Seed Packets

Garden Seeds-How long do they last?

One of the goals, should anything devastating happen, would be to eventually grow your own food. Seed stores often sell you new packets each year, but according to one site, you can keep the seeds for longer:

Below is the approximate life expectancy of seeds from the most common vegetables grown.

Beans - 3 years
Beets - 4 years
Broccoli - 3 years
Cabbage - 4 years
Carrots - 3 years
Cauliflower - 4 years
Corn - 2 years
Cucumbers - 5 years
Lettuce - 6 years
Peas - 3 years
Peppers - 2 years
Pumpkin - 4 years
Radish - 5 years
Spinach - 3 years
Squash - 4 years
Tomatoes - 4 years

Seeds should be stored in a dark, cool area.

Examine your seeds for damage. If divots and indentations are detected, the seed may not be viable. To determine the quality of your seeds, a germination test can be performed. Siimply moisten a paper towel, place seeds on it, roll it up and put it in a plastic baggie, then store it in a dark place. Under the kitchen sink is a good place. In 2-3 days, check it and then again daily for 2-3 weeks. Divide the number of seeds germinated by all the seeds tried to get the germination percentage. These seeds can be transplated outdoors if handled carefully and after the danger of frost has passed.