[Aidy]

I have been doing some experimenting with some old seeds that have been forgotten about. First lot went in as normal, sown in compost 1/2 inch down, second was sprinkled on top and not covered over and the third was as the first but in a electric propogator, the results have suprised me a little, 100% germination from the sprinkled one's, the seedlings also look to be stronger against the other two methods. Seeds are lettuce and cabbage, has any done anything similar to this and did they grow the veg on?

[Oliver]

has any done anything similar to this and did they grow the veg on?

If seed has been well stored (not exposed to moisture) the chances are it will germinate, although some seed has a longer 'shelf life' than others. Our experience is: if it germinates, plant it out as normal and a normal crop will result.

We generally sow suspect stuff in a pot first just to make sure it germinates. Some seed needs to be covered to germinate, others need light, so follow 'normal' procedures for the seed in question.

Some seed is quite happy going directly into the soil - like carrots!
(We had several half and quarter packets, some of which were nearly 10 years old. These will never germinate we said, but we chucked the lot on the plot and blow me down, we had hundreds of carrots! Lots of soup followed when we had eaten our fill. Pity we didn't have a horse.

[GrannieAnnie]

My friend gave me several packets of stuff that was her Dad's.  She said see if anything germinates, and from about 6 packets of seeds of different sorts I got 1 germination.  And that was a dianthus, which is now out in the front border!!!!

[Aidy]

It was the way the seed germinated that was more of a suprise, this spring not everything germinated, so this is why the experiment was carried out. I wanted to try and find the best way (if there was one) and having now sowed some carrot seed by just sprinkling on the surface and not covering them I have noticed that again they are all germinating so I have come to the conclusion that rather than do as the packet suggest's, just sprinkle the seed on top of the compost and let nature work its magic.

[muntjac]

sed is very long lived ,there has recently been a case of ( i think) 2000 yr old seed being germintaed and grown on
see here

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/12/international/middleeast/12palm.html?ex=1276228800&en=3bf3f98288a1b1d3&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss