Tomatoville® Gardening Forums - View Single Post - Old seed should not be sold for cash, unless tested 50%

**carolyn137** · March 23, 2006

Michael,

How about calming down a bit.

I have no idea where you're getting your seeds from, but there are several factors at work here.

First, in the US the larger companies will have a packed by date, which means nothing, b'c all it means is when the seeds were packed, not when they were produced.

In Europe I'm led to believe that most reputable companies put a "use by" date on a commercial pack.

Several seed companies I know of do germination testing and that includes TGS and SandHill and Johnny's. I'm not aware of the practices of others.

There are Federal seed germination percentages for tomato seed and all others that should be met, but since there is no requirement as to any commercial place doing so, they appear to be somewhat meaningless.

And another factor is seed storage, which is separate form seed age but the two are related.

And I certainly would NOT agree with your definition of "fresh" seeds being two years old, or less.

My own experience, from saving seed from hundreds, yea several hundreds of hundreds of varieties is that seed much older than 2 yo germinates just fine.

I call seeds less than 5 yo fresh seed and expect to see germination over 50% for seed at 5 to 7 years and don't do anything special re germination until seed gets older than that.

Most folks I know who list varieties in the SSE Yearbook are on a 5 year seed rotation and I was too when I listed so many varieties and for the few varieties I currently list will use that same rotation schedule if I can.

I am not commercial. If I were I might do things differently, and I can't speak for anyone else who lists at SSE.

Glenn Drowns, for instance is on a TWO year schedule and NO seeds he sells are older than that. That is great, actually, but is not the norm in the commercial world.

So I don't know who your beef is with re these rare seeds you talk of, but if some were traded, then all bets are off as to seed age as well you should know.

I put the year the seed was produced on all seed packets I send out, whether thru SSE or with my recent modest seed offer here at Tville.

And what you might consider rare someone else might not, but regardless of that I can appreciate your concern and frustration, but cannot agree with your definition of seed age as to germination.

March 23, 2006	#3
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Michael, How about calming down a bit. I have no idea where you're getting your seeds from, but there are several factors at work here. First, in the US the larger companies will have a packed by date, which means nothing, b'c all it means is when the seeds were packed, not when they were produced. In Europe I'm led to believe that most reputable companies put a "use by" date on a commercial pack. Several seed companies I know of do germination testing and that includes TGS and SandHill and Johnny's. I'm not aware of the practices of others. There are Federal seed germination percentages for tomato seed and all others that should be met, but since there is no requirement as to any commercial place doing so, they appear to be somewhat meaningless. And another factor is seed storage, which is separate form seed age but the two are related. And I certainly would NOT agree with your definition of "fresh" seeds being two years old, or less. My own experience, from saving seed from hundreds, yea several hundreds of hundreds of varieties is that seed much older than 2 yo germinates just fine. I call seeds less than 5 yo fresh seed and expect to see germination over 50% for seed at 5 to 7 years and don't do anything special re germination until seed gets older than that. Most folks I know who list varieties in the SSE Yearbook are on a 5 year seed rotation and I was too when I listed so many varieties and for the few varieties I currently list will use that same rotation schedule if I can. I am not commercial. If I were I might do things differently, and I can't speak for anyone else who lists at SSE. Glenn Drowns, for instance is on a TWO year schedule and NO seeds he sells are older than that. That is great, actually, but is not the norm in the commercial world. So I don't know who your beef is with re these rare seeds you talk of, but if some were traded, then all bets are off as to seed age as well you should know. I put the year the seed was produced on all seed packets I send out, whether thru SSE or with my recent modest seed offer here at Tville. And what you might consider rare someone else might not, but regardless of that I can appreciate your concern and frustration, but cannot agree with your definition of seed age as to germination. __________________ Carolyn