Check seeds

Like food, seeds have a shelf life. Find out how to test whether yours are 'viable' in our guide.

It was dismal, especially considering all the big plans I had for those heirloom Golden Wax beans…. Seeds are tough little buggers, and can potentially withstand a decent amount of time in storage especially if stored correctly. Arrange the seeds on the paper towel. Or just use separate towels. Roll up the paper towel, or place a second paper towel over the top, to ensure the seeds is completely surrounded by dampness. Seeds like peas and beans will sprout faster, while seeds like carrots or parsnips will take much longer. If your seeds are of the slow-germinating variety, you may need to spritz the paper towel with more water to keep it damp.

Check seeds

Despite trying to make sure I used up all my purchased seeds a few packets have somehow escaped my notice and have now passed their use-by date. Testing seed viability is worthwhile when, like me, you want to take a punt on old seeds that are past their use-by date, or if you accidentally tore off the use-by date on the seed packet and have no idea how long that seed packet has been kicking around your seed box yep — done that too! Seeds stored at too high a temperature or in humid conditions may turn out to be duds, but a germination test will let you know for sure. This way you can be sure that your technique is sound and your storage conditions optimal. All you need is paper towels, plastic bags such as sandwich or freezer bags , a small receptacle and a marker pen. Oh, and some suspect seeds of course! For each plant or variety you want to test, you need one sheet of paper towel and one plastic bag. Roll the paper towel into a tube. Label your plastic bag with the date and the name of the plant, including the variety. Pop your seed-impregnated paper towel inside and stand the bag on end in a container. Try to keep the test seeds in conditions that closely match the ideal germination requirements for the seeds.

Hang the glove in a window or a warm location and watch for success. Vigor matters in your garden, too, check seeds. Place cotton ball in appropriately labeled glove finger and push ball down into the fingertip with the pencil.

Raise your hand if at this time of year you have walked out into the garage or wherever you have stored your seed stash from the previous year or years, and wondered, "Hmmmm, are these seeds any good? Will they sprout begin to grow, give off shoots or buds? Will I be wasting my time and energy planting these seeds? My hand is up. I have seeds flower and vegetable left over from last year, seeds collected, and seeds given to me from others.

There is an easy way to tell if the seeds inside an old seed pack are still good — before going through the time and trouble of planting the seeds in the garden to find out. Seed packets typically state the planting year that the seeds were packaged for as well as the germination rate. As years go by and the seeds age, the germination rate declines, faster or slower depending on the variety of seeds and how the seeds were stored. Seeds that you received from a friend or from a seed swap may have no date at all and were likely never tested for their germination rate. Seed packets typically state the planting year that the seeds were packaged for, but seeds that you received from a friend or from a seed swap may not have that helpful information. The point of the germination test is to determine if you need to plant a few extra seeds to get as many plants as you want, or if you should not bother planting those old seeds at all. First, take a paper towel and moisten it with a spray bottle.

Check seeds

Home » Gardening. Are you wondering if the seeds you intended to use last year are still good? Or, what about those heirloom seeds you got as a wedding favor a few years back? If the germination rate is low, but there is still some viability for example, maybe only 2 of the seeds in your test sprouted , simply plant more of those seeds in the garden, knowing that not all may sprout. The key to keeping your seeds viable for a few seasons is proper storage. Be sure to do the following:. Below is a list of the approximate lifespan of your favorite vegetable, herb, and flower seeds when stored properly. Keep in mind this is just an estimate—many seeds might be viable much longer, while others a bit shorter.

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Peas, corn, and other seeds are normally wrinkled but may not look as good as they should. Spread the seeds on several layers of premoistened paper toweling and roll them up in the paper so the seeds stay separated from one another. Share on blogger. Write the name of each seed variety on a glove finger. Share on twitter. Just looking at the seed will often indicate seed quality. Or just use separate towels. Some seeds may dry sufficiently by utilizing a fan in a seed drying cabinet. This includes information related to trees, shrubs, vegetables, fruits, herbs, perennials, Your email address will not be published. It always seems a waste to throw away perfectly good seeds that have burst into life, so if the time is right for sowing that crop by all means plant them! It might germinate well, but it might not. Is that good or bad?? As you can see from the photo above, these seeds soak up a lot of water before they begin to grow.

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Photo by Belinda Brain. Seeds store best in a cool, dry place. Can I sue the method you described to test their viability. You can test how variables like seed type, temperature, and light exposure affect germination. The point of the germination test is to determine if you need to plant a few extra seeds to get as many plants as you want, or if you should not bother planting those old seeds at all. Share on facebook. Posted in Food , General and tagged how to , seeds , spring , tutorial. It can help you determine if the seed is too old to even spend the time doing one. If only a small percentage of seeds germinate, you'll need to sow a greater number to ensure a decent crop. You may need to re-wet the towels from time to time using your spray bottle or mister. Remove the silica gel and return the envelope to the glass jar. I guess the true testis your above moist paper towel test to measure viability. So what can you do? Seeds that are usually smooth, round, or plump will germinate poorly if pocked or wrinkled.