[fatbelly]

Hi T & M are offering half price on Veg seeds and there are some Lettuce seeds that I wanted for next year. Does anyone know what the shelf life is for Lettuce seeds? Will they be okay for next year or are they like Parsnip seed and not keep well. I will only use them next year so if they are not good keepers then they're no use to me.

[Aunt Sally]

They'll be fine next year

[mumofstig]

I am just finishing up a pkt that I bought from seeds of Italy six years ago.  
Germination was a bit iffy this year but I just sowed more to compensate, but up til then it was fine. and you don't get as many in a T&M packet

[AlotArds]

I bought 4 pkts of out of date, sow by 2009 letuce seeds from ebony, and so far I have a high percentage of lettuces. u'll know when they are really out of date they won't grow lol.
I can remember the days before use by dates, you used your eye's and smell to see if summit was passed it's used by.

Good luck

[Paul Plots]

I have a huge box of passed their sow-by-date seeds - some a couple of years or more. I simply do, as has been said already, sow more to compensate.

Four different types of lettuce (all but one out of date) sowed three days ago in quarter trays - three are up already.

Go for it if the price is right 

[Aidy]

Keep the seeds in the fridge and they will last for years. I am still using my Little Gem from about 5 or 6 years ago.

[Paul Plots]

Keep the seeds in the fridge and they will last for years. I am still using my Little Gem from about 5 or 6 years ago.

That's a good tip - if only our fridge had a bit of space for my 1'x2'x2' box full of seeds 

Perhaps I could smuggle them into the bottom of the freezer?