Courgette seed expiry

[norazina]

Morning all,

I have been given quite of few seeds of diff variety of courgette, some of them expire in August, some expire in January 09.

Do I have to sow them before expiry date (that would be around 20 plants then and there's only two of us, lol) or can I leave some seeds for next spring?
Ideally I would sow 2 seeds of each variety, but in worst case scenario I would off load extras to my friend who runs a pub....

TIA

[kernowyon]

sow two of each, four courgette plants will keep you and your neighbours well fed with them. I had four plants last year and even people at work started to get sick of them!

As for the short expiry seeds, It depends really, save a few and try them next year, some will still germinate - expiry dates on seeds are a fickle thing, some germinate well for years, some just seem to never keep. another option is to plant all of them and give them away, you make a lot of new 'friends' that way.

[norazina]

thanks Kernowyon, I think I will plant most of them and leave couple for next year, just to see if courgette seed keeps well. Just as well, moving to the new house, so hopefully neighbours will like us :-)

[crichmond]

courgettes have a seed life of between 3 and 5 years, so no need to sow them all now.

[norazina]

thanks Crichmond, I would not have to buy a trolley then!!!

[Alison]

I'm growing some that have a date of 1999 on them, found them in the back of a drawer and planted up out of curiousity, came through within 3 days and they're doing great guns.

[lottie dolly]

i have found if you sow some more seeds,in another couple of months,this will give you a longer cropping time,you will have some new plants,when the others are getting to the end of there life,the same with marrows,this will keep you going untill the cold gets them.

[norazina]

i have found if you sow some more seeds,in another couple of months,this will give you a longer cropping time,you will have some new plants,when the others are getting to the end of there life,the same with marrows,this will keep you going untill the cold gets them.

I should do that then - here it stays warm all autumn and weather begin to decline mid November.

Thanks you guys, I keep learning something new here everyday (my first real year of veg growing)!!!

[norazina]

Forgot to ask - my Hessayon book says "soak the seeds overnight" (pumpkin, squashes, courgettes, marrows, etc), my seeds packet says nothing. What do you guys do?

I soak beans, peas, any seed that is big enough and it work wonders, but I've read there is a danger of courgette seed go rotten, so not sure about that?

[kentvegplot]

Don't soak any of mine, and they seem fine. Probably down to variety I guess.

[Alison]

Don't soak any of mine either - too much fad for me as I'm likely to not find time the next day to plant and then end up with them rotting in a jar - also am a bit concerned about the practicality of labelling soaking seeds. For courgettes and squashes, have never had any trouble with germination, have had 100% on squashes and courgettes so far this year too.