best before date?

[chrissie the chippy]

can you use seeds after the use by date?

would it effect the quality of the veg? Or are they just less likely to germinate?



Chrissie

[Hazel at the Hill]

Hi Chrissy - welcome to the Vine!

I would always use seeds after the sell by date - but check first if they are still viable by germinating a few on damp kitchen roll. If they sprout, the seed is ok. Only exception seems to be parsnip, which I'd buy fresh each year as it's a bit temperamental at the best of times.

It certainly doesn't affect the end product - just might not germinate as well.

If I was being uncharitable, I'd think that maybe the seed companies put dates so peeps through away the old pack and buy new.......

Hessyan's Vegetable Expert (besides being all alround good veg growing guide) gives the number of years that seed remains good for.

Hope this helps

[Flummery]

I usually give it a go - but make sure you don't leave it till last minute so you've got chance to rush out and buy a fresh lot if it all goes adrift. I've recently sown 2 lots of cress, the stub end of an old pack (BBE 2002!) and new. The old gave me a decent yield, some not germinating and a few germinating late. The new all came up at the same time. Definitely worth a gamble.

[BarleySugar]

I found some radish seeds, date was 1998, so I just threw them over the garden, seems like quite a few have come up. I'm hoping I might be lucky this time!
I'm rubbish at growing radish though, its a bit of a joke that everything else seems fine, but no matter how I try, radish rarely seem to 'bulb up'. I get healthy looking tops, but no roots. I've tried rows, broadcast, individually placing them an inch apart, but I've only pulled one radish this year, and my son applauded when I brought it in! My dad seemed to just chuck them in, leave them, then pull delicious radishes for weeks

[chrissie the chippy]

thank you for the replies, my Gran has got some that she can post to me for next year, most are already out of date, but I'll give them a go and see

[Snadger]

The seed company puts a best before date on the seeds so that they can guarantee a high percentage germination if sown before this date. A lot depends on how seeds are kept as to there percentage viability in following seasons, along with the fact that some species seeds keep better than others.

In an effort to bring quality control into my own 'homegrown' seed I keep seed from the best plants. One year could be a really good summer with large strong vegetable plants.The next year could be a crap year with sickly plants!
This year I have used seed from two years ago when I had good strong plants, hoping that it will give me better plants than using last years seed! If this works it will mean it really pays to look after your seeds and keep them viable for as long as possible.

[wheatleys wheels]

I think Snadger is right about the guarentee thing but it should never put anyone off planting the seeds. I heard once of scientists successfully germinating 1000 year old protea seeds to see how the genetics of the plant had changed. They just had to give them the right conditions and voila plants from 1000 years ago. So I would still always give them a go.

[Alison]

I quite happily use out of date seeds, just make sure you plant a few extras in case the germination isn't so good.