Bad Seeds

There probably isn’t a gardener alive who doesn’t have at least a small pile of half-empty seed packets, seeds in jars, or seeds in envelopes lying around. We always mean to plant the seeds we save, but time gets away from us and at some point we find ourselves wondering whether it’s too late. And it may be. Seeds don’t last forever, but it’s surprising how often you’ll find that seeds are still good long after the expiration date on the packet.

Before you plant seeds and hope for the best, do a germination test like you did in school as a kid. Note, though, that this test is best for annual and vegetable seeds because many perennial seeds require special treatment before they’ll sprout.

Place the seeds you want to test on a moist (not soggy) paper towel and cover them with another moist paper towel. Put your seed-towel sandwich inside a sealed plastic bag or between sheets of plastic wrap. Label the bag and store it in a warm spot out of direct sunlight—on top of the fridge is usually a good choice.

Check the seeds daily and use a spray bottle to moisten them if they’re drying out. Depending on the seeds you’re testing, sprouting could take a few days or a few weeks. (If you have commercial seed packets, check those for germination times.) Once your seeds have sprouted you’ll be able to calculate their germination rate, so if just 50 percent sprouted, say, you’ll want to sow them more heavily in the garden to ensure you get the number of plants you want.