[fluffstermum]

Am I right in thinking F1 seeds needing buying fresh each season?

We've bought most of our seeds this year. We had various packets left over from previous years but we haven't stored some of them particularly well.

For future reference, if I store my leftover seeds well, is there anything which I can't use the following year? I vaguely remember reading (I think) that sweetcorn in particular needs buying each year?

We have the following (bought new) -

Sweetcorn - Incredible F1
Butternut Squash - Walnut F1
Pumpkin - Jack of all trades
Pepper - Californian Wonder
Turnip - Armand
Swede - Ruby AGM
Cucumber - Marketmore 76 AGM
Cauliflower - Graffiti F1 AGM
Beetroot - Burpees Golden
Parsnip Tender & True AGM

Seeds we already have in storage, so we will attempt to use them -

Carrot - Amsterdam forcing
Cabbage - Kalibos
Spring onion - I'm not sure what variety
Lettuce - Webb's wonderful, Little gem
Tomato - I think they're moneymaker or something similar

I also saved a bulging envelope full of my own dried out pumpkin seeds. They are hopefully Atlantic Giant but who knows if it crossed with anything. They were taken from our largest pumpkin a couple of years ago. Are they worth a try?

[DD.]

I think you're confusing buying F1 seed fresh each year with saving your own from F1 seed to sow the next year.

There is no reason why F1 seed cannot be stored under the correct conditions, it is recommended that you do not save seed from F1's as they can produce undesirable offspring.

Generally the main seed not recommended for storing is parsnip and they are best bought fresh each year.

This longevity chart may help:

http://www.allotment-garden.org/seed-saving/seed-storage-life.php

[fluffstermum]

Ooh that was probably what I read then! I just mis-filed it somewhere   

Thank you, I'll remember that.

[gremlin]

I've said before, but I have found that seed doesn't all go off the moment the use by date is reached.  You will still get something from 5 year old parsnip seed, even if it is only 1 in 50 seeds germinating.  Parsnip seed packets have 1000's of seeds anyway.

I buy one new packet of parsnip each year as "insurance", and I sow 2 and 3 year old parsnip seeds as well. 
So far I have not really noticed any difference. 

The seed selling companies must hate me

[fluffstermum]

The problem with me using old seed would be that if nothing much grows from it then I can't tell whether I'm doing it all wrong, or whether it's dodgy seed 

I need all the help I can get!

Good to know I don't always have to buy seeds year after year though.

[Eightball]

If you save F1 seeds they won't be true to type the next year. Get open pollinated seeds and you can save your seeds. Some are easier than others due to cross pollination and the fact you might need to save seeds from several plants to increase the genetic diversity (varies with the plant).

http://www.realseeds.co.uk/seedsavinginfo.html There is a good guide on seed saving and they also sell open pollinated seeds.

good way to cut down on the seed bill + plants slowly become acclimatised to their environment so should become more adapted to your soil year after year.

[tangojulie]

Just a comment on parsnips - this year I pre-germinated them on kitchen paper. New packets, probably 90% germination. Last year's seed, probably 10%. But still something. I'm still looking for the perfect parsnip, hence the 2 new packets this year.

Probably depends what you have hanging around and what else you might want to try.

[solway cropper]

I always get 2 years from a packet of parsnip seed and have still had decent germination from 3 year old seed.  One problem with parsnip germination is that many people sow into soil that is too cold and wet. The sowing dates on seed packets sometimes need to be taken with a pinch of salt and perhaps fresh seed copes better with adverse conditions.