Seeds from 1998, Are they still good?

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Have a number of seeds from 1998 that range from lettuce to bean and squash seeds. Hate to throw them away. Will any of them work??

-- Bill Porter (porboy298@yahoo.com), March 10, 2002

Answers

Put about 10 on a damp paper towel, roll up, put in a plastic bag. Check daily, see how many sprout. I used some seeds from 1995 that germinated in 2 days. It does depend on the seeds and how they were stored, but it's certainly worth a try! Good luck! Amy

-- Amy (kimico@aol.com), March 10, 2002.

Some seeds keep better than others. You might be out of luck with the lettuce seeds. What Amy suggested is the best way so you don't waste time planting them if they don't germinate good.

-- Dave (multiplierx9@hotmail.com), March 10, 2002.

I just started a bunch of different seeds, some of which were from 1995 and 1996, including lettuce and arugula and they seem to have germinated pretty well. You might not get 100% germination, but it is well worth planting them.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), March 10, 2002.

I once took some old seeds and placed them in between two dampened paper towels. After a couple of days I rolled the top layer off and transplanted any seed that germinated into a growing tray.

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), March 10, 2002.

We are using some old seeds this year as well, but we'll be sowing them with some newer ones, so we're sure we'll get something! ;)

-- heather (h.m.metheny@att.net), March 11, 2002.


The record for me was great germination from 10 year old tomato seeds. The variety was Tiny Tim.

-- HV (veggie@ourplace.com), March 11, 2002.

I had 10-year old onion seed germinate this year; they were in one of those protected pouches Burpee puts in their seed packets. For old seed I just dump in all in a pot and see what happens. I usually start it earlier than I would new seed because germination of old seed sometimes takes longer, and if it doesn't germinate there's still time to plant new seed.

-- Katherine in KY (KyKatherine @ Yahoo.com), March 11, 2002.

Thanks to all of you for your info. I will use your ideas and use what I can.

-- Bill Porter (porboy298@yahoo.com), March 11, 2002.

Plant them. If they don't come up, re-plant with something else. Parsnips are the worst for not germinating from old seed. Many others, beans, squash, tomatoes, will grow from very old seeds, I have planted tomato seeds that were from the 80'and had them come up!

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), March 11, 2002.

Rebekah has it pretty well explained. Depends upon what type of seed you are talking about. Parsnips, as mentioned above, usually only last a year. Same with corn. Some will germinate at 2 years, but the per centage will be dreadful. Curcubits (most vine crops) are good for 3 to 5 years. Tomatoes are nearly indestructible! I've had good germination from 10 year old seeds, properly stored. I'm keeping some separate to see what they do at 15 years. GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), March 12, 2002.


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