Chilli Germination - Old seeds versus new seeds

[amandaandherveg]

I planted a couple of trays of chilli seeds last week and popped them into a prop in my kitchen. The seeds (perhaps 35 varieties) were a mixture of new and out of date packets. The first three popped their little heads through today and were all from the fresh, unopened packets - was it a coincidence or are they just more viable?

[horticultural_hobbit]

Chilli seeds are all different, i think, in that each ones may have different 'cracking' points. My seeds are all old, in that I've had them since I first got the GYO Bug about three years ago. Seed packets do have the grow by date on them, don't they. I don't tend to take any notice, and probably should!

[Potstubsdustbins]

Older seed can be less likely to germinate, however with chillies has stated some take longer than others. I wouldn't worry to much just yet.

And I never take notice of sow by dates either.

Potty

[amandaandherveg]

Thanks guys - I've had no greenhouse or PT for a couple of years due to moving house/building new house so it's been 3 years since I grew chillies hence quite a few out of date seeds. I'm interested to see what happened.

[Matt94]

Yep as the other grapes have said the germination times varies, I have had chilli's take a month to sprout and they were new seeds

[smallblueplanet]

Whilst germination times do vary especially between chilli varieties I have noticed that fresh seed seems to germinate quicker. Most germinate but as the seed gets older it takes longer...

[hollychap]

the only seeds i buy fresh every year are runner beans i have found germination drops dramatically with runners ,last year i finished off a bumper packet of scarlet globe (radish) with a use by date of august 1997 they were still germinating chilies seem ok when there past there dates but i do now tend to save seed from the previous year

[BertieFox]

Although you CAN germinate seed that is several years old, unless you are wanting to 'resurrect' a variety and collect fresh seed, I find that the older the seed, the weaker the subsequent plants. It isn't only the germination time which is affected but also the vigor of the subsequent seedling.
Whether this really matters in terms of yield for a plant that takes quite a time to fruit, I don't know, but I rather suspect it does. But I have found my miserly tendency of keeping seeds of greenhouse plants for as long as I possibly can has led to less vigorous plants over time. And seed fresh that year is often a revelation!