[Stree]

I am sure we are all familiar with the predicament of wanting to grow something but can only buy packets with a minimum amount of seeds.. If its only a few seeds then you can buy another packet, but for such as tomatoes
I always get far more seeds than I want plants. One of the reasons that there are too many is because like most gardeners I want to grow more than one variety and have a limit to how much space I have available for them. Example: This year I am growing 5 types. all full size indeterminates. 6 or 7 of each.
I sowed  a dozen of  each, all germinated gave away nearly half as seedlings and so still have about 40 plants, of which maybe 8 will be in the greenhouse ( with other plants) and the rest given away apart from 5 or 6  to try outside.
Point being, I have lots of seed still in the packets. All the packets have a sow by date. Hmmm so use a few more seeds from each next year to do the same. But what if I want to grow something else?
Now I know seed is inexpensive and it would be no great financial loss to just throw away the unused seed but that goes against the  grain as just wasteful.  We could do with a seed pool on here, They will nost cost much to post and  swaps could even out the cost too.
Thats one point.
The other point is the use by date:
I just found some old dwarf cherry tom seed packets from earlier seasons, Reisentraube, gardeners delight and Sweet pea cherry, and I remeber trying all of these the season after I sowed the first ones and having zero germination ( They all germinated well in a cold GH the season the seeds were bought).
So I thought I would try a few in my new heated propagator.  So far Reisentraube no sign and other two have seedlings ! Thats after 5 days.
The packets for these are 2011, 2010 and 2009, so up to 4 seasons old . And still viable.
Something to be learned here but not sure what yet. Apart from deciding that I shall not be throwing seeds away just because the sow by date has passed ( Not that I ever did anyway!)
Not too bad finding space for dwarf toms, will be going in baskets and pots and troughs.
Anyway, just sharing a thought.

[mumofstig]

We do have a seed pass the parcel here
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=104543.msg1171344#msg1171344

or you could just offer them in the Swap shop and say which seeds you would like in return 

WRT packet dates - it is always worth chitting a few seed to see if they are viable before throwing or sowing 

[Beetroot queen]

I have used some old seeds this year purely because I can't throw them away. Some have done well, some not but for the sake of trying its well worth it. I cleared out this year and gave the excess to a friend who wanted to try a few of each. Some of my seeds have done better for her than me, I did suggest swapping back but she wasn't keen

[ConfusedGardener]

I put my part used packets in jars or Tupperware, then they go in the fridge. Seeds can be stored for years/decades and still remain viable if stored in a constantly cool environment. That's basically how seed banks/vaults work.

"Use by" dates are a marketing trick to get you to buy more when you don't need to as far as I'm concerned!

[surbie100]

The rudbeckia I sowed a few weeks ago had a sow by date of 1992 and nearly 100% germination, the sunflowers that are coming up were packed in 1985 and 1996. They've been kept at the back of a kitchen drawer for years.

They last a lot longer than you think.

[compostqueen]

I have noticed that the endive I sowed a few weeks ago, which has germinated really well, was dated 2010. I just looked at the packet as I wanted to check if it could still be sown.  Glad I didn't chuck it out. Also it shows that it's worth sowing a few to see if they're still viable