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Post by brownrexx on Jun 25, 2019 8:20:11 GMT -5
I never use the whole packet of purchased seeds in a year so I save them for next year. I only keep seeds for most things for 3-4 years with the exception of corn, peas and spinach which I replace every 2 years.
I do very little seed saving from my own plants.
How long do you save your seeds whether they are purchased or your own saved seeds?
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jun 25, 2019 10:46:58 GMT -5
Depends on what kind of seed it is. Also, since I am a hobby gardener, if seeds don't germinate it's a disappointment or an inconvenience, but it doesn't affect my finances or my ability to keep food on the table. So I risk using older seed. And since I am planting only a few plants of most things, I can sow more heavily to compensate for lower germination from older seeds. This chart is a pretty good guide: www.highmowingseeds.com/blog/seed-viability-chartI don't refrigerate or freeze my seeds like they recommend, but they are kept dry in a climate-controlled house at all times. I don't refrigerate or freeze seeds because I would need a separate fridge/freezer for them. With teenage boys in the house I need every inch of storage space in my fridge for food! Also, my fridge gets opened a lot. The changes in temperature and humidity from opening the fridge seem to shorten seed storage life. (Plus boys have been known to move seeds out to get food and not always put them back - grrr!) In my case, I actually get the same or better longevity from my seeds since I quit trying to keep them in the fridge and instead store them at controlled room temperature. But my personal experience for seed storage time is different from the chart for a few vegetables. I regularly get good germination from peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, squash, cucumbers, okra, and beans for longer than is shown on the chart. The one that really caught my eye is only 2 years for peppers - really? I get high germination from 5-7 year old pepper seeds on a regular basis. Peas, spinach, and onions usually give me 2 good years, with lower germination, but some germination in year 3. But still, like brownrexx said, 2 years is a good rule of thumb for those. I haven't grown corn in years and when I did it was from small packets of seed that I sowed that year or the second year at latest. So I don't have experience storing corn. The flip side is that I don't get 5 years out of lettuce seed like the chart says. More like 2-3 years. Maybe I do need to refrigerate my lettuce seed.
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Post by paulf on Jun 25, 2019 11:39:31 GMT -5
Most seeds I buy fresh every year. There are pepper seeds in my inventory that are four or five years old. Tomato seeds last longer and I try to refresh them every so often. Some of the harder to find tomato seeds I will save and refresh every five years or so. I have a few varieties fifteen years old and they either get planted and saved or discarded if they don't germinate. This year a couple of twelve year old seeds did fine.
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Post by Gianna on Jun 25, 2019 12:04:06 GMT -5
As just mentioned in a cabbage thread, I just planted some seed from 1992... I dont normally plant cabbage, but it's all I had. This morning I have ordered some fresh seed. In general, I keep my seed forever, refrigerated and in either plastic bags or bins. The 'active' seed - things I'm re-planting this year, are in a box in the door. The rest are tucked away on the back of shelves for less easy access. Last year I was forced to go through seeds and discarded some really old or bulky seeds - mainly corn since I'm not planning on planting it again. Low carb and all. Pity really - it was yummy! Cover crops or other bulk seeds such as for microgreens, are less precious and are stored in a fridge that stays about about 55*F - the 'cheese cave' or 'wine cellar'. I also keep store-bought, unopened cheeses and nuts and cocoa powders in there too. And of course bottles of wine. Over the years I have had quite good luck germinating things way past what most would consider 'viable life expectancy'. Tomatoes, for example, I get to germinate years after they their limit. I also wanted to grwo a particular variety of spinach - 'Space', a nice flat leafed variety. My seed, from Johnnys, was, I think, about 12 years old. I planted in 100 small cells, hoping for maybe 20 plants.. I did take pains with the right temperature cuz the odds were against me ... but every single seed germinated. 100% - that was higher than the % on the seed packet when it was new! As Laura_in_FL said, I also am a hobby gardener, and if something does not grow/germinate, so be it. I'll just start over or go to the store and buy what I need. Also, because of our goldilocks weather - not too hot, not too cold - I dont have to be as careful about when I start seeds. I just started a second round of pepper seeds a week or two ago, and should have mature pods well after most of the country has had frost. (or whatever that cold stuff is called) I also save seed - peas, beans, peppers, flower seeds... Anything that is open pollinated I'll probably give a try.
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Post by brownrexx on Jun 25, 2019 12:16:17 GMT -5
since I am a hobby gardener, if seeds don't germinate it's a disappointment or an inconvenience, but it doesn't affect my finances or my ability to keep food on the table. I am a hobby gardener too but my season is relatively short so if something does not germinate, I may not get another chance to grow it until the next season. This happened to me last year with corn. I don't grow lots and lots of corn but I do like to grow some for fresh eating and also be able to freeze a dozen bags or so for the winter. Last year I planted 3 or 4 year old corn seeds and I got virtually no germination. By the time I decided that it was not going to grow, I wasted 2-3 weeks waiting for the seeds to germinate before giving up and I had a limited time left before frost. I ended up going out and buying a short season corn just to have a crop. It worked out OK but I am not planting corn seeds older than 2 years from now on.
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Post by hairymooseknuckles on Jun 25, 2019 12:47:53 GMT -5
I have tomato seeds that Martin sent to me back in 2007 and they still had good germination rates last year.
Zeedman sent me some Sierra Madre beans a decade ago and last year I had nearly 100% germination.
The Frosty Pink Plum tomatoes that you guys are growing is 2018 seeds, but the seeds they came from were 2006. Yes, they were near the end of their life, but they germinated and grew.
I find it very difficult to throw away seeds. Most of my seed is kept in mason jars that I've poked a hole or two in so they can "breathe. I then pack them in an old Coleman ice chest.
I also have a few backup seeds in the freezer.
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Post by paquebot on Jun 25, 2019 12:52:54 GMT -5
If frozen, nobody knows how long they will last. Seeds found in the stomachs of woolly mammoths have germinated and the Doomsday Vault in Norway may outlast civilization as we know it. I store many of my seeds in 1½-ounce glass jars. ASo far, tomato seeds back to 2002 germinat fine. Some peppers this year were over 10. In glass, humidity never changes as moisture is a killer.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by octave1 on Jun 25, 2019 13:28:11 GMT -5
I keep seeds for a long time if I like the variety. I also save the seeds from plants I like, both in the flower and veggie categories. Every now and then I grow very old seeds, just to give it a try. If they don't sprout after several attempts, I pitch them.
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Post by spacecase0 on Jun 25, 2019 15:48:40 GMT -5
I store most of my seeds with no air at -10F, they don't seem to age at all that way. but I do have to baby them a bit when I plant them.
watermelon seem to have no limit with no special storage, and things like parsley never germinates for me even when new.
I grow the seeds I offer for sale every year, or every other year if I am doing a trial or something something where they might get crossed, so storage time on them really does not matter to much. I don't store them special at all.
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Post by brownrexx on Jun 25, 2019 16:30:56 GMT -5
I store my seeds in the garage attached to my house in their original envelopes. The garage stays above freezing in the winter but does get fairly warm in the summer so I guess that my seeds experience some temperature swings but I am not looking to store seeds long term like some of you who save seeds from special plants. I just have run of the mill seeds in my seed stash and I am happy to replace them every few years.
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Jun 25, 2019 18:05:09 GMT -5
I find it very difficult to throw away seeds. You and me both!!
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Post by hairymooseknuckles on Jun 25, 2019 18:47:57 GMT -5
I just have run of the mill seeds in my seed stash and I am happy to replace them every few years. No Ma'am, that may have been true in the past, but now you have a fairly stable OP version of Little Lucy Okra and an unnamed Red & White bean. Did you get any Frosty Pink Plum tomatoes? I also need to get you some Moose Knuckle Garlic. I fear you've become a true blue seed saver. I passed the baton to you, now you must RUN! See how sneaky I was? LAUGHING!!!!!!
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Post by Gianna on Jun 25, 2019 19:21:47 GMT -5
I just have run of the mill seeds in my seed stash and I am happy to replace them every few years. Most of my seed I also consider 'run of the mill'. Even if I were to get something special, and I lost it, there are more than enough seeds in existence, both new and old, that I'd find something interesting to replace it with. At this point, even if I were to plant every square inch of garden space I have every year, I have more than enough seed to last my lifetime. ...and I just ordered more this morning, lol. I love having lots of seeds. That said, I consider my Romano bush bean seeds to be special. Not that they were selected specially, or particularly adapted to my area, but rather that I've been saving from plants I've grown year after year for the past 20(?) or so years. But if for some reason I lost them, I'd be sad... but order a couple types of Romano bush beans to try, and start all over again.
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Post by september on Jun 25, 2019 21:58:31 GMT -5
I don't think I've ever thrown any seeds away, even when I have fresher ones of the same kind. I have some really old stuff that likely would not germinate, but I keep it around anyway "just in case". I have various large plastic tubs with tight covers that I store the seeds in, using either coin envelopes or little ziplock bags. They are stored in my basement that is from 55F -72F depending on the time of year. I only save tomato, pepper and a few favorite bean seeds, maybe some squash and melons. The rest are purchased as needed. I do save many of my flower seeds and hardly any get replanted. I keep thinking I should bring all my old flower seeds down to our mailbox on the township road and throw them in the ditch to see if any want to grow.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jun 25, 2019 22:27:34 GMT -5
I keep most seeds 4-5 years, but use them up before that, as a rule. If they start showing low germination rates, or slower than normal seedlings, I'll toss the rest, and save or buy new ones for next season. I just keep mine at room temp, until it starts getting cold, and I'll store them on my back porch, in the cold season.
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Post by brownrexx on Jun 26, 2019 7:54:29 GMT -5
now you have a fairly stable OP version of Little Lucy Okra and an unnamed Red & White bean. Yes, I am growing Little Lucy this year and also the red and white bean. That bean is really pretty and tastes good too but I am growing both from last year's seeds. I will save seeds from each one again this year but I will not keep the older seeds, they will be tossed. I did not grow Frosty Pink Plum. I am not a paste type tomato fan.
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Post by ahntjudy on Jun 26, 2019 8:40:21 GMT -5
...apparently forever... I have seeds from the 90's...Not quite sure why...Just can't seem to eliminate them...A personality flaw I suppose...
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Post by brownrexx on Jun 26, 2019 11:51:14 GMT -5
I think that we have a few Seed Hoarders here!
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Post by hairymooseknuckles on Jun 26, 2019 13:35:32 GMT -5
I think that we have a few Seed Hoarders here! It drives my wife nuts, but I don't have the will power to toss them. Sometimes, when you're down to a small sample of seed, your variety is hanging by a thread. my wife asked me the other day when I was going to throw away my ice chest full of seeds since I'm not gardening any longer. My reply was short and sweet. "When he'll freezer over."
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Post by spacecase0 on Jun 27, 2019 10:20:38 GMT -5
I can't give up on life. so I keep all the seeds I can. I have had to go back to seeds from 5 years before for various reasons. never know when you will need something from the past, even if it is a challenge to get them to germinate.
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