It's that time of year when I start browsing through all the new seed catalogs that arrive in the mail and I start thinking about what vegetables I want to grow this year and what seeds to order.  But then I bring out my big box of old vegetable seeds from past years to see if I really need to buy more seeds.   But as usual, I can never remember how many years each type of vegetable seed is generally viable for before their germination rate begins to decline.  I know a simple way to test for seed viability and germination rates only take a paper towel and patience.  You place a row of at least 20 seeds on a flat moistened paper towel then loosely roll up the paper towel with the seeds in them.  Place the paper towel in the best light and temperature for germination.  Then you check the paper towel every few days for up to ten days to see how many have germinated.  But frankly, I'm too impatient to do that.

So I decided it was time to put together a “cheat sheet” of general seed viability to keep in my box of old seeds so I won't continue to buy seeds I really don't need to buy.  It's a general guide because a variety of factors can affect seed viability, such as the temperature and other conditions the seeds are stored under.  So below is my general “cheat sheet” of vegetable seed viability,

            But the list is only to discourage me to buy seeds I don't need.  Because my parents grew up during the depression, I was taught never to waste old seeds that could still germinate, which explains why I still have six or more year old bean and melon seeds I still plant because I know from past experience, some of them will still grow!