Winter is one of the best times to look at seed catalogs and start dreaming about next year’s garden. Part of seed ordering should involve taking an inventory of the remaining seed saved from last year. You most likely have a stash of old seeds tucked away with your garden tools and supplies, tossed in the garage or on a shelf. Overall, fresh seed will germinate the best but some seeds can be saved without losing too much germination, but how do you know that they are still good or if fresh seeds need to be purchased?
Seed packets should have a “best sell by date”, this is usually stamped on either the top or bottom flap of the seed packet. Most flower and vegetable seeds can be stored at room temperature for at least a year without a significant loss of germination. Optimal conditions for seed storing are cool, dry, and dark, this reduces risk of mold and premature sprouting. Dark closets or the kitchen cupboard are honestly some of the best places to store seed packets, as they are dark with low humidity. Seeds should also be placed in a sealed container, as this controls the humidity and deters pests from getting in the seed; adding desiccant (silica) packets can be helpful, as they will absorb any excess moisture.
Here are seeds that can be saved without significant germination loss:
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- Onions, Alliums, Shallots, Leeks, Chives- 1 year
- Corn and peppers- 2 years
- Beans, carrots, peas- 3 years
- Beets, pumpkins, squash, tomatoes, watermelon- 4 years
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Broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, lettuce, cantaloupes, radish, spinach- 5 years
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Seeds that should not be saved past the 1 year mark include:
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- Parsnips
- Most Herbs
- Celery and Fennel
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Seeds with thin, fragile seed coats quickly oxidize, causing them to lose quality and germination rate fast. If you do try and save them, store them in the best conditions possible and sow them more densely in the seasons to come.
Find out if seed is still good by performing a simple germination test:
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- Spread a non-colored or printed paper towel or napkin out on a flat surface
- Wet the paper with water until damp and allow excess water to drip for about a minute.
- Count 10 seeds and place them on one half of the wet paper towel
- Fold the towel over so that the half without the seeds is on top of the seeds.
- Roll the towel into a moderate tight tube.
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Put the tube into a sealing plastic bag and place the bag in a warm spot (70 to 85°F).
- The top of a fridge works great!
- Start performing germination counts every two to three days
- Most vegetable seeds will germinate within one to three weeks depending on the species.
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Check the seed package for specific germination times
- At the end of the germination period, count how many seeds have roots and sprouts showing. If 10 seeds are used, the number of seeds that germinated is multiplied by 10 to obtain the germination rate.
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Something eating your plant? Need help identifying a tree? Interested in the best way to care for your lawn? Submit your questions online!
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| Kaitlin Bricco, Horticulture Educator |
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The Horticulture Educator is currently out on leave until the beginning of December.
For immediate assistance please call (920)832-5121. If this is regarding a horticulture question, please visit:
Or you can contact "Gardener SOS" through the Outagamie County Master Gardener Association at gardenersos@outagamie.org
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