The source catalogs just keep rollingin . All the incredible pictures accompanied by irresistible gourmet description . But before filling out the rules of order form or hitting an on-line seed land site , there ’s one uncompleted task : seed inventory , those left over seeds from age past . As I dig though the seed box , I am amazed to befinding seeds that are 5 and 6 years old and older . Before order new ejaculate , there ’s that nagging motion , are the seeds good , will they spud and grow if planted ? I do n’t desire to buy more if they are good .
Where to start : look at the packet . Most ejaculate company pigeonhole it with a “ packaged for ” date . Some years ago , I got into the habit of write the year on the seed packet because sometimes when I open up the packet , I rip through the packing escort , rendering the parcel date indecipherable . I bump that writing the date on the package when I buy or have them in the postal service is a form of insurance . The next gradation : do I retrieve the variety ? Did it perform up to my expectations or the expectations created by those tremendous verbal description in the seed catalogue ? My married woman and I have had many a disputation on how certain assortment performed ; were they good performing artist , just okay performers or a total letdown ? Memory often becomes a little dazed when trying to recall how a sure variety performed last gardening season and what happen 3 - 4 years ago . There have been many interesting conversation about planting of age germ which usually ends with a show - show-stopper my married woman brings out from time to time , “ Well , if they were so great , why do we still have seeds leave behind over from 8 years ago ? ” To which my only intellectual reply is , “ Obviously , we ran out of garden space . ” Of course , rereading the seed descriptions in the catalog are of little service , all of the form described in the germ catalogs look and fathom like amazing gourmet delicacy . The only true way of figure out the mystery is goingback to the garden journaland checking out my note . Hopefully , I entered a detailed description on how well each sort performed that year , and whether or not to plant that variety again . So I grab the “ ACE ” tomato semen packet boat label 2009 and I go searching for my 2009 daybook . Over the yr I have add up to the conclusion that a garden journal may be the most overlooked and worthful garden putz in a gardener ’s quiver .
Having retrieved my 2009 journal , I recover the “ ACE ” tomato incoming : outstanding performer , prolific , beautiful fruit , marvellous penchant . No admiration I hung onto the seeds . Now the next query is : are the seeds still good ? A brace of ingredient derive in to play , but the most of import factor is the variety , since some vegetable varieties have a longer shelf - spirit than other varieties .
Viability of Vegetable Seeds
( fair number of years seed may be save up )
Vegetable Years Vegetable Years
Asparagus 3 Leek 2
Bean 3 Lettuce 6
Beet 4 Muskmelon 5
Broccoli 3 Mustard 4
Brussels sprouts 4 Okra 2
Cabbage 4 Onion 1
Carrot 3 Parsley 1
Cauliflower 4 Parsnip 1
Celery 3 Pea 3
Formosan cabbage 3 Pepper 2
Collard 5 Pumpkin 4
Corn , dulcet 2 Radish 5
Cress , water 5 Rutabaga 4
Cucumber 5 Spinach 3
Eggplant 4 Squash 4
witloof 5 Tomato 4
Kale 4 Turnip 4
Kohlrabi 3
Chart embrace from Virginia Cooperative Extension Publication
The second variableis how they were salt away . Moisture , heat , and fluctuating temperatures are a semen ’s worst enemy . Conditions of the essence to good ejaculate storage are just the opposite of those that are required for serious germination . right sprouting appears when water and atomic number 8 are present at a favourable temperature , so rid of these elements to ensure a long ledge life for your esteem source . Do n’t simply abandon your leftover packets to the elements by leave them in a garden shed . Seeds that are salt away in moisture- and vaporisation - proof container in a cool , dark area will last at least a year , and if the container is store below 40ºF. , as in a refrigerator or freezer , the ledge life history may be extended . On the other hand , if the semen mail boat were merely stuck in a box and adjust on a shelf in the garage or the mud room where they were exposed to last summer ’s tropic heat and humidity , even long - live seeds might not bourgeon well .
So what to do ? Gamble on the old seeds or purchase new ones?There is childlike wayto carry on a home sprouting run on the leftover seeds . To find whether a package of seeds will germinate and develop , perform this unproblematic home germination trial :
Now back to the mysteryof why I had those rattling ACE Lycopersicon esculentum seed in my seed inventory so long . As I was researching another tomato variety from 2011 , I found I had replaced the ACE variety with a wonderful Cherokee Purple heirloom variety . The “ ACE ” seeds were stored in the freezer and I am going to do a sprouting test . If they germinate , I can always find way in the garden for one more love apple plant . I ’m guessing the germination test will pass with flying colors , thanks to the freezer . I often smile at a package of Rutgers seed that I purchased in 2001 that have been hive away in the freezer and which still have a sprouting rate of 70 - 80 per centum .
Thanks for stopping byThe Garden Shed . We are look forward to your visit next month .
beginning :
“ Seed for the Garden , ” Virginia Cooperative Extension , Publication 426 - 316,pubs.ext.vt.edu/426 - 316
“ How to Test your Stored Seed for Germination , ” Oregon State University Cooperative Extension , extension.oregonstate.edu//how - prove - your - stored - ejaculate - sprouting
“ Home Germination Testing , ” Seed Savers Exchange , www.seedsavers.org / HomeGermTests
