[Flyin Chickens]

This was my first year in growing veg and have grown sweetcorn, cucumber, peas (Until the chickens decided to invade and turn all the soil and peas over) and peppers.  The seed packs had way too many seeds for what I needed and so I have kept what is left.......However what is left is again too much for what I can grow next year but all the seed packets have a use by/sow by date of 2009.

Is this date just a way of getting you to throw away good seeds or should I throw away what is not used? :?:

[greenchaos]

this is our first year

i guess the best thing to do is just sow them and see. it properly refers to how likely they are to germinate.

[SnooziSuzi]

as time goes on seeds become less viable, so the use by date is an indication of how long the seed should remain able to germinate, but some (like parsnips) don't like to be stored for very long at all.

Others (like beans) can take many years of sitting in a drawer before being used!

so unlike food, seeds use by dates are a good indication of how long it might remain able to germinate, but it's still no guarantee!  :roll:

[richyrich7]

I've got some saved tomato seeds in the fridge they must have been there for 7-8 yrs now at least but they still give good germination. A lot of it is how you store them. But like Suzi says some just need fresh seed.