Do Seeds Go Bad?

Most things, as we know, have a shelf life, and this goes for seeds too. Some seeds might last longer than others, yet what to watch out for to determine if your flower or vegetable seeds are still viable will differ.

This article looks at how seeds go bad and whether old seeds are still good for planting. Let’s dive in.

Do Seeds Expire?

You might be wondering if those flower and vegetable seed packets that date back over several years are still ok to plant or if you should buy new ones.

When people start gardening, they often not only want to grow healthy vegetables, but they also want to save money.

As each season passes, growers and gardeners might have limited space and they might end up with expired and unused seeds. These seeds might be stored for safekeeping and suddenly you will end up with what gardeners known as the ‘seed stash’ of expired seeds.

Buying more can cost money and will put extra expenses on your gardening, however, you should be aware of whether you can simply use those old seeds to save your dollar, or whether you need to acquire more.

Here’s the answer. These seeds might be viable, as long as they were under ideal storing conditions. However, nothing is perfect and you need to keep seeds capable of germinating from year to year, even after they have expired.

For this, you need a combination of the perfect humidity, light or darkness, and cool enough temperatures. As the temperature inside our home fluctuates with the seasons, maintaining this environment can be tricky.

Even in the best conditions, seeds expire, but below we have listed how to get the most out of every seed packet.

Humidity And Temperature

Seeds have one thing in common and this is that they deteriorate over time. Some deteriorate more than others, yet at one time in their life, you will reach a point where it might be better to buy new seeds.

Seeds that are stored in a warm, light, and humid environment will go ‘bad’ a lot faster than if they were stored in a darker environment where humidity is kept low.

You should aim to keep the humidity at around 10 percent, and the air temperature stays between 32 and 41 degrees Fahrenheit.

How fast they deteriorate, will also depend on the seeds’ condition when you put them into storage. A damp seed will contain moisture and this will develop mold at a faster pace and completely die.

The best seed storing environment is when the air temeprature in Farhenheit and the percentage of humidity is kept less than 100 when combined. Most gardeners find storing them in the refrigerator is the best option.

This will keep the seeds in a dark environment, where it is cold. It should also be stored in an air-tight container such as a glass jar and a lid, and this means the seeds should survive to last another season.

As seeds naturally age, their vigor will decrease, no matter how you store them.

For example, a melon seed usually has a shelf life of around 5-6 years and may germinate well in its fourth year, yet in its fourth year, it will likely produce weak growth and little fruit. In this case, it’s time to buy new seeds.

How Long Do Seeds Last?

When it comes to how long different types of seeds last, there is no one rule. Every packet will have a ‘packaged on date’ and this should give you a good estimate for working out their lifespan.

Most annual flowers for example, such as cosmos, usually have a lifespan of around a year, and this can be said for similar vegetable seeds such as parsnips and onions.

Many seed packs might also have a ‘sow by’ date and this represents the results of a germination test that was completed before packaging. 

Will Expired Seeds Grow?

As we have already mentioned, planting expired seeds will still enable the plant to grow, and plants that are grown from packets that have effectively ‘expired’ can grow to produce healthy harvests, especially if the seeds were stored correctly.

On actual packets of seeds, the expiration dates are used as simply a measure of the likelihood that the seeds will still be viable.

However, as we have mentioned, the type of seeds, environmental conditions, and how the seeds have been stored will have an impact on the germination rate of the older seed packets.

Before planting with expired seeds, you can make some checks to see whether germination will be successful. To test the viability of a seed packet, remove around ten seeds. You then need to moisten a paper towel and place the seeds onto it.

Place the paper towel in a tight zip-lock bag and leave for ten days. After the ten days have passed, you should have a look at the germination of the seed.

Germination rates of around 50% indicate a viable packet of seeds, and you should be able to use them to plant.

Where Can I Store My Seeds?

To prolong the life of a seed packet, the best place to keep your seeds is in the refrigerator. However, you can also use basements and garages as they are dark and are often a lot colder than the rest of the house, especially in the winter months.

If a basement is not an option, try using a closet that shares a wall with the garage, or any other exterior wall. The most important thing to remember when storing seeds is to keep the temperature cool, constant, and dry.

This means you should avoid just placing them in a shoebox on a random shelf in the kitchen. Always use air-tight containers such as a mason jar, and ensure you store them in a container with a rubber gasket to lock out moisture.

For extensive seed packets that are stored in envelopes, ammo cans are also a good option as they are air-tight and waterproof. These can be found in outdoor activity stores that sell camping, hunting, and fishing supplies.

Final Thoughts

We hope after reading this article you understand slightly more about the lifespan of seed packets and how although seeds do not get ‘bad’, after a certain amount of time, they are not going to grow into the healthy juicy vegetable you were after.

And it might be time to buy some more seeds. Remember, how you store the seeds can prolong their life, but you need to store them somewhere safe, cool, dry, and with low humidity.

If you have room in the fridge, pop them in an airtight container and they should last you season to season!