Botanic Garden >> Gardening > >> Question and Answer >> Seeding and Propagation

Old Seeds: Viability Declines After a Few Years

Most seeds lose viability after 2–5 years. Seeds from 1986 are almost certainly dead. The secret to success is using fresh seed, not reviving old seed.

Store current seeds cool (35–40°F) and dry in airtight containers to maximize longevity.

Seeding and Propagation: Sprouting Seeds for Nutrition: Seed Saving and Open-Pollinated Varieties; Sunflower Seed Harvest: Paper Bag Method and Refrigerator Stratification; Starting Bismarck Palm Seeds for Kids' Science Project; Cypress Seed Viability, Storage, and Kudzu Warning; Growing Tree Peonies from Seed: What to Expect; Where to Find Cherry Seeds for Planting (And Why They're Rare); Sourcing Blueberry Seeds for International Shipping to Thailand; Growing Kumquat from Seed in Florida: Easy Citrus Propagation; Harvesting and Storing Althea (Rose of Sharon) Seeds; Where Do Vegetable Seeds Come From? The Plant Life Cycle Explained

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