Seed Inventory Sheet

Who this is for

A record of every seed packet you own. Each row takes the crop, the variety, the year it was bought and how many packets there are, with columns for a germination test so you know before sowing whether an old packet is still worth the ground.

Gardeners with a seed tin that has got out of hand, seed savers, and anyone who has bought a third packet of something they already had two of.

What this helps you track

• What seed you actually have, by crop and variety, before you order more
• How old each packet is, from the year you bought or saved it
• The result of a germination test — seeds sown, seeds up, and the percentage
• Total packets and how many varieties have been tested, at a glance

How to use it

1. Go through the tin once and give each variety a row: crop, variety, year bought or saved, and the number of packets.
2. Before the season, test any packet you are unsure of: sow a counted number on damp paper or in a tray, count what comes up, and write both figures in.
3. The browser and spreadsheet versions work out the germination percentage and count the packets; on paper, divide the two counts yourself.
4. Use the notes column for where the packet came from, whether it was saved from your own plants, and whether to reorder.
5. Cross off rows as packets are used up and add new ones as they arrive.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

How long do seeds keep?

It varies a great deal by crop and by how they have been stored, which is why the sheet asks for a test result rather than giving a rule. A test on a damp paper towel tells you more about your packet than any table would.

How many seeds should I test?

Enough to make the percentage meaningful and few enough that you can spare them. Write down exactly how many you sowed; the percentage is only as good as the count.

Can I record saved seed as well as bought?

Yes. Put the year you saved it in the year column and note the parent plant or source in the notes. Saved seed benefits most from a test, since nobody has done one for you.

Is this the same as the seed stock sheet?

The seed stock and viability record on this site is a printable with a similar purpose. This version adds the calculating columns and a spreadsheet, and pairs with the planting planner and harvest log.