[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

I bought these 6 weeks ago and they have been stored indoors in a cool room.

They have an expiry of 2015, but they don't look right to me.

I've sowed them anyway.

What do people think? They are all cracked and shrivelled....

[mumofstig]

That's what they usually look like - bet they'll be fine.

If you're not sure of seed you can always chit them

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=76184.msg862191#msg862191

[pigguns]

mine looked like that- I put them in the salad sprouter and 2 days later had to rush to get them into pots a bit earlier than I expected!  beware.

[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

Ok, excellent. It's just the ones I've bought in the past have always been plump, almost like they've come off the plant and been frozen.

[gavinjconway]

Quite normal looking... a bit early for them tho unless you have a poly tunnel..

[Totty]

I soak them overnight first. They plump up quickly before sowing.
If they get a bit big before conditions are warm enough, just keep potting them up.

Totty

[Beetroot Queen]

Chit them and try.

[Mattgregory27]

I put mine on damp kitchen roll to chit today and they looked just like those! They should be fine.

[JayG]

Having had an almost completely duff packet of 'Swift' seeds about 5 years ago, my routine now goes something like this: soak for 12 hours, chit for 2-3 days until you can see the white roots appearing, transfer individually to paper pots (or whatever floats your boat), wait about a week until the green pointy shoots emerge, after another week harden them off to plant out.

The trick of course is to time all of that so you can plant them out not only after the last frost, but also when the outside temperature isn't dropping too far below around 10C, day or night. Obviously there is some 'wobble room' but it's far better to plant them out in the warm having slightly outgrown their pots than when they are of the 'perfect' size but then have to put up with cold conditions outdoors.

[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

Quite normal looking... a bit early for them tho unless you have a poly tunnel..

You should be able to see from my picture, that I have a poly tunnel Gav

Thanks for all the advice guys!

[gavinjconway]

Quite normal looking... a bit early for them tho unless you have a poly tunnel..

You should be able to see from my picture, that I have a poly tunnel Gav

Thanks for all the advice guys!

I have a spray in my hand on my pic but dont have it any more... just cos you have a pic of a PT doesn't mean you still have one   

[Mark's Sussex Allotment]

Fair point

[Salmo]

Ok, excellent. It's just the ones I've bought in the past have always been plump, almost like they've come off the plant and been frozen.

This is a supersweet variety. The grains have very little starch so when they dry they shrivel.

If you grow a standard variety there is more starch and the grains remain plump when dried.