What Is The Longest Shelf Life Or Storage Life Of Vegetable Seeds?

1. 63

   PhoenixVposted 11 years ago

   What Is The Longest Shelf Life Or Storage Life Of Vegetable Seeds?
   
   Which Vegetable Seeds Store Best Or The Longest?

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2. 82

   belleartposted 11 years ago

   usually about a year, there should be dates on the individual packets.  I have had some for years though and planted them recently, they sprouted a bit but died soon after.

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3. 61

   amos316posted 11 years ago

   theres no correct answer for this most people and companies say a year but they have recovered seeds from the pyramids that are thousands of years old that they have planted and grown so it ll depents on if you freeze the seeds and moisture content

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4. 87

   mistyhorizon2003posted 11 years ago

   The smaller the seed the longer it is likely to last and still grow (assuming it is kept in cool, dry, dark conditions). Bigger seeds like beans only tend to last at best 2 years before it becomes unlikely they will germinate, smaller seeds like carrots can last 2 or 3 years easily. I keep all my seeds in their packets, sealed inside an airtight plastic (Tupperware) box in my fridge. The fridge is a great place to store them if you want to extend their potential as viable seed, and can extend their usability by several years or more. The other advantage is that when you do eventually plant them out they will germinate faster because by being in the fridge you created an artificial winter for them, and once removed from the fridge and planted outside the contrast in temperatures made it seem like spring. Remember they should be in the fridge NOT the freezer though.
   
   I also agree with amos316 when he/she said about seeds being found in the pyramids that were thousands of years old and still germinated. This was because they were in an extremely dry,  dark environment where the lack of moisture, and therefore bacteria extended their viability for many years.

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5. 67

   davenmidtownposted 11 years ago

   A team of russian scientists uncovered a squirrls stash of seeds from (I want to say the ice age) a long time ago... and were able to cultivate some of the seeds into flowering plants... so quite a long time.

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6. 72

   Barbara Kayposted 11 years ago

   Many seeds can be stored in a freezer and last for years. This includes only those that need to be frozen before they'll germinate. The only vegetable seeds I've had problems with are bean seeds. These need to be kept in a cool, dry place and they still don't all germinate after a year.

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7. 86

   IzzyMposted 11 years ago

   It depends where they are kept. I always keep my seeds in a sealed container in the bottom of the fridge, and they keep indefinitely there. Last year I grew garden peas from seeds which 'expired' in 1978, according to the date on the packet, and they were fine Kept at room temperature, seeds will biodegrade and become unviable very quickly, perhaps within a year, but when kept in a state of suspended animation in a cool area, they can keep for years.

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8. 61

   justinkampposted 10 years ago

   It may be depends on where they kept, if you are choose a good storage place for them then it will be a long life. Store-11 may helps you on storage spaces..

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