Real Talk: Seed Shortages and how to Handle Them

The 2020 pandemic revealed that many of us were unaware of how our food grows and how it's distributed. Most of us hadn't either heard of or considered the 'supply chain'. As the world's economies try to recover from the C-19 disruption, we often look back in amazement and horror at how easy it was for it all to fall apart. Once it became apparent that we had a full blown pandemic on our hands, panic buying started and many entered quarantine. Almost immediately shoppers were greeted with sparsely filled shelves and higher prices. People began to worry how long this would last and if they would have food security. And just like that, vegetable seeds began to disappear from the shelves as well. When people couldn't buy seeds in person, they ordered online. Seed suppliers couldn't keep up with the demand. Between not having enough staff to fulfill orders and shipping issues, online retailers were drained. Eventually site after site greeted anxious buyers with 'Out of Stock' messages displayed on their homepages.

While it seems the worst days are behind us, many people's sense of food security has been shaken. Even people who had never thought about starting a garden began looking into growing their own food. Now that we have a little bit of distance from the pandemic we are left wondering; what if a war, a famine, a natural disaster or another pandemic strikes? Will another plant and seed shortage occur? Will this time be worse? Will I be ready?

Always remember: you don't have to get ready, if you stay ready.

Buy your seeds ahead of time. Even if you don't think you will ever use them, even if you think its a waste of money, buy them.

• When it comes to money: Do what feels best for you. Some people buy in bulk, others like to buy over time. While everyone's finances are different, with a little planning buying seeds doesn't have to break the bank. There are brands and stores that offer low cost seed packets. For my fellow Americans, this is where the Dollar Tree/Dollar General store comes in clutch. They sell 4 for a dollar seeds. As you can guess, as soon as they hit the shelves the seeds sell out pretty fast. In my area the seeds tend to show up mid to late February. And speaking of February...

• Start early: Retailers seem to be setting out spring and summer gardening items out earlier than they used to. I live in Zone 8 and I tend to see seed stands come out around mid to late February. I try to buy seeds for the upcoming season at least 2 months before the season hits.

• Buy seeds all year, for all seasons: Businesses often focus on Spring and Summer as the go to seasons for growing food. This is the time where you will find sales and an abundance of seeds for sale. Places like Walmart, Target, Home Depot and Lowes tend to remove seed displays around August but during the 'on' season will sell seeds for warm and cool weather. This time frame will allow you to buy your fall/winter seeds ahead of time. Major retailers ignore that you can plant and harvest in the Fall and Winter. Online retailers, on the other hand, sell seeds all year long and can be a convenient option. Just keep in mind the shipping. Sometimes shipping can make your purchase more expensive than if you purchased in store.

• Store them properly: Do this if you want to squeeze as much shelf life out of your seeds as possible. Seed packets will come with a sell by date. Usually you are advised to plant the seeds within a year of that but seeds properly stored can last for a few years. Seed banks are a great option. The key components to seed longevity are a cool, even temperature, a moisture free environment and total darkness.

• Don't forget your pots: Everyone's situation is different but remember to have what you need to grow the seeds on hand. Have the appropriate tools, pots and soil ready for when they are needed.

WELP, I either got caught in a shortage seedless or I'm low on stock, now what?

Things happen and sometimes you get caught off guard. It happens, so don't fret

just yet.

• If seedless, look in those nooks and crannies: Think of all of the places you have ever seen carry seeds and head there. Try online retailers, grocery stores, hardware stores (large corporate to mom and pop), local plant nurseries, local seed and feed farm supply shops. If that's still coming up dry try contacting your local co-operative extension to ask about local resources. Farmer's markets and events/communities that revolve around gardening can help. You can also contact your local library and see if they have a seed library. Ask your neighbors, family or good friends if they have any to spare.

• Strike a balance between seed production and vegetable/fruit harvest: If you only have a few seeds, you may want to save at least one healthy plant for seed harvesting. Oftentimes we do not know how long a food shortage/scarcity situation will last so even if you have an okay inventory, it is a good idea to grow a plant or two for seeds anyway. Please remember: it is best to save seeds from heirloom, non-hybrid plants. If you have already been gardening, see if any of the varieties you've been growing are heirlooms. Heirlooms grow true to type every generation, meaning, if I grow a tomato and harvest the seeds. The tomato grown from that will be exactly the same. Be careful, however, if you've planted different heirlooms of the same type (3 different tomatoes planted within pollination range) those seeds will be hybridized. Google seed saving techniques to find the best option for you.

• Clone mature plants or take cuttings: If you are already growing plants or know someone who is, you may be able to clone them or take cuttings. Some examples are:

  • Sweet potatoes. They create sprouts called 'slips'. Place the sweet potato in water or a moist growing medium and wait for offshoots (the slips) to grow. Once they are 4 to 5 inches you snap these off, place them in water and wait for roots to form.

  • Potatoes. Look for a potato with at least 2 'eyes'. Plant the potato eyes side up.

  • Tomatoes. In between the main stem and the leaf's stem a small little leaf called a sucker will grow. If you let these grow to be 2 inches or larger on the plant, you can snap it off, root it in water and create another tomato plant.

Once you have mature plants, like mentioned above, strike the balance between what

you will eat and what you will save.

• Make friends; sharing is caring: Preferably, do this step BEFORE things go south. Think of this step as being a part of a plant pot-luck. Maybe one person has seeds, another person has plants and another has the space to grow a lot of plants. If you can find people you trust and are in this with you, with a little planning, the group can turn the situation around. The importance of having a great support system came to the forefront during the pandemic. When times are lean, it's great to have like minded and caring people on your side. Be considerate, be kind, and be fair. Pull your weight in the situation. If each person adheres to that, you will be able to make it. If you don't know someone who gardens, look to social media sites that can connect you to like minded people.

• If desperate use store or farmer's market items: Of the 2 options, I prefer the farmer's market. In lean times farmer's market produce will sell out fast but if you can catch them, you can find out information such as what variety the plant is and if it was chemically treated. As I pointed out before, you want heirloom varieties so you can save the seed. If the farmer's market doesn't work and you have exhausted all of your other options, head to your local super market. We see on social media posts about how easy it is to regrow some vegetables from scraps or how you can use the seeds from purchased produce. While some of these cases may be true, the results are a mixed bag and should be one of your last options. In stores, non organic produce is sprayed with different kinds of chemicals that keep pests away but also can delay sprouting in seeds and offshoot growth.
  

  • Notes on choosing store bought produce: For the best results, go for organic. Sometimes you can figure out the cultivar/variety of whatever fruit, vegetable, herb you are planting by carefully inspecting the packaging. Sometimes the variety of the item is in the title. Unless 'heirloom' is plastered on the front, the vegetable you're buying is probably a hybrid. Hybrid seeds are popular amongst commercial growers because of disease resistances and yields attributed to that seed. If times are desperate enough, any safe and edible food is better than none.
    

Here are the three last things to keep in mind.

• Do not forget about Time, Effort and Education: Even if you have seeds, crops take TIME to mature, EFFORT to grow and EDUCATION on how to be successful at it.

  • Time. Many plants will take at least 1 and a half to 2 months to mature. What will you eat in that time-frame?

  • Effort. Some plants are set it and forget, while others require a little or a lot more, attention. It will require consistency. When starting out gardening, you will make mistakes and it feels terrible when you've put in a lot of work into growing something and it dies. Even advanced growers can have this problem but a set back like that is very stressful when in a scarcity situation. Even if its on a small scale, practice. One plant every month or so will be helpful.

  • Education. Having seeds is an advantage but you will be at a disadvantage if you don't know what to do. Some crops prefer cooler temperatures, some have long growing seasons, others have varieties that aren't suited to your soil or growing zone. Do you know HOW much to grow? You have to be informed about what you're doing. Buy books, watch Youtube videos, take classes from your local cooperative extension, anything!

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Seed shortages can be very stressful to navigate but hopefully with some quick thinking, preparation and a little luck, you will be able to make it through.