Reuse silica gel packets when storing your garden seeds

You know those little packets of silica gel desiccant that fall out of vitamin bottles and shoe boxes? Toss them into a tight-fitting glass jar (an old pickle jar, etc.) along with your packets of garden seeds, and store the whole thing in a cool, dark location. Your seeds will last longer when kept at low humidity.

Related: Gardening with kids

Comments

[carmie]

Those silica packets are also great for (sometimes) saving cell phones dropped in water. Put them in an airtight container with the phone and give it a day or so...it's worked twice for me in the past! It didn't save the digital camera, though.

[Robin K Hayles]

Great hack - thanks!!

[Asha Dornfest]

Brill! I'm going to promote this to full hack status -- everyone should know that! Thanks, Carmie.

[Robyn]

I have dropped my smartphone (Droid) in the bathtub. I took out the battery immediately and covered phone and battery in rice. Left it for two days and it works perfectly.

After plenty of research, electrical items can get wet BUT they cannot have electrical impulses go through the wiring or connection, that when shorts happen. So if you get something electrical wet, let it dry completly without touching a button or turning it on, and it should be good to go.

[Sarah]

They're also good if you're into cake decorating, it keep the moisture out of any fondant you need to store.