Each year you ’ll inevitably run out of garden space and have a certain amount of seeds pull up stakes over after plant . Do n’t throw them out just yet ! Depending on the type of seed and its quality , you may be able-bodied to lay in them and use them next year or the year after . In fact , some seminal fluid , if in good order stash away , can be feasible even after ten years . Some varieties of tomato seeds have even been known to pullulate after as long as 16 years !
Tips for Storing Seeds
Storing unused veg or heyday seeds does require some care . To stay feasible , seeds must not be expose to any wet or extreme temperature fluctuations . They should be kept in a cool teetotal place . Some people store them in seal plastic bags , while others keep them in glass shock in the icebox . Whatever works best for you is fine , but the significant thing is that they not be disclose to moisture . Wetness can quickly cause mold to grow , killing the seed .
Testing Seeds
Let ’s say you have some semen that are a couple of years old . At this compass point , you really ca n’t be certain if they are going to germinate , even if they ’ve been stash away under optimum circumstance in a teetotal , coolheaded seat .
In this position , you’re able to test the seeds a few workweek before planting clip by convey several seeds , placing them on a moist paper towel , covering it with plastic and placing it in a warm office . Check back in a week or so and if you have sprouts you ’ll know the seeds are practicable .
Seed Life Chart
To help oneself you figure out if your seeds are still workable , touch on to the following chart , which indicates the life sentence expectancies of certain character of vegetable seeds stored under ideal stipulation . The chart has been modified from D.N. Maynard and G.J. Hochmuth , Knott ’s Handbook for Vegetable Growers , 4th Edition ( 1997 ) .
veg – YearsAsparagus – 3Bean – 3Beet – 4Broccoli – 3Brussels Sprouts – 4Cabbage – 4Carrot – 3Celeriac – 3Cauliflower – 4Celery – 3Chard , Swiss – 4Chicory – 4Chinese Cabbage – 3Collards – 5Corn , Sweet – 2Cucumber – 5Eggplant – 4Endive – 5Fennel – 4Kale – 4Kohlrabi – 3Leek – 2Lettuce – 6Muskmelon – 5Mustard – 4Okra – 2Onion – 1Parsley – 1Parsnip – 1Pea – 3Pepper – 2Pumpkin – 4Radish – 5Rutabaga – 4Salsify – 1Spinach – 3Squash – 4Tomato – 4Turnip – 4Watermelon – 4
Want to learn more about storing seeds and how long seeds will last?
Check out these helpful websites : stash away Leftover Garden Seedfrom Ohio State University Extension ServiceGo Through remnant Garden seedsfrom Oregon State University Extension Service
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