skip to main content

How many years to keep flower seeds?

16 years ago

I seem to make a habit of buying commercial flower seeds and than not get around to planting them. I was sorting some old seed packages and realized some were dated 2002. These include nasturtium, Calif. poppy, nemesia, asclepias, linum lewesii, etc. Should I consider these seeds to be too old to germinate properly and just throw them out? What is your experience with old(er) seeds?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (2)

digdirt2
16 years ago
How long they remain viable all depends on how they were stored. With proper storage - cool and dry - they can remain viable for many years. Germination rates fall off gradually but many will still have a 50% germination rate even after 10 years - some varieties even longer.

You can always do the standard germination test on them to see if they are worth keeping or just do as most of us do - plant them anyway and see what happens. ;)

Dave
ontnative
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for your advice, Dave. I think I will try planting them this year and see what happens.
Related Professionals
Forrest City Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Crestview Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Columbia Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · San Marcos Landscape Contractors · Plymouth Landscape Contractors · Springfield Landscape Contractors · San Bernardino Landscape Contractors · Ogden Landscape Contractors · Fort Myers Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Sebring Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Evansville Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Williamsburg Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Winona Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Laconia Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures · Madison Decks, Patios & Outdoor Enclosures

Related Stories

NATIVE PLANTS 5 Ways to Keep Your Native Plant Garden Looking Good All Year

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

It’s all about planning ahead, using sustainable practices and accepting plants as living organisms

FLOWERS AND PLANTS Panicum Virgatum, a Prairie Beauty Many Gardeners Can Enjoy

By Susan J Tweit

Switchgrass adds color through the year and is a natural ‘seed feeder’ for birds

Houzz Interview: Miss Mustard Seed’s Charming Pennsylvania Home

LIFE 11 Easy Ways to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions

By Laura Gaskill

Work smarter, not harder, to reach your goals — success is more about taking the right approach than about slogging your way there

DECORATING GUIDES Twinkle Lights Keep the Holiday Spirit Year-Round

By Jess McBride

Hate to take down your outdoor lights after the holidays? Here are 12 great ways to use these festive sparklers inside your home

CONTAINER GARDENS 8 Easy Container Plants to Grow From Seed

Get beautiful blooms and herbs in summer by starting these choice garden picks from seed in spring

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES Great Design Plant: Blanket Flower Brings Year-Round Cheer

By Steve Asbell

It's irresistible to wildlife, but this wildflower's drought tolerance, copious blooms and versatility draw human fans too

GARDENING GUIDES Sand Wasps Keep True Bugs in Check and Help Pollinate Summer Flowers

By Pollination Press LLC

Look for these solitary wasps nesting in sandy sites and foraging on flowers in July and August

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Lobelia Siphilitica Keeps Its Cool

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Great blue lobelia, a flowering native that prefers moist soil, adds a calming blue hue to the late-summer garden

GARDENING GUIDES Seeds or Seedlings? How to Get Your Garden Started

By Abundant City

Growing delicious herbs and vegetables starts with knowing your goals and when you want to plant

Sponsored

Peabody Landscape Group

8 Reviews

Columbus' Reliable Landscape Design & Contracting