The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Growing => Vegetables => Topic started by: mwncigirl on February 20, 2013, 11:16:16 pm
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Hi, I was wondering what people usually do when planting seeds. Do you use previous years leftover seeds or do you buy fresh every year?
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bit of both but i also try to collect seeds from the previous year if I can.
if you are not sure about old seeds - take a few and put them on damp tissue in a warm place and see if they germinate - they will die but at least you know the rest of the packet are good or not.
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Both. Some seeds last ages, others are better fresh. I bought some sealed lupin seeds in New Zealand about twelve years ago. They needed boiling water to kick start them so I'm just trying now to see of they're still fertile!
H
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As long as you have stored last year's seeds properly many will still be perfect. Germination rate tends to drop off gradually with age. Things like tomatoes and brassicas will last for several years in very good condition, but parsnip definitely need to be grown from fresh seed each year. I find lettuce prefer to be fresh and beans start to die after a year or so, esp French beans.
With the cost of seeds so significant now it's well worth doing a little germination check as the great composto says :garden:
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A bit off topic but: I planted some seeds in my propagator at the weekend using bagged compost which has been outside since august when we moved in. Ive had several seeds germinate, mainly the Basil but a couple of others have sprouted and I couldnt think what they were until one sprouted with the seed casing still attached - they are baby silver birch trees, the seeds must have fallen from the tree in the garden and into my compost bag!
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Thats a great idea to test them, I hadn't thought of that. Thanks for the idea. Any thoughts on which seed suppliers are cheapest? I was going to get mine from Thompson and Morgan but found the Organic Gardening Cat. a lot cheaper unexpectedly.
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The Organic Gardening catalogue has some good stuff. I'm sowing seeds from them several years after buying.
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I buy some from each of several suppliers. T&M tend to be expensive but there are some bargains. Mr Fothergill and DTBrown both keep pretty much the same stock but seem to take it in turns to have cheaper and more expensive ones eg a certain variety of tomato will be cheap in one but expensive in the other, whereas a chilli will be the other way round (I think they are owned by the same company now). The Organic Gardening Catalogue has mostly organic seed, but lots of it is from the EU which doesn't necessarily do well in the UK. Marshall's tends to coat their seeds in antifungals which I don't like. I'll just go and look up the name of a little company in Wales.......
The Real Seed Catalogue www.realseeds.co.uk (http://www.realseeds.co.uk) . That is a gem - a fairly small range but many seeds produced in Wales, varieties which do well here and the price is good as it's jointly owned by the customers - or something (they explain)
When looking through the catalogues, check the seed counts - they are very low this year.
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I buy a lot of seeds from Wilkinsons @ 60p per packet which is quite cheap I think.
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I've found an allotment association not far from home who have loose seeds when it's near time to plant. I've just bought a full carrier of Kestrel seed potatoes ( appx 20 for £3
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I've just had a look at The Real Seed Company, they look fantastic. I love their ethos and the info for each variety. I will definitely be using them in the future!
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My twelve year old seeds are fertile :excited: - or at least one has germinated!
H
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I used 4 year old seeds last year and they were fine.
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Some wheat seeds , found in Egyptian tombs 2,000 years old , were viable when tested ,
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Simpson's Seeds have a small catalogue and are giving away chilli seeds at present (see dorset chilli festival). Seeds from Lidl were cheap and germinated well last year - but no cariety names.
Can't believe how the prices have rocketed :o check the number of seeds on some packets ???
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I like to use up past years' seeds rather than throw them out, but for regular things I also plant new ones aswell - probably why I end up with leftovers again ::) My plan this year is to plant everything I have before buying anything new, including some in wee pots which I can sell on at the carboot sale if they sprout as I have more wee plastic pots than I use regularly so could kill 2 birds and raise a few pennies with any luck :)
Because I don't have a huge veg garden , or a polytunnel or greenhouse, one pack of runner beans can last me 3 seasons and usually I put 2-3 in per cane so at least one will usually grow and some years I'm heartily sick of beans by August let alone ploughing my way through the frozen ones over winter ;)
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many seed can last several years if stored correctly. there are a few though that become very poor at germinating such as parsnip or onion seeds. That said so long as you have a backup plan there is nothing to lose by sowing them! the same can be said for transplanting any thinnings you make...Assuming you don't want to eat them
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The realseeds web site gives loads of information on collecting seeds for use in subsequent years as they grow heritage plants. Really easy to follow instructions. i have been growing their "Cherokee Trail of Tears' french bean for about 5 years, saving seeds for the following year. Some cross pollination has taken place though, so you have to watch it as they morph! have bought some more seeds from them again this year - lovely company. i also find that they are much better value than I thought initially as the packets have a lot more seeds in them! the same can certainly be said of seeds of Italy whose packets are enormous! I find Mr Etty really helpful in a lovely old fashioned way too. My Mum bought one 2lb tomato from a french market and saved the seeds from it and we have both been growing them for years now.