Old Pepper Seeds

Geezer · March 24, 2015

Greetings all!
I recently saw a list in a seed catalog that said that pepper seeds were only good for 1 to 2 years. Anybody out there have any experience about germinating older seeds?

AlittleSalt · March 24, 2015

Everything I've read is 2 years for pepper seeds. I have some from 2013 and every seed I planted came up and is doing well. It's not exactly what you asked.

Geezer · March 24, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Everything I've read is 2 years for pepper seeds. I have some from 2013 and every seed I planted came up and is doing well. It's not exactly what you asked.

EXACTLY the kind of info I was hoping to get

, thanx!

drew51 · March 24, 2015

They won't last as long as tomato seeds, but I think 5 years is a good limit, best use before 5 years. I grew some from 2012 and they all came up.

shelleybean · March 24, 2015

I agree. I planted seed from 2013, as well, and they all came up.

PaulF · March 24, 2015

After 2 years I get a 50% reduction in germination each year after that.....but then you may have heard of my problem growing peppers.

Tracydr · March 24, 2015

I think the super hots are more likely to fail germination when old than sweet peppers.

Darren Abbey · March 24, 2015

I've had some 19 year old Serrano seed sprout with very high success a couple years back. Something like 80% germination. The seeds were stored dry in a glass jar (full of dried peppers) at room temperature the entire time.

Zeedman · March 24, 2015

Provided that the seed is healthy, fully ripe, fully dry, and stored under cool dry conditions, it should have good germination for 5 years or so... and fair to poor germination for at least several years after that.

I store most of my seed in zip lock freezer bags, with excess air squeezed out, in an air conditioned room. Since I grow peppers in a rotation - and have frequent failures due to bad weather - I often use older seed. These are some of the results from old seed last year:

Variety/ year last grown / germination rate
Cubanelle / 2006 / 44% (had been harvested partially ripe)
Elephant Ear / 2007 / 100%
Feher Ozon / 2006 / 33% (had been harvested partially ripe)
Early Jalapeno / 2007 / 100%
Manganjii / 2006/ 0% (had been harvested partially ripe)

Last year was the first time I have ever had 0% germination from saved seed, from Manganjii. It had been picked partially ripened in 2006 due to impending frost. I still hope to revive some of the remaining seed this year, using rescue protocols.

Ken B · March 25, 2015

Pepper seed frozen in airtight containers keeps well, we've still had good germination in 15-20 year old seed lots. But outside a freezer, pepper seed definitely goes downhill faster.

Tania · March 25, 2015

We tested our peppers seeds from 2007 and 2009 this spring. Germination ranged from 80 to 100% (actually only 1 variety was as low as 82%, the rest were above 90%.

We store pepper seeds in a fridge (not in a freezer).

A lot depend on your seed storage! Even last year pepper seeds may have lousy germination if not stored properly.

So it is not the age of seeds that matters, it is the storage conditions.

Tatiana

Stvrob · March 25, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tania

We tested our peppers seeds from 2007 and 2009 this spring. Germination ranged from 80 to 100% (actually only 1 variety was as low as 82%, the rest were above 90%.

We store pepper seeds in a fridge (not in a freezer).

A lot depend on your seed storage! Even last year pepper seeds may have lousy germination if not stored properly.

So it is not the age of seeds that matters, it is the storage conditions.

Tatiana

Im gonna store mine in the fridge from now on. Ive had terrible germination from saved pepper seeds. Even the volunteers are doing better than some of my saved seed!

ScottinAtlanta · March 26, 2015

I store mine in picture folders at ambient room temps, and I have had no problems with germinating 4 year old seeds.

Hoosier_Daddy · March 26, 2015

With purchased pepper seeds, I have very good success from seeds that were 5 years old. I store seeds in my basement but the house is air conditioned in the summer so they never get warm or hot or moist. No baggies. Just left in the paper seed packet.
If you store seeds in a garage or shed then they might go sterile sooner.

March 24, 2015	#1
Geezer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Brownsburg, IN Posts: 293	Old Pepper Seeds Greetings all! I recently saw a list in a seed catalog that said that pepper seeds were only good for 1 to 2 years. Anybody out there have any experience about germinating older seeds?

March 24, 2015	#4
drew51 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Sterling Heights, MI Zone 6a/5b Posts: 1,302	They won't last as long as tomato seeds, but I think 5 years is a good limit, best use before 5 years. I grew some from 2012 and they all came up. Last edited by drew51; March 24, 2015 at 03:07 PM.

March 24, 2015	#5
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	I agree. I planted seed from 2013, as well, and they all came up. __________________ Michele

March 24, 2015	#6
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,286	After 2 years I get a 50% reduction in germination each year after that.....but then you may have heard of my problem growing peppers. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

March 24, 2015	#8
Darren Abbey Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 586	I've had some 19 year old Serrano seed sprout with very high success a couple years back. Something like 80% germination. The seeds were stored dry in a glass jar (full of dried peppers) at room temperature the entire time. __________________ http://the-biologist-is-in.blogspot.com

March 24, 2015	#2
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	Everything I've read is 2 years for pepper seeds. I have some from 2013 and every seed I planted came up and is doing well. It's not exactly what you asked.

March 24, 2015	#7
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	I think the super hots are more likely to fail germination when old than sweet peppers.

March 24, 2015	#9
Zeedman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 313	Provided that the seed is healthy, fully ripe, fully dry, and stored under cool dry conditions, it should have good germination for 5 years or so... and fair to poor germination for at least several years after that. I store most of my seed in zip lock freezer bags, with excess air squeezed out, in an air conditioned room. Since I grow peppers in a rotation - and have frequent failures due to bad weather - I often use older seed. These are some of the results from old seed last year: Variety/ year last grown / germination rate Cubanelle / 2006 / 44% (had been harvested partially ripe) Elephant Ear / 2007 / 100% Feher Ozon / 2006 / 33% (had been harvested partially ripe) Early Jalapeno / 2007 / 100% Manganjii / 2006/ 0% (had been harvested partially ripe) Last year was the first time I have ever had 0% germination from saved seed, from Manganjii. It had been picked partially ripened in 2006 due to impending frost. I still hope to revive some of the remaining seed this year, using rescue protocols. Last edited by Zeedman; March 24, 2015 at 11:54 PM.

March 25, 2015	#10
Ken B Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: central Virginia Posts: 243	Pepper seed frozen in airtight containers keeps well, we've still had good germination in 15-20 year old seed lots. But outside a freezer, pepper seed definitely goes downhill faster.

March 25, 2015	#11
Tania Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anmore, BC, Canada Posts: 3,970	We tested our peppers seeds from 2007 and 2009 this spring. Germination ranged from 80 to 100% (actually only 1 variety was as low as 82%, the rest were above 90%. We store pepper seeds in a fridge (not in a freezer). A lot depend on your seed storage! Even last year pepper seeds may have lousy germination if not stored properly. So it is not the age of seeds that matters, it is the storage conditions. Tatiana __________________ Tatiana's TOMATObase

March 26, 2015	#13
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	I store mine in picture folders at ambient room temps, and I have had no problems with germinating 4 year old seeds.

March 26, 2015	#14
Hoosier_Daddy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: SE Michigan Posts: 11	With purchased pepper seeds, I have very good success from seeds that were 5 years old. I store seeds in my basement but the house is air conditioned in the summer so they never get warm or hot or moist. No baggies. Just left in the paper seed packet. If you store seeds in a garage or shed then they might go sterile sooner.