Reviving 20-Year-Old Tomato Seeds: Tips for Germinating Heirloom Treasures

A container of tomato seeds from 1993 was found after a parent’s death. Vegetable expert Daryl Pulis shares heirloom growers’ tricks: soak seeds in a weak fertilizer solution (a pinch of Miracle-Gro per glass of water) for a day, poke down floaters, then sow. Old seeds may take months to germinate. For peppers, alternating wet/dry cycles can trigger stubborn seeds. Persistence pays—even 16-year-old seeds have sprouted with extra care.