“Seeds are the forgotten heroes of food—and of life itself” —Christopher Cook

If you are not saving your own seeds from year to year, purchase good, fresh seed stock from a reputable source. You should also look for organic heirloom seeds since anything else can be hit or miss when it comes to saving your seeds from year to year.

4 Reasons To Choose Heirloom Seeds For Your Garden

As seeds age, their germination rate naturally declines. Seeds in good condition and stored properly will last at least one year and, depending on the plant, may last two to five years. Old seeds or seeds that have been stored improperly can lose their strength and vitality quickly. This can lead to a poor germination. But even more, those that do germinate from older seeds can be more weak and feeble plants than those that come from a fresh seed stock.

Use seeds that are no older than twelve to 18 months. In other words, if we purchase a new packet of seeds this year, we will keep the unused seeds stored safely in our refrigerator until next year to use one more time. After that, we discard the seeds and order new ones. For just a few dollars, it is far better to purchase seeds that are fresh and viable for planting. Obviously, in an emergency situation when seeds are not available or stores are closed, we could try to germinate older seeds

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