Left Over Seeds

[Solitaire]

What do you do with the left over seeds, can they be used next year ?

[Alison]

Mostly the answer is yes, I'm using tomato seeds from about 3 years ago and still got 100% germination on them (leaving me rather too many plants but that's another story...). Some don't do so well, particularly parnsips but your best bet is to store them somewhere cool, dark and dry and before you buy any new seeds do a germination test by sprinkling a few on damp kitchen roll, putting it in a sealed freezer bag and seeing how you do. If they sprout then use them and if they don't then throw and buy new. I know somebody who thinks you need to buy new every year and is insistant about it therefore spends about 3 times as much on seeds as me every year. Madness I tell you, madness!

[Solitaire]

Thanks Alison, it does seem wasteful to throw away seeds just because you don't want them all in one year.

[terrier]

I had some courgette seed from last year so I sowed it in the normal way in pots.Out of five seed, only one germinated. A few days ago I sowed 12 seed from a new pack and so far 10 of the twelve are growing. I suppose you just try it and see what grows.

[HotStuff]

Most seed packets have a "packed in year ending" and "sow by" date and although these may not be totally accurate they do provide a guideline. Most seeds, with the already noted exception of Parsnip, are good for 2 years, with cucumber being viable for up to 7 according to John Harrison in his very useful book "Vegetable Growing Month by Month".

[Jardiniere]

be all that as it may be...tell my facila haricots that! Not ONE has germinated and i only bought them last year...also last years basil has failed to germinate, not to mention ....no.not to mention...........................

[zazen999]

I had some courgette seed from last year so I sowed it in the normal way in pots.Out of five seed, only one germinated. A few days ago I sowed 12 seed from a new pack and so far 10 of the twelve are growing. I suppose you just try it and see what grows.

I've still got a packet of 'random courgettes' which I was given by a freecycler 3 summers ago. They have ALL germinated - even when the expensive F1 Gold Rush courgettes have failed to. This packet has now given me 2 plants in each of the 3 years, and the one I sowed 2 weeks ago is growing strong......and I'll sow another in a month or so for my late harvests. If only they were yellow ones, but they have all been green....it's the yellow ones I pay F1 prices for as I love them so much.

[taff]

it's the yellow ones I pay F1 prices for as I love them so much.

Is there that much difference in the taste between yellow and green courgette? I've got some crookneck yellow squash as well as courgettes, but if the tatse is that good, I might be venturing down the garden center to get some.

[Florence Fennel]

What do you do with the left over seeds, can they be used next year ?

Take a look on the thread "28 packets of seeds later" here on New Shoots, I think you'll be surprised!