how old is seeds

I have seeds I have tried from years past like 2006 some germinate others don't. How old is seeds? A friend got seeds from a trader from 2006 mg seeds. They came in sealed packs. Do you think they are viable? I know this question has been asked but I cant find the thread. Thanks Marie

yes, if they have been stored dry and above freezing and below or around average room temperature

Generally, MG seeds are viable 5 - 10 years, although much older MG seeds have been successfully germinated

This message was edited Feb 28, 2011 11:41 AM

thanks

Hi Rie, sorry about the dry, gothic presentation - hope your seeds do well for you. I do think that old seeds need extra care, although not sure how much difference it might actually make. So, for me, the baggy method with a dash of hydrogen peroxide in the water that I soak the seeds in and later moisten the coffee filter with works well (see MG sticky index). But others have favorite ways of doing this too, so hopefully they'll chime in here.

karen

Marie - I've had great success with seeds as old as 6 years. So I see no reason that yours won't germinate and grow. Storage is always a good indicator whether they will be viable or not. I'd grow a few out to see what happens. Maybe you could try a different method for each seed to see which works the best. I agree with Karen that soaking them in a hydrogen peroxide & water mix is a good idea. But I also just plant them in a good sterile potting mix in a styrofoam cup and put them in the sun. Just make sure to check them daily for moisture needs. They will wilt really fast if the soil gets too dried out. You can also water them with a little hydrogen peroxide added to the water. Just a drop or two. It helps prevent fungus/bacteria growth which is what usually kills most seedlings or causes seed rot.

Marie, my seeds are quite old too, some are from 2002 and 2003 onward, I'm concentrating on growing my 2004 JMG seeds so that they at least provide a few back to me before they get too old and don't germinate at all.

I keep mine double packed, all of my seeds are double packed or triple packed. They are in a baggie, then back inside the package it came in, then that goes into a larger baggie that is filed inside a cardboard box that keeps more light out. I really think light and air will damage the seeds, and also they need to be kept where it doesn't get hot.

I'm curious as to how others package their seeds to store them. I took mine out of the binders I had them in and put them into black colored card board boxes (It took me a couple of days to do it), even though I could see through the plastic sleeves, I was obtaining too many binders and they take up too much of my shelf space. So the boxes work for me.

My seeds are still in binders and so far just about everything that I have planted has germinated. They are also kept in a cool area. I would think that light, heat, and moisture would be the things to avoid for storage.