Topic: Old seeds.

[grannyjanny]

I promised a neighbour some verbena bonariensis plants from the garden but they seem to be a bit thin on the ground. I had a look in my seed trunk ;D & came across a packet of seeds use by 1994. I've just gone to put my little cluckers to bed & had a peek & low & behold they have sprouted.

[goodlife]

 :o Last night in One Show they were talking about use/sell by dates..and how food past it dates is still ok to eat...well -94... ::) and still good enough for use ::)
Mind though last year I found unused bag of stevia leaves that I bought few years earlier...as I was emptying the bag to take it to the compost bin..I noticed there were something that looked like seeds..yes I did sow some ::) Now stevia should be quite difficult to get to germinate... ::) Several came through. ;D And that bag had to travel across the world..been lying around forgotten years, not in ideal conditions for seeds...and still some viable... ::)
Tough little things..

[Jeannine]

I have just germinated 2 out of 3 ,18year old Squash seeds,, it is always worth a try

XX Jeannine

[redcoat]

I am very mean with seeds and keep them for a very long time.  If it is important to germinate seeds by a certain time of year I test them for viability a few weeks before hand. 

Just put a few seeds on damp kitchen paper in a 'tupperware' box and leave in the dark for a few days.  Depending on the percentage that have germinated, I can decide whether or not to buy new seeds.

Oh yes, the ones that have germinated inevitably are put into some compost to be grown on.  Waste not want not!