Seed CHART: How Long Will My Seeds Last?

packyderms_wife

packyderms_wife

Neither here nor there.
hiwall said:
Thank you.
Click to expand...

You're welcome, feel free to add any info you may have on the topic. I've planted tomato seeds that were left out in the open over 12 years and they still germinated and produced fruit. Damned chipmunks beat me to the tomatoes though.
 
jward

jward

passin' thru
Seed Viability tests...

www.theprairiehomestead.com

How to Test Seeds for Viability | The Prairie Homestead

Learn how to test seeds for viability to make sure you aren't planting a bunch of duds in your garden! This simple test can help you save time and money.
www.theprairiehomestead.com www.theprairiehomestead.com
rockinwhomestead.com

3 Reliable Seeds Germination Tests for the Home Gardener | Rockin W Homestead

How can you tell if a seed is still viable? Here are 3 reliable seed germination tests you can take to see if there is life left in your old seed packets.
rockinwhomestead.com rockinwhomestead.com
 
S

summerthyme

Administrator
_______________
That chart is pretty optimistic. I wish they had better defined "good storage". Sweet corn (especially the supersweet hybrids) has a short lifespan, *unless you freeze it*. However, if you freeze it in glass jars or mylar bags, (plastic bags aren't impermeable, and allow seeds to dry out over time) it will store at least 10 years. I know that because I've been planting sweet corn seed from 2008 and 2009... and I just term tested a pound of Kandy Korn seed that tested 100% germination!

But I've never gotten onions to last more than 2 years (and 2 year old seed has 50% germination or less) even stored in our cool, dry basement that stays around 60 degrees. I'm not sure if freezing them would have improved it much.

Summerthyme
 
packyderms_wife

packyderms_wife

Neither here nor there.
summerthyme said:
That chart is pretty optimistic. I wish they had better defined "good storage". Sweet corn (especially the supersweet hybrids) has a short lifespan, *unless you freeze it*. However, if you freeze it in glass jars or mylar bags, (plastic bags aren't impermeable, and allow seeds to dry out over time) it will store at least 10 years. I know that because I've been planting sweet corn seed from 2008 and 2009... and I just term tested a pound of Kandy Korn seed that tested 100% germination!

But I've never gotten onions to last more than 2 years (and 2 year old seed has 50% germination or less) even stored in our cool, dry basement that stays around 60 degrees. I'm not sure if freezing them would have improved it much.

Summerthyme
Click to expand...

Interesting, I've often wondered about the viability of those seeds in that vault in Norway. I've yet to freeze any seeds, never occurred to me to do so.
 
S

summerthyme

Administrator
_______________
Yeah... I've been doing this for over 40 years, and it's always been for subsistence, not a hobby (I love it and enjoy all the steps in gardening, but if I don't grow and preserve food, we don't eat!) And I've got a weird brain, so it's been natural for me to keep records and do experiments.

Temperature definitely has a huge effect on seed longevity. Heat will kill them dead in under an hour. I found that out the hard way... one year I was planting a 50 foot row of sunflowers. I stopped halfway through to fix lunch, then went back to planting the rest of the row. It never occurred to me that I'd left the glass jar of seed in the sun! It wasn't really a warm day... probably in the 50's.

The seeds planted before lunch germinated close to 100%. The ones planted after lunch were totally dead...

Summerthyme
 
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AlaskaSue

AlaskaSue

North to the Future
Thank you! I started harvesting seeds from my garden including herbs....but a LOT to learn. This is great info :)
 
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