At the farm we save a lot of our own seeds and we also purchase others from trusted sources. Each January we inventory all of our seeds. Seeds get sorted into categories - “need more of”, “definitely too old” and “check germination”. We order more of the necessary seeds, or make a note to save more in the coming year. The “too olds” get composted. And the “check germination” seeds go through a trial to test their viability.
After many years of farming I go by instinct for many of these - I know that seeds that have become shriveled up or chipped are not going to germinate well. Or seeds that we’ve had for 4+ years are likely not going to perform well either, especially since we don’t store our seeds in optimal conditions. Seeds can germinate for years however their viability (their strength) decreases significantly, and we want to grow the healthiest seedlings possible.
If a seed is questionable - where I’m not quite ready to compost it but want to give it one last chance - I will run a germination test. If many of the seeds germinate on their regular timeline and appear vigorous then I can feel confident in sowing them in the spring.
Germination Test:
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Place 10 seeds in between two damp pieces of paper towel or rolled up in a damp paper towel
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Place the towel in a closed plastic bag and leave it where the temperature remains steady and is close to what its ideal germination temperature is (high 60’s to mid 70’s is a good bet for many.
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Every day check the towel for signs of sprouting. Many vegetable seeds will germinate within the week, but some herbs and flowers can be a lot slower. Keep tracking the seeds until the usual window of germination is past.
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There are many seeds that require different strategies to germinate. Check your seed packet if you aren’t sure!
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Johnny’s Seeds has a good seed viability chart
Want to spend time in the greenhouse with us this Spring? There are a few spots left in the Somatic Herbalism Apprenticeship.