I’ve sorted through my stash of seeds before I put in this year’s order so that I only buy what is needed rather than succumbing to the myriad temptations of the seed catalogues. I’ve thrown out anything that’s too old because it’s a waste of seed compost when you sow old seeds and get poor germination and I’ve set aside surplus seeds to give to friends.
Sorting Old Seeds
If you have opened packets of seeds left over from last year (or even further back) it’s useful to know which will still germinate well and which won’t. Of course it all depends how they have been stored, but the following list will give you a fairly good idea.
How long will seeds keep ?Beetroot 4 years
Brassicas 3-5 years
Beans 1 year
Carrots 3 years
Celeriac 6 years
Celery 6 years
Chard 4 years
Cucumbers 7 years
Leeks 3 years
Lettuce 3 years
Onion 4 years
Parsley 1 year
Parsnip must be fresh
Peas 1 year
Pumpkin 7 years
Spinach 1 year
Squash 7 years
Swedes 1 year