A good rule is to try to use seeds for the given year’s season, but what if sometimes we don’t get all that season’s seeds planted. From time to time everyone has ‘left0ver’ seeds. What should be done with those?
There is a way to use last year’s or even the previous year’s seeds (let’s just say you found some from a few years ago) but you will likely have a lower percentage rate of germination. Lower is not bad, just plan to plant accordingly. If you have some older seeds, simply try a few of them in germinating pots for the allotted period of germination. Often in stead of placing one seed per pot, if you put in 3-6 you will get a higher percentage of that seed growing to a usable little sprout for transplant.
Today we are testing a crop of seeds that should have been planted in the 2010 growing season. In anywhere from 5-20 days (given each seeds differing germination time) we anticipate having a fairly good percentage of new seedlings for our fall garden. In a week or two we’ll update you as to our percentage rate of these ‘older’ heirloom seeds and the outcome of our test.
Get More Homesteading and Self-Reliance Tips. Subscribe!
Enjoy the journey!
The Millers own and operate Millers Grain House as the family business which provides tips, training and retreats as well as vital supplies for preparing yourself and your home for an uncertain future and gaining many important back to basics skills.
Best Blessings!
Joseph & Donna Miller, Owners of Millers Grain House
