Keeping seeds

I've found another free packet of seeds that my daughter wants to grow. Pumpkins this time.
Now i don't want to make the same mistake as the gourds, and plant about a hundred of them, so I thought I might plant just 2 or 3.

Will the rest of the seeds in the packet keep until next year if I seal them up?

Because if they won't, I'll just plant them all and try to give away the excess.

 

There should be a 'best before' date of some sort on the packet - even free ones. That said, providing you seal up the foil packet, exclude the air, keep it in the dark and preferably somewhere cool/cold, I reckon your seeds should be fine next year - some vegetable seeds can remain viable for up to 5 or 6 years (depending on how they're treated in the interim).

 

Thank you! It says 2013, so I'll seal the extras up and keep them in the shed.

 

Whilst not recommending it I leave all my seeds in an open shoebox on my desk by the window. They get the sun for at least half the day. Some packets have been there fore 3 or 4 years and still germinate.

Putting them in an airtight box in the fridge (NOT freezer) would be better. Damp and Temperature are the two things that will reduce their viability.

I have Squash seed that has germinated OK for 3 years, so I expect Pumpkin will be OK next year, at least.

 

I'm still germinating seeds from a marrow grown in 2006 with about 75% success, but they are now taking about a week or so longer than those saved a year or so ago, and I have to sow quite a few seeds from one harvested in 2004 to get any to germinate. Seeds stored in paper envelopes in a plastic biscuit box.

Not pumpkins, but still squashes, although pumpkin seeds can get more difficult to germinate properly, but scratching away the edge of the seed casing at the 'pointy end' can help it break out.