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I have about 20 packages of seeds,.. flowers, vegetables, they were packed for2003, says on the pckg.are they?

Still good? I planted a flower bed with the flower seeds, 2 weeks ago, not much came up yet, so before I go into the job of starting a garden, I am wondering if those seeds are any good, thanks! Martha that is good advice, I wanted to give those seeds a chance to bloom, I always thought seeds lasted hundreds of years!

Public Comments

1. some will germinate, but probably most wont. they are pretty old. most places in order to get a good crop you have to plant by a certain date to have enough time for the crop. i would'nt take a chance on them and possibly lose my chance for a garden because the seeds were old. buy some new ones and gradually use the old ones scattered in to use them up. at least that way you will still get a crop.
2. They are probably too old. I would try planting them indoors first to see if any germinate. If they do you can always transfer them outside. But I would plan on just buying new seed packs.
3. Seed can last that long, but, usually, they must be stored in perfect conditions. Normally, it is best to use by 'sow by' date to guarantee a good crop. This being said, two weeks ago, my husband found two packets of runner-bean seeds, open in a kitchen drawer. One was dated 2005, the other had lost its date. Not being one to waste anything, he sowed them and now has 42 beans germinated!! Ever the optimist, he says it's always worth a try. After all, you won't be losing anything by having a go!
4. You may get lucky with a few, but chances are they will not do well. Usually the bigger the seed, the more likely it is to be able to germinate the next year. So if you had pumpkin seeds from the 2008 season, they would still germinate, but not as well. Smaller seeds would be a stretch, especially with seed that's 6 years old.
5. Have been down that road. Even seeds packaged for use two years prior will hardly every produce. Don't waste your time and effort preparing soil. You will be disappointed.
6. Unless they were an airtight container; they may not sprout. However, some of them still will. It would be a good idea to get some more just in case.