Frequently Asked Questions

GMO stands for “genetically modified organism” - any organism that has been changed using genetic engineering techniques. All of our seeds are non-GMO and have not been genetically modified.

Open-pollinated seeds are pollinated through a natural process (animals, wind, or even self-pollination). Open-pollinated seeds breed true, which means that the seeds will continue to produce the same plant, as long as they are not accidentally cross-pollinated with another variety.

Hybrid seeds will create a plant that produces seeds that revert back to a prior species of parent plant instead of breeding true. All of our seeds are open-pollinated rather than hybrid varieties so that you can save future seeds and get reliable results.

Heirloom seeds are the types of seeds your grandparents grew. These varieties have been passed down from generation to generation. They’re old reliable open-pollinated varieties that aren’t typically grown commercially. Instead, they have a rich history that predates modern breeding techniques.

You can learn more about open-pollinated, heirloom, and non-GMO seeds in our Survival Garden Training blog.

The majority of our seeds are sourced in the United States, with a few exceptions when the seed is difficult to source domestically. Whenever we do have to source outside of the US, we ensure our seeds are safe to grow, non-GMO varieties that meet our standards for germination and reliability.

No, we do not pre-treat our farmer seeds. All of our garden seeds for sale are untreated, open-pollinated, non-GMO, and heirloom varieties. They are kept in temperature-controlled cooler storage until they are packed and shipped to keep them pest and disease-free.

We sell by weight for greater accuracy. We also pick the carefully chosen varieties to create the best survival seed vault possible, instead of aiming for a higher seed count by choosing only varieties with smaller seeds

Flower seed packets and herb seed packets are a part of our survival seed vault collections because of their usefulness and versatility. These plants often have culinary and medicinal uses that will help in survival situations. We think the best survival food is the food you’ll enjoy eating, and herbs especially help add flavor and nutrition to your kitchen table.

Additionally, many herbs and flowers are useful companion plants that can attract pollinators, enrich your garden soil, deter pests, increase yields, and more. We think every survival gardener should grow more than just vegetable garden seeds!

The seeds in the Home Garden, Homesteader, and Farmer Heirloom Seed Vault Collections are specifically chosen from varieties that can be successfully grown from Zone 3 to Zone 10 USDA Hardiness Zones. However, individual varieties have specific needs to thrive in different environments. Each seed pack has optimal temperatures for germination and instructions on seed starting. Consult local frost dates to plan your garden and get the most out of your seeds.

Our seeds will generally last for 3-10 years if they are appropriately stored in a cool, dry place. However, we encourage you to grow your survival seeds within a year or two of purchase. This yields the best germination rates possible and also gives you more experience growing survival food now. At the end of the growing season, follow the instructions on the back of each packet for saving seeds for future gardens. These new seeds for survival will be more adapted to thrive in the growing conditions where you are.

Keep seeds in a dry, cool place. The refrigerator is an ideal spot for long-term storage and can keep your vegetable garden seeds in the optimal range of 32-41°. Protect your seed packets from moisture by storing them in a moisture-proof container, such as the zip pack that comes with our survival seed kit 30 and 50 pack collections

Different types of seeds have different shelf lives, so label when you bought or collected your seed so that you know which packets are older and which you need to use first.

Feel free to reach out to us at service@survivalgardenseeds.com for help, and we will give you the individual attention you deserve. We will take a look at what went wrong and do our best to make things right.

You can find more information in our Return Policy.

Our seeds are specifically chosen for their proven germination rates, however, if your seeds aren't sprouting as expected contact us at service@survivalgardenseeds.com for help.