Yardsmart: Save your seeds

My breath mints of choice are Altoids because I'm a small-budget gardener. The size and shape of these small, tin boxes are perfect for storing seeds.

Because these are metal tins, they do not easily crush or soften with moisture like cardboard. They don't become soft or brittle with time like plastic. The tin lid snaps shut with an audible click so I know it's sealed. All this is so important because I've lost thousands of improperly stored seeds due to moisture and dehydration.

Altoid tins are about the size of a large pack of gum, flat on the top and bottom, and rectangular in shape. This allows them to be stacked efficiently inside a drawer without tipping over. I can get more Altoid boxes in less space than I can plastic prescription medicine bottles, and I don't have to wrestle with childproof lids.

Late summer begins the time for saving seeds. In tough economic times, your ability to find and collect seeds is the best way to grow plants for free. Come winter, seeds also make fine "green" gifts to friends and family. Use paint and decoupage for really cute boxes that offer homemade solutions to holiday shopping. What makes seeds so appealing is the fact that each one of them, from tiny poppy specks to giant pine nuts, contains the spark of life. The miracle is that each one may grow into something as large as a towering oak or as small as a wildflower.

Timing your seed-gathering is important. The longer a seed sits in the open environment, the more chance it may die. Heat, cold, wet, birds, foot traffic and even immediate sprouting can all damage the future of a seed. Therefore, it's vital to collect seeds just as soon as they're released from plants.

Seeds can be collected from your own plants, those of your neighbors or trees, shrubs, vines and perennials that grow around town. One of the best reasons to walk or run for exercise is to become more familiar with what's growing in your neighborhood. Many very fine old plants overhang or abut alleys, streets, sidewalks and parkways, shedding their seeds into the public domain for you to gather. You can also ask the homeowner to gather seeds on the property.

After a plant blooms, keep an eye on the developing pods or seed clusters. When they start to fly or fall to the ground, then the seed is mature for gathering. Don't pick it prematurely and expect the pods to ripen elsewhere.