Saving seeds from one year to the next is a good thing. It’s a great way to save money; to ensure the seeds are fresh and to ensure genetic diversity of our fruit and vegetables for future generations.
But not all saved seeds are the same when it comes to germinating. Some seeds have a short shelf life while others will be viable after years and years. Before spring I like to test my saved seeds to see how well each will germinate. This tells me if I need to find new seeds or if I need to plant several seeds to accommodate for less than perfect germination rates.
When to Test
I prefer to test my seeds in late winter so when the first signs of spring arrive I am ready to plant. This is good and bad as it means throwing away the seeds that sprout instead of planting them. It’s your choice.
Testing Supplies
To test a seeds viability and germination rate you will need; paper towels, zip lock type plastic sandwich bags, a spray bottle with water, bleach, a permanent marker, and a notebook for recording the information. Check out my article on garden journals at: www.associatedcontent.com/article/6185846/where_to_find_a_gardners_journal.html
Simple Seed Germination Test
Moisten the paper towel so that it is wet but not dripping.
Randomly choose at least ten seeds for the test.
To prevent fungal and /or bacterial growth on the seeds during the test, rinse the seeds in a solution on 1 part bleach to 10 parts water.
Place the seeds on one side of the paper towel and cover the seeds with the other half of the towel.
Place the moist paper towel with the seeds inside the zip lock sandwich bag and partially close the bag.
On the bag with the permanent marker write the seed variety, the date and the number of seeds started. Record the same information in the notebook or journal.
Place the bag in a warm dark place.
Simple Seed Germination Test; Following the Progress
Open the bag and check the seeds for germination after a couple of days, then check daily. Depending upon the type of seeds it could take a couple of days or longer.
As the seeds sprout remove the sprouted seed discard and record it. If any seeds mold, remove, discard and record as dead. If the paper towels begin to dry out spray mist the towel with water to keep the seeds moist.
Calculating the Germination Rate
At the end of two weeks count the number of seeds that germinated. It is rare but possible to have a 100% rate. If you started with 10 seeds and 8 sprouted the rate would be 80%, 10 seeds and 5 sprout would be 50%.
If the rate is under 50% but the seeds germinated quickly and appear strong the seeds may be planted just plant double the number of seeds one would normally plant. If the seeds are both slow to germinate with a poor rate, discard and find new seeds.
Testing the germination rate and viability of saved seeds before spring will help ensure a productive garden the following summer
