Using old seeds

[Laney]

Hi! Sorry if this is a silly question, I bought lots of different seeds a few years ago and never did anything with them. I'm new to veg growing, my patch is ready, compost bin & garlic has been going a few months. Even set up a homemade wormery today. But my question is, when I get say 25% germination from old seeds, will they be more prone to disease or stunted growth do you think? Should I just bin them and buy new, or worth nurturing the seedlings as normal guidelines? Thanks :-)

[Thelma Sanders]

It depends how they've been stored. If stored badly they may not even germinate, stored well and they'll germinate and grow well.

You could try a pinch of each on some damp tissue paper and see what the germination rate is like. That way you'll know whether to bother with them or not.