Storage Life of Seeds

[mudpig]

I know that I would love to know how long my different seeds are good for once they are harvested. Especially since I trade seeds. I don't want to give anyone dead seeds. Here are the ones that I have found so far.

Parsley ............... One year
Sweet Corn ........ One year
Onion ................. One year
Parsnips.............. One year
Beets .................. Two years
Peppers .............. Two years
Beans ................. Three years
Celery ................. Three years
Carrots ............... Three years
Lettuce ............... Three years
Peas ................... Three years
Spinach................ Three years
tomato ................ Three years
Cabbage.............. Four years
Cauliflower .......... Four years
Eggplant ............. Four years
Pumpkin .............. Four years
Radish ................. Four years
Squash ................ Four years

Cucumber, endive and muskmelon Five years

Can you add to the list?

[Pharmer Phil]

Mudpig...I exalt thee......
I get a chance to sit more than 10 seconds I'll be back to address a couple other posts...Hot, humid and busy here in Mn.

[nofeargardener]

Man, that's very helpful! Thanks!!! ;D

[Pharmer Phil]

We store seeds in a cooler portion of the house, some of the above posted tomatoes, pumpkin and squash, have lasted much longer...
But, Mudpig was interested in quality, because he was trading seeds, which is commendable...
But, If it's You, planting saved seeds, do a germination test, see what the percentage rate is...and go with it...
I hate to toss seeds if they still have at least a 50% germination rate...I just double-triple up the seeds sown!
but wouldn't trade those seeds either

[nofeargardener]

I've got some green bush bean seeds that on on their 3rd year now. They did really well last year. I did do a germination test beforehand though. Nothing real elaborate... just a bean folded up in a wet paper towel. We also keep our seeds sealed up in a bag or envelope in our basement which stays pretty cool/dry year round.

[Pharmer Phil]

Apr 1, 2012 9:35:35 GMT -6 nofeargardener said:

I've got some green bush bean seeds that on on their 3rd year now. They did really well last year. I did do a germination test beforehand though. Nothing real elaborate... just a bean folded up in a wet paper towel. We also keep our seeds sealed up in a bag or envelope in our basement which stays pretty cool/dry year round.

should be fine Mike, what we do is the older the seed...the heavier we plant them...so, ya might have to thin...but your planting won't be spotty

[mogarden]

I agree with planting heavier with older seeds. They don't go bad all at once, the germination starts to drop off after a few years but sometimes you can plant seeds you think are shot and a few DO sprout. In that case what you're really doing is selecting for seeds that store a long time. Marthy ain't here at the moment so I'll say it for her...that's a good thing! LOL ;D

[Garden Happy]

Have a question.I have always been told,"DON'T FREEZE SEEDS",
A man at my church say's he is a 3rd generation seed saver in his family.They store their seed in the freezer.
I always have stored mine in the fridge or for lack of fridge room in a dark,dry area like my closet with those humidity packets in the totes.
Can you freeze seeds.It's worked for him for 3 generations.

[coppice]

Apr 3, 2012 5:36:56 GMT -6 Garden Happy said:

Have a question.I have always been told,"DON'T FREEZE SEEDS",
A man at my church say's he is a 3rd generation seed saver in his family.They store their seed in the freezer.

GH I don't freeze my vegetable seeds. I air dry them carefully and they work fine for me. If your vegetable seeds are bone dry, freezing might well work.

The one place where I see people equivocate "Freezing" with "Cold stratification", which it is not, and doesn't have a particularly (better or even as) good a result. Mostly for tree seeds.

"Cold stratification" is the combined action of freezing and thawing, in a cold frame or outdoors moist storage of seeds.

[mogarden]

Freezing will work for LONG TERM, like 5 years or more, storage of seeds where the seeds won't be thawed or disturbed during that time. It's totally unnecessary for most seed-savers tho. It can be bad for seeds to freeze and thaw and repeat due to condensation. If you must freeze, then thaw to room temp before you open them. The big seed banks do freeze but they're keeping the seeds a long time and their storage temp is a lot lower than a home freezer. "3 generations" of home freezer seeds? I guess it depends on how old ya are whether home freezers have even been around that long.
IMHO freezing is not better than a cool dark spot in the home. I think it's over-kill, you might say. Any saved seed will be killed by freezing if they're not dry all the way thru not just on the surface. I keep mine in a tin setting on the floor in the corner. It's worked for me since the 80's. There are a lot of other garden issues more worthy of my time. Freeze if it makes you feel good, but it's like wearing lucky underwear for certain events, it's a ritual is all.

[Garden Happy]

:)Well I'm inclined NOT to freeze but felt I needed to double check my information before i discouraged it in a class after talking with him.
Like you store mine in small plastic totes with humidity packets or tins in my closet or in brown amber 1/4 to1/2 oz. bottles in a wood case in the bottom of my fridge.
I have seeds stored this way that i found from 1986 ,planted them and got a really good germination rate.
One that surprised me was BLACKBERRY LILY SEEDS from 1986 that 5 out of 6 seeds germinated and have not only grown but produced wonderful plants and seeds that grew out with full germination rate.

[coppice]

AS I fell into seed saving I had to by trial and error find the space in my house that was routinely dry and fairly unchanging temperature wise. For me that was in a space rather like where I kept my clean socks.

A space out of direct sunlight. Along an interior wall. That was naturaly dry. For the first few years it was my sock drawer.

I now store mine in paper envelopes in a rodent proof cabinet. But I never freeze dry seed stock. Tree seeds go outdoors into a pot-moist, to go through the seasons to remove inhibitors