Old Seed?

Hey Everyone,

Since this is only my 2nd year planting from seed (1st year for winter sowing) I'm wondering what experience you all have had with saving seed for a 2nd year. Some of the seeds I want I've only found in hugemongous quantities and I'm wondering if they'll hold over for a 2nd year. Or would I be better off to just trade give the surplus away? Last year I had near 100% germination with some old pepper and tomato seeds but I realize that they're much bigger than some of my flower seeds which might make a difference?

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Oh, and I'm still looking for apricot double impatiens seed. Thanks for the suggestion Shirley, but I didn't find quite what I wanted at Parks.

La

Most seeds will remain viable for many years.

Karen

I haven't seen double impatiens in apricot in any seed catalog. Swallowtail Gardens has apricot single. Both Burpee and Thompson and Morgan have seeds for doubles but they are mixed colors.

The double impatiens are beautiful. I bought 2 double bicolors (rose and white) at one of the BB garden centers last year. I dug them up and brought them inside before it got cold.... and they are still alive but just barely! Time to try and propagate them by cuttings.

If stored properly in airtight containers with a couple of packets of dessicant (those things that come in shoe boxes or handbags).

It's a shame to have to buy hugemongous quantities of seed. Trading it or giving it away is always a good option. Have you tried posting your wants on the Seed Trading Forum? What are you looking for besides double impatiens seeds? Sorry, Parks had so many varieties that I hoped you would find something you liked.

Thanks all. I was able to find some of the seeds I wanted in smaller quantities on Ebay so I'm going to give that a whirl. No luck with the apricot doubles yet, but I'll keep looking!

My seeds are stored in a shoebox, each type packaged in a zip lock bag. I don't use dessicant, and the seeds keep just fine.

Karen

My seeds are stored in a rectangular plastic container, which I 'burp' to release excess air. I use the packets of dessicant inside my plastic seed box to control the moisture level, so they stay as dry as possible.

Here are a few websites with lists of seed viability - I would take these numbers just as guides, because there are probably variations both in growing seasons from year to year, as well as among gardeners' storage conditions.

https://matcmadison.edu/mchristoffel/plants/seeds/viability.htm

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1995/3-3-1995/seedv.html

http://www.hillgardens.com/seed_longevity.htm (most comprehensive list)

For seed of relatively long viability, I think it would be more economical in the long run to buy larger amounts of seed. I'm surprised at the short viability given for Ipomoea species (morning glory & moon vine) in the 3rd link above, because I have germinated seed of Heavenly Blue older than 5 years, and some folks on the Morning Glory Forum have been germinating seed (Japanese morning glory (Ipomoea nil and possibly its hybrids)) from a 1949 packet bought on an eBay auction. Basil and primrose seed are said And look at the viability numbers for members of the cabbage family in the 2nd link - up to 5 years.

Thanks Blue, those links are very helpful, especially the 3rd one with the most comprehensive list.

Seed guidelines will give you some idea as to the longevity of particular seeds, but it is not written in stone. Yes, the fresher the seed the easier it is to germinate. However, I've germinated seeds that are 4-5+ yrs old. It's worth a try because I feel you have nothing to loose, but a container of soil.

I've read mention several times that seed found in the Pyramids have been found to be viable.

Thank you Blue those are some very helpful sights. I've book marked all of them and stuck them in my "garden folder." How cool it must have been to grow those 60 year old morning glories!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, I've been wondering how long poppy seeds were viable. I got some for winter sowing last year and never go to it. I'll get them sowed this year!

this is great! My husband rediscovered some very old seeds we brought from British Columbia when we moved in 2002. I am not sure how viable they are since they were stored in the basement - not exactly ideal conditions (lots of humidity in the summer) but I will try winter sowing some of them and see what I get. At this point, the seeds don't owe me anything. :-)

lala i do have seed for salmon double impatiens..maybe a bit closer to apricot color..dmail me if you want a few seed

pamsue

The only non-tender/tropical seed I've been advised to buy fresh every year has been Larkspur. Apparently it doesn't hold over very well.

You will probably get some germination from even the older seed if you have enough of it. It's really based on percentages. So when they say 2 years that means you will viability will decrease a certain percentage each year after that - the percentage is different for each. So you have nothing to lose, even if you just broadcast the older seed over the soil.