HOW TO START SEED BANK FOR YOUR GARDEN OR FIELD

The earth’s environment is constantly changing. Extreme weather patterns, over-exploited ecosystems, lost Habitats, and human carelessness constantly threaten the stability of Plant Biodiversity. Conservation techniques, like the creation of seed banks and exchange programs, are helping to preserve plant varieties including food crops and ancient Heirloom Seeds species.
A seed bank stores seeds to preserve genetic diversity. It is a type of gene bank. Most seed banks are publicly funded and seeds are usually available for research that benefits the public. But if you want or having  interest  to starts your own seeds Bank for your field or for your home garden you can do it very easily

HOW TO START A SEED BANK

Before you start a seed bank you need to decide what seeds you want to save. I suggest saving seeds of fruits and veggies that are favorites in your societies and following those up with lesser-liked varieties for use “just-in-case”. It is a good idea to save seeds for grains as well after you have started building your fruit & veggie seed stash. The easiest seeds to save are ones that are open-pollinated heirloom or self-pollinated (tomatoes, peppers, beans, and peas, okra, wheat, rice, Maize, Soybeans, Etc  ) varieties. It is not recommended to save hybrid seeds because the seeds are often sterile or produce traits that are different from the parent plant.

START A SEED BANK WITH SEEDS FROM YOUR OWN FIELD OR GARDEN.

You can start saving seeds from your own garden now. This is a great way to save money on next year’s garden and to save for the long-term future. Make sure that you are choosing seeds from healthy plants and harvest these seeds near the end of the growing season when they are mature. You must be sure to preserve the seeds properly or they will not even last until the next growing season. You can scroll down a bit to see preservation techniques. Typically, seeds saved from a personal garden or field can last up to about 3 years

 START A SEED BANK FROM LOCALLY GROWN FRUITS, VEGGIES, & GRAIN CROPS

If you don’t have your own garden or field, then you can visit your local farmer’s market. Seeds can be saved from fruits and veggies grown by other farmers just like they would be saved from your own garden. However, you should be aware of how the crops were grown and the specific variety of each so that you are only saving seeds that match your preference.
The issue with this method of seed saving for your personal seed bank is that the fruits & vegetables were probably not picked as mature plants at the end of the growing season. You will have to be discerning when choosing this way so you don’t end up with a seed bank full of unviable seeds.
It is important to label your seed packs properly and keep them organized so that you always know what you have on hand.

 
.PREPARING SEEDS FOR STORAGE

Wet seeds are seeds that are found inside fleshy fruits and vegetables. When “wet” plants fall to the ground in nature, they ferment as they rot. Since we are essentially removing these plants from that natural fermentation, it is vital to mimic it if we want the seeds to be viable in the future.
We can mimic natural fermentation by removing as many seeds from the fleshy material as possible and placing them into a bucket or bowl of water for 2-4 days. During this time, the seeds with go through fermentation which will separate good seeds from bad seeds as well as removing germination-inhibiting substances such as viruses & mold. You should find that the good seeds sink while the bad seeds, mold, and pulp float to the top. Remove the good seeds after fermentation and dry them thoroughly. You can now place them in the freezer to be sure that any pests still hanging around are killed.
Dry seeds are found on plants that do not have a fleshy covering (beans, peas, peppers, herbs, etc).  Allow these seeds to dry as much as possible while still on the plant. They can finish drying in a single layer in a dry room or in a solar oven. Now you can remove the pods or other outer coverings/shells/chaff. If you have plants that have tiny seeds, such as herbs, place the head of the plant into a bag and shake. The bag will catch the seeds as they fall out

 HOW TO STORE SEEDS FOR THE LONG-TERM

When you start a seed bank, you want to be sure that your storage containers will keep moisture, bugs, and rodents out. Use air-tight containers like mason jars. Add silica gel or powdered milk wrapped in cheesecloth to help absorb any moisture that might get into the container.
Label seed containers clearly so that you know what you are planting. You can use pre-made seed pack labels to keep your seeds properly labeled. Store your labeled seed containers in a cool, dark, and dry place.

TEST SEED VIABILITY BEFORE PLANTING

Before you plant seeds that you have saved, wrap them gently in a damp paper towel. Place them in a plastic bag with a small opening for air in a warm and well-lit room. If they start to sprout, they are viable and ready to be planted. If you want to plant more seeds than you can put in this paper towel, just try this method with 10 seeds to determine the germination rate. For example, if only 4 seeds out of ten sprouts, then your germination rate is 40%… If 9 sprout, then you have a 90% germination rate.