Seed viabilty

I'm just going through all the seeds I've got, approx. 40 packets! Some are from last year and some the year before, basically things I either never got round to sowing or half packets where I didn't sow them all.

They've been kept in an unheated greenhouse and although it doesn't get surface frost, it does go below 0C regularly if it's very cold.

Will seeds of things like courgette, cucumber and other non hardy plants still be viable?

I know the simple answer is to sow them and see, but I don't want to waste time and space with a greenhouse full of pots if they're never going to germinate.

Does anyone have any experience of growing old seeds (and especially tender ones which have been kept in a very cold greenhouse :D).

Thanks in advance.

 

Hello Fletch, most seeds are perfectly viable for a few years so you shouldn't have any problems with your courgettes etc.
The one exception is parsnips - they must have fresh seed. Old seed is duff.

If you want to check the viabilty of seeds to save wasting time and space then you can do this -

wet a sheet of kitchen paper (really damp)
fold it in quarter
on one side lay a few seeds from your packet and fold the damp paper over them
put the paper in a freezer bag, clip it closed and put it somewhere warm (the airing cupboard or boiler cupboard)
Check daily. If you see little white shoots coming out of the seeds they are viable and the others left in the packet will be fine. You can plant the ones with the shoots if you want to.
I usually use this method for parsnips to avoid the waste of seeds which don't germinate.

A slightly different way of doing the same thing is to put the damp kitchen paper scrumpled up in a glass jar. Put some seeds on the scrumpled paper and put a lid on the jar. Put it in a warm place and check daily for shoots. I used this method this year for my peanuts.

Hope this helps.

 

Hi Alice,

What a brilliant idea! I never would have thought of that.

Thanks very much.

 

brilliant alice. Had heard of that method used to startnlarger seeds but never thoght to use it as check excellent.

 

Personally unless the seed is stored properly, there are very few that I would bother with for a second year.
Tomato being an exception, I find it lasts forever, but not if kept in a greenhouse, put in a drawer in the house it will last for at least 10yrs.

As Alice says you can always check germination if you want.

 

Top tip Alice..thank you.

Steve...

 

I too have lots of half used packets .Thankyou Alice.