Ezz, good to hear from you. I think most of us have been kicked around by the hot dry summer of 2011. Some of us are dealing with health issues also, it may be because we are getting older.

I am getting the itch also. I told myself I was cutting back last year and turning some of the growing area into flower beds. As it turned out I lied to myself again. I received some beautiful onions today and have been sifting compost to build a new growing area for onions and herbs.

I hope we all have a better year in 2012.

Larry.

Welcome Back, Ezz.

I'm hoping the weather will be kinder to all of us in 2012.

It's that time of the year---when the seed catalogs are tempting us with their photos and descriptons, and we're far enough removed from summer's heat that we're starting to forget how awful it truly was.

I've been going through my seed boxes today and pulling out varieties for this year's garden. Doing this keeps me from looking at catalogs and ordering flower, herb and veggie varieties I already have.

Larry, I am not crazy about getting older, but it sure beats the alternative.

Dawn

I fear I am having to buy all new seeds this year, since I don't know for sure what was the weather, the seed, my doing, for all the failure last year. I know I didn't store them in the freezer and some are two year old packs!

So...I am looking in my "seed box" as well and wondering.

ahhhh....I it is good to be home!

Thanks for the warm welcome!

Ezzirah - I plant lots of two year old seeds and they do fine. Welcome back.

Ezz, Like Carol, I plant "old" seeds all the time and they grow just fine, especially when they're only 2 or 3 years old.

As the seeds approach the 5-7 year mark, you often see a severe drop-off in germination rates. I have, however, had fairly decent germination from seeds as old as ten years old, and that includes seeds not only of veggies but of flowers and herbs as well. So, if the seeds you have are only a couple of years old, they still should have great viabilty as long as they were stored in a cool, dry location, or in a refrigerator or freezer. If they were stored outdoors in a garden shed or other outbuilding, the fluctuations in temperature and humidity likely would affect their viability in a negative way.

When I am sowing seeds that are older than about 3 years in age, I just sow more of them to make up for the fact that a lower percentage likely will germinate.

Dawn

yeah, they were in a cool dry place. This is good to know! YAY!