up, I decided then and there that I was going to redo the seeds into something chew-proof. So, I made some cosmetic jar purchases and rounded up some things I had saved for "just in case." I save all glass jars and bottles that have a lid because there are so many uses for them. I also save old bottles that held pills and had a few Rx bottles someone gave me. I also purchased some 4 ounce canning jars.
I changed everything over to appropriate-sized containers, and I am happier about it. It takes up less space and is much easier for me to manage. I don't have to bend over under the stairs and shuffle the file boxes anymore. My husband, right after his chainsaw injury, made me a double-decker rolling wooden cart that comes out very easily. It makes more efficient use of the space too. The top is for my cool-season seeds with some tools and fertilizers. The bottom is full of warm-season seeds with a few other gardening tools. It worked out so well, I KIND OF happy the mouse came so I'd redo it this way. Kind of.
I was also really happy when I realized I had enough corn seeds to fill up a spaghetti jar. :-)
Anyway, that is what I decided to go to once the field mouse invited himself to my seed buffet. I think it is going to work out even better than the folder system. As I was working, I remembered my paternal grandmother, Elsie aka Buttercup, kept hers in containers also. She kept some Sevin dust inside to keep the bugs away. I add DE to mine.
Happy Gardening to all!
