Many gardeners have stocks of old seeds. The expiration dates have long passed and they have already been abandoned, but it’s a pity to throw them away.
Because of the war, such stocks have become truly valuable, because it is more difficult to buy new seeds. It’s good that Kharkiv region news is quite peaceful and ready to help with any problems.
Storage conditions
A lot depends on proper storage. If you do everything wisely, the seeds will last much longer than the period laid down by the seller. But few even among those who read Kharkiv news know how to properly store the material.
No plastic bags. If you have stocks in plastic bags, feel free to throw them away. Everything has long since died.
Another enemy of seeds is cold. Therefore, read Kharkiv and regional news to be aware of everything. You can not keep them at low temperatures. It is difficult to completely avoid this in the current conditions, so the seed will have to be warmed up. In the old days, they did it this way: from February, women put on a bag with pockets under their skirt, and there were seeds in the pockets. They warmed themselves from human warmth and woke up. Modern experts say that you need to warm the seeds at a temperature of 30 °.
The last step is to look inside the bag itself. If pests have reached it, the contents must be parted. Or you will have to sort through the seeds, separating the good ones from the damaged ones.
Timing
The date on the package is very important. For cabbage, onions and all kinds of root crops, using last year’s material is not only possible – it is necessary. Germination will increase. Such plants will be larger, healthier, more viable. The useful mass will be more.
Cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins (and other melons) require different terms. Seeds need to be at least two years old. Annuals produce non-fruiting barren flowers. To remedy the situation, you need to warm the seeds: they will resemble biennial properties.
You also need to look at the expiration date. Parsnips, black onions, carrots, celery quickly lose it. In the last two, it is initially small, which becomes a serious problem with old seeds. But long-playing gourds – germination practically does not decrease.
But the true leader here is the tomato. It lasts up to 6-8 years.
Seeds become completely unusable after a very significant time. They sprout worse, and the plants turn out to be weaker, but they bear fruit more abundantly. If you find expired bags in your inventory, do not rush to throw them away. It is possible that they will grow.
