Seed Germination Test: Check Old Seeds Before Planting

Oct 30

3 min read

Fall is arriving and if you’ve been following me for a while, you know that this is the time that I start telling you to think about what seeds you want to sow for the upcoming months. 🤔

You may have seeds left over from last year, or maybe even a few years ago, but don’t rush into sowing them just yet.

Test them for germination first!!

Avoid Wasted Time With a Simple Germination Test

I learned this lesson the frustrating way. 😩 There’s nothing worse than sowing a tray of seeds, carefully watering them, checking on them every day… and then realizing two weeks later that hardly anything is going to come up.

Not only have you wasted time, but depending on what you’re planting, you may have also lost a couple of valuable weeks in your growing season.

That’s why I now test any seeds I’m unsure about before I sow them (usually - as I said in my last blogpost, I won’t have time this year, so it will be a hail Mary 😰).

How Long Do Leftover Seeds Remain Viable?

Seeds don’t automatically become useless just because they’re a year or two old. Some varieties can stay viable for several years when stored properly, while others lose their germination rate much more quickly. So instead of guessing, test them!

And the good news is, you don’t need any special equipment to do it!

A simple germination test can tell you whether your seeds are still worth planting and can also give you an idea of how well they’re likely to germinate.

How to Check Your Seeds' Germination Rate

For example, if you test 10 seeds and 9 germinate, great! I’d feel pretty confident planting those.

If only 2 or 3 germinate…you may want to replace that packet or sow more heavily to make up for the poor germination rate.

Either way, you’ll know before you fill up all of your seed trays and start waiting. 😊

I have a blogpost on my website that walks you through exactly how to test your leftover seeds for germination. You can read it here!

Watch the Seed Germination Test Step by Step

And if you’d rather watch me do it, I also created a YouTube video showing you the process step-by-step. Click below to watch!

It only takes a few days and a handful of seeds to do a germination test, but it can save you weeks of waiting and disappointment later.

And as always, if you have questions about seeds, plants, pests, or anything else happening in your garden, please don’t hesitate to reach out! 🌿

Get Ready for Fall and Winter Gardening

In the meantime, I just created a Fall and Winter Garden Guide to help you with planting in the upcoming cold months! It includes practical tips to:

Prepare your plants for cooler weather 🌱
Know what to prune, plant, and protect 🍂
Keep your garden healthy as temperatures drop 🍀
Get ready for winter before it arrives ❄️
Set yourself up for a beautiful garden when spring returns 🌿

In all transparency, I created it to get more people to join us in the biweekly Herb Talks, but if you are interested in getting one yourself, let me know and I’ll send it over to you.

If you know anyone who would love to receive the guide and would benefit from the info I share in these blogposts, please share this link: https://www.heavenlyflowerplantsandcrafts.com/herb-video

Enjoy the fall weather!