Ever wondered how long you can save your seeds and have them still be viable? We've created this chart to help you determine the longevity of your seeds.
Proper seed storage conditions are cool and dark. The moisture content within the seed greatly affects germination rates. Seeds should be stored in their original packaging in a cool (below 50 degrees Fahrenheit), dark place where their moisture content will stay relatively stable. Here at High Mowing we keep our seed cooler at around 45 degrees Fahrenheit with less than 40% humidity.
Seed Type | Longevity Under Proper Seed Storage Conditions |
Artichokes | 5 years |
Arugula | 3 years |
Beans | 3 years |
Beets | 4 years |
Brrocoli | 3 years |
Brussels Sprouts | 4 years |
Cabbage | 4 years |
Carrots | 3 years |
Cauliflower | 4 years |
Celery/Celeriac | 5 years |
Chard | 4 years |
Collards | 5 years |
Corn | 2 years |
Cress | 5 years |
Cucumbers | 5 years |
Eggplant | 4 years |
Endive/Escarole | 5 years |
Fennel | 4 years |
Kale | 4 years |
Kohlrabi | 4 years |
Leeks | 1 year |
Lettuce | 5 years |
Melons | 5 years |
Mustard | 4 years |
Okra | 2 years |
Onions | 1 year |
Peas | 3 years |
Peppers | 2 years |
Pumpkins | 4 years |
Radish | 5 years |
Rutabagas | 4 years |
Spinach | 1 year |
Summer Squash | 4 years |
Tomatoes | 4 years |
Turnips | 5 years |
Watermelon | 4 years |
Winter Squash | 4 years |
This is great - thanks! What about silica packets to keep moisture under control? Would you recommend using them?
35 years ago when, We lived in New Mexico We came across a 3 gallon tine of pinto beans that had been stored in an abandoned house for 20 years . We dumped them out thinking they could not possibly be any good... under the drip line of the adobe house . Right after the next rain they all sprouted! What a waste! but it shows how resilient seeds are. I have sprouted tomato seeds 10 years old though most of them did not sprout. :)Sharon
I've just recently successfully sown saved lettuce and tomato seeds which were both 6 years old and were not kept in any conditions as precise as suggested by High Mowing Organic Seeds so, I think YMMV and the above is probably a very informed guideline, but I wouldn't throw out seed based on it.
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