On 28/05/2014 12:23 AM, Moe DeLoughan wrote:
On 5/26/2014 11:30 PM, SteveB wrote:
My wife is the daughter of a depression baby, and has a sometimes bad
habit of keeping things she should throw away.

We planted some Bush contender string beans last year, nice
germination time, and great growers and producers right into frost.

We had seeds left over, which she kept in a plastic ziploc in the
garden shed, temps sometimes very hot, and then through a freezing
winter.

This year, it seems they to be taking a long time to germinate. Is
there a good estimate of how long seeds are good for? I would say to
buy just enough for what you need each year, but perhaps you find a
strain that you really like, and don't know if they will carry that at
the seed store next year.

And tips on storage from season to season would be appreciated.

Seed companies just keep their bulk seed in the warehouse/bulk storage
facilities, where it stays dry and safe from wide temperature swings.
The following year they'll perform germination testing and if necessary
add fresher seeds to bring the germination rate up to what is stated on
their package labeling. All seed companies do this, which is why the
label says, "Packed for calendar year", instead of "grown for" or
"harvested in" calendar year.

For home gardeners dealing with small amounts, the seed company I worked
for suggested storing the left-over seed packets in clean, dry glass
jars indoors to ensure the seeds were kept dry.

Whew! Sounds like I'm doing the right thing. I store my seeds in my
large walk in pantry in the middle of the house where the temperature
stays not too hot and not too cool. I store my saved seeds in recycled
glass pill bottles or, for purchased seed, in the original packets in
metal boxes.

Properly stored - i.e. kept dry and safe from temperature swings - most
vegetable seeds will retain most of their germinating ability for at
least a couple more years.

And some gardeners prefer older seeds too - pumpkin is one seed that
I've been told a few times does better if the seed is older rather than
fresh.