Sunshet Agrosuccess - protects plants from sunburn and drought. Shelf life of different seeds for the garden Shelf life of fodder beet seeds

Before you start sowing, you need to check the seeds. If the quality of the seeds was initially good, they can be sown for more than one year. The seeds of most vegetables can be stored for several years without compromising their quality. In some crops, for example, carrots, an inverse relationship is observed: the longer the exposure, the higher the germination rate. But the seeds of celery, parsley, onions, and pepper can be stored for no longer than two years.

Shelf life of main crops

watermelon - 6 years
basil - 3 years
eggplant - 3 years
peas - 5 years
salad mustard - 3 years
melon - 6 years
white cabbage - 4 years
Brussels sprouts - 4 years
kohlrabi cabbage - 4 years
cauliflower - 4 years
broccoli - 3 years
red cabbage - 3 years
Chinese cabbage - 3 years
savoy cabbage - 3 years
coriander (cilantro) - 3 years
watercress - 5 years
corn - 5 years
leek - 3 years
onions - 2 years
carrots - 3 years
peppermint - 2 years
cucumber - 6 years
squash - 6 years
pepper - 2 years
parsley - 2 years
rhubarb - 2 years
radishes - 4 years
radish - 4 years
turnip - 4 years
salad - 3 years
table beet - 4 years
celery - 2 years
asparagus - 4 years
cumin - 2 years
tomato - 4 years
pumpkin - 6 years
dill - 2 years
beans - 5 years
fennel - 2 years
spinach - 3 years
sorrel - 2 years.

How to determine seed germination?

Seeds obtained from one plant have different germination rates. There are several ways to determine how suitable the seeds are for sowing.

First way

Small seeds - carrots, turnips, cabbage, parsley, mustard, tomato, dill, pepper, eggplant, garden flowers, etc. - place on paper napkins soaked in water (no more than 10 pieces) and cover with plastic wrap. Then you should put the saucer with the moistened seeds in a warm place, but so that the temperature there does not exceed 20-23 °C. While observing the seeds, add water if necessary. As germination progresses, we count the sprouted ones. If 6 out of 10 seeds sprouted, it means the germination rate is 60%.

Second way

Pour the seeds into a container with water, stir thoroughly and let sit for 5-7 minutes. Remove any seeds that are on the surface of the water. They may be empty, spoiled and dried out. Feel free to use those that have settled to the bottom for sowing, after drying them at a temperature of 20-25 °C.

This way you can check all seeds for germination, except for tomato, radish and cabbage. They are checked for density not in water, but in a three to five percent solution of table salt.

Third way

To check the germination of pumpkin, zucchini, peas, squash, cucumbers, beets, beans, beans, watermelon and melon seeds, you need to take sawdust and treat them with boiling water 2-3 times after 20-30 minutes. Then pour the raw sawdust into small boxes. Seeds are placed in rows at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other. A gap of 1-1.5 cm is maintained between the seeds. After this, the seeds are covered with sawdust. Favorable temperature for seed germination is 23-27 °C. The number of germinated seeds will determine the percentage of germination.

The shelf life of seeds largely depends on the flower crop and their storage conditions. Historical facts prove that the seeds of some crops remain viable after thousands of years.

For example, angustifolia seeds found in the Magadan region in permafrost layers were able to germinate in laboratory conditions, despite the fact that they are more than 25,000 years old. The resulting plants not only bloomed, but also formed fruits. The experiment allowed scientists to conclude that the germination of seeds can be preserved by freezing.

Another striking example is a story that happened more than 50 years ago. The French scientist T. Becquerel, who studied the viability of seeds stored in the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, managed to germinate 221-year-old mimosa seeds.

Durability

There is such a thing as the age of seeds, which is calculated from the day of collection. In addition, there are two concepts that characterize the longevity of seeds.

Economic- the period of time during which a large percentage of seeds remain viable.

Biological– the period of time during which at least a small percentage of seeds (even one seed) remain viable.

Do not confuse the shelf life with the expiration date, which implies a period of time that allows for sale.

Under the right conditions, ripened seeds can remain viable for up to 5-8 years, but every year the percentage of germination will decrease. So, for example, the shelf life of marigold seeds is 1-2 years; after 2 years, only a few can sprout from the package, while the rest will lose their ability to germinate. Therefore, it is advisable to sow them as quickly as possible.

Shelf life of common flower seeds

The embryo is located in each seed, and it contains a sufficient supply of nutrients to allow the embryo to develop. But the amount of nutrients in the seeds of different plant species varies. Moreover, this does not mean that large seeds, for example, nasturtium, contain more nutrients than grains of fragrant tobacco, which retains the ability to germinate for up to 8 years, and nasturtium for only up to 4 years.

So, for example, representatives of the Ranunculaceae family quickly lose their germination capacity. Delphinium, aquilegia or primroses must be sown fresh; they are stored for only a year. The shelf life of seeds of marigolds, arctotis, asters and most plants represented by the Asteraceae family is only 1-2 years.

The intensity of consumption of nutrient reserves varies, but depletion of reserves leads to the death of the embryo.

What affects the shelf life of seeds?

Genetic characteristics and the type of crop largely influence the shelf life of flower seeds. But storage conditions are also important. In unfavorable conditions they lose their germination capacity.

High humidity often causes the seeds to lose their ability to germinate, which can be stored for more than 10 years in favorable conditions. The porous shell easily absorbs moisture in the air, the embryo awakens prematurely and dies. Therefore, it is important to dry freshly collected material before storing it. They are laid out in a thin layer on cloth or paper in a dry, ventilated place, but not in the sun or near heating appliances or stoves. Dried seeds are packaged in paper bags or fabric bags.

Light stimulates germination. Therefore, dried seeds should be stored in a dark place.

Affects germination and time of collection - dry or wet. For example, if the summer was damp, then pathogens of fungal diseases may be present on the seeds, reducing shelf life.

The seed treatment method - pelleting - reduces the shelf life by 2-3 years. But if the unprocessed ones are packaged in foil rather than a regular paper bag, they will last longer. Even asters increase the likelihood of germination after 3-4 years of storage in foil packaging without access to air.

Seed storage methods

In production technologies, it is possible to increase seed moisture to 5-10%. At such humidity, they do not breathe, do not emit heat and carbon dioxide, and preservation occurs. They are then packaged in moisture-proof packaging and placed in fabric bags. They are stored in this form until sold or used.

At home, dried seeds are stored in paper bags or fabric bags in a cool and dry room.

Low temperature helps extend shelf life. Therefore, it is permissible to store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Purchasing seeds – an important part preparation for work on the site.

Nowadays the assortment in stores is huge, so the main thing is to get it right make a choice.

And above all, this concerns shelf life (or germination), only seeds that have good performance in this parameter will produce desired harvest.

Although they can be stored for an incredibly long time.

There are known cases when plants, for example, wheat, sprouted from seeds found in pyramids, and those found in the stomach of a mammoth sprouted.

Methods for determining germination

Everything has different expiration dates. You can find out if the seeds stored at home are outdated by checking them germination.

Simplest method: sow several seeds in a bowl a few weeks before the main planting work, so that there is time for a new purchase if they do not sprout.

Second way: you need to soak them in warm water and wait for the seedlings. Only those that have a developed embryo and sufficient nutrients germinate.

Before sowing or soaking it is necessary take away the best seeds. For this purpose, they are lowered into solution from a third of a tablespoon of table salt and half a glass of water. Then they mix and reject those that will emerge to the surface. The rest carefully washed under running water, as remaining salt may reduce the similarity. This can be done by wrapping the seeds in wet gauze.

Usually they take 10 pieces and, by counting the number of sprouted or sprouted, determine germination percentage.

Seeds that are less than 50% germinated can not use with full landings.

For guaranteed germination when sowing, they need to be taken three times more than intended. If less than 30% has germinated, then all are discarded.

Vegetables

How long can vegetable seeds be stored? Vegetable seeds traditionally grown in our gardens and popular flowers have different expiration dates. At violation of conditions The storage time is significantly reduced, or they completely lose their ability to germinate.

Should only be stored in dry place, some fans put it in a three-liter jar and close it with a lid. Manufacturers advise storing at a temperature about 5 degrees.

Seeds of some crops can be stored a very long time. This is how tomatoes sprout even after 10 years.

Through 5-6 :

• at the melon;
• beans;
• beans;
• beets;
• cucumbers
• tomatoes

No less 5 years stored:

• in eggplants;
• corn;
• pumpkins;
• peas

4-5 years:

3-4 years store seeds:

• leaf and head salads;
• leeks.

2-3 of the year:

• parsley;
• nigella onion, onion;
• dill.

Scorzonera can only be planted from seeds. previous year collection

Packaging dependency

Why do storage periods fluctuate? Seeds often last longer than stated on the package. The manufacturer indicates the date at which they germinate almost everything.

Yes, myself package affects . Now many companies, in addition to paper packaged in inner bags made of polyethylene and foil, protecting against environmental influences and increasing shelf life.

There are seeds processed in special ways. This significantly shifts their shelf life downward. Dried have a shorter shelf life than regular ones.

For example, plain cabbage can be stored for up to 5 years, while the panned version of this vegetable can be stored for only 2 years. Plasma It is better to use only one year.

Many gardeners, afraid of making a mistake in timing, take seeds obtained only in the previous year. This makes sense when it comes to vegetables such as parsley, parsnips, peppers, celery, and dill.

But in some cultures germinate better after a few years, usually 3 years after collection, because they take a long time to mature biologically.

These are cucumbers, pumpkins, zucchini, eggplants.

Experts often advise keeping them at temperature to speed up ripening. 25 degrees.

It is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of economic and biological germination.

Economic– this is the storage time when up to 50% sprout. Biological- at least one seed. Most have biological germination up to 12-20 years. But for gardeners this has no practical significance.

Floral

How long do flower seeds last?

U annuals:

Some seeds last less than a year: asters and aquilegia.

The now popular castor bean is stored 2-3 years. Even during this period they have low germination rates. Out of 10 pieces, at best, six sprout. They are poisonous!

In flax and milk thistle ─ 3 years.

U two-year-olds:

• viola, foxglove, bluebell 2-3 of the year;
• mallow, daisies, forget-me-nots 3-4 ;
• Turkish cloves 4-5 .

U perennial:

• primrose, delphinium, doronicum - 1-2 of the year;
• gaillardia, cornflower, bluebell, rudbeckia, tansy, alpine aster, coreopsis 2-3 ;
• gypsophila, lychnis 3-4 ;
• lupine, yarrow 4-5 years.

Milk thistle is stored 3 years, is a medicinal and ornamental plant.

Flaxseed is also stored for the same period.

Indoor flowers

Nowadays, hobbyists grow indoor plants from seeds, especially flowering ones, which can be used one summer season: pelargonium (geranium), the seeds of which are stored for 2-3 years, balsam, with a shelf life of 4-5 years.

But fuchsias need to be planted only fresh.

How to choose the right seeds?

There are several simple selection tips:

1. Before you go to the store for new seeds, check last year's stock.
2. Never stock up for future use.
3. Better buy at specialized stores
4. Check carefully packaging.
5. Take seeds from well-known proven firms.
6. It is preferable to buy without mark F.
7. Don't get carried away with seeds exotic plants.
8. Choose varieties that grow in your region.
9. Be attentive to expiration dates.

Arriving home, on every package duplicate expiration dates in large pen. The same should be done on packages. with collected seeds.

Can I return them to the store?

Returning seeds to the store is very difficult.

If you bought it, then you will most likely be blamed for this: the expiration date is indicated on the package.

Prove Moreover, it is almost impossible that you bought this particular package of seeds in this store.

You can only make claims in large specialized stores that value their reputation.

Nowadays, many people prefer to order seeds from online stores. Follow the above rules there too. Try to extract maximum information from what is written on the package.

Results

Plant seeds are living, they breathe and gradually use up their nutrient reserves. There comes a time when this stock is running low, and with it the embryo is depleted, the opportunity to give a new life disappears.

And so that in the spring you no disappointment When suddenly only a few shoots are found in the garden bed instead of slender green rows, pay attention to the seeds you purchased.

There are several basic rules that should be followed when choosing seed material.

are different for different cultures. If we comply with the requirements for storing seeds, then our green pets will give us everything that this or that variety is capable of.

You should not use hybrid seeds obtained in your own garden. They do not retain the qualities we liked so much in the first generation, and in the future they may not repeat the varietal characteristics.

Seeds of cucumbers, squash, zucchini and pumpkins cannot be planted fresh, obtained the previous fall. They must be kept for at least 1-2 years, and then the plants will have a large number of female flowers, the ovaries will be abundant, their development will be rapid and they will suffer less. But one-year-old cucumbers produce a plant with wildly developing vines and an abundance of barren flowers.

It is better to sow the seeds of carrots, parsley, nigella, and asters only fresh, since the germination rate of their seeds drops sharply after 1-2 years.

You should treat the seeds of peppers, peas, and lettuce with sufficient caution if they have been in your possession for more than 2 years, and you should create ideal conditions for their storage (temperature no higher than +12-15°C, air humidity 50-60%) failed.

If you have had the seeds of cabbage, rutabaga, or beets for more than 3 years, it is better to discard them and buy fresh ones. Your determination will be justified and will be fully repaid by the harvest and less effort required to grow it.

The seeds of beans, tomatoes, eggplants and pumpkin, which were already mentioned above, can be used even if they have been stored for 4-5 years.

• STORAGE LIFE OF VEGETABLE SEEDS
• 1-2 years – chives, scorzonera, celery, parsnips, onions, corn, leeks
• 3-4 years - peas, peppers, fennel, beans, beans, eggplants, rutabaga, spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, kohlrabi, parsley, tomatoes;
• 4-5 years – seeds of Chinese cabbage, endive, radish, turnip, radish, pumpkin, white cabbage, Brussels sprouts and red cabbage, zucchini and zucchini;
• 4-6 years – seeds of leaf and table beets, melon;
• 6-8 years – cucumber seeds.

STORAGE LIFE OF FLOWER SEEDS

Aquilegia seeds remain viable for about 1 year

• 1-2 years – seeds of delphinium, doronicum orientalis, primrose, phlox Drummond, verbena, marigold, nigella, arctotis, gatsania, helichrysum, salpiglossis, nemesia;
• 2 years – seeds of aster, pansy (viola), calendula, dimorphotheca, eschscholzia, Carpathian bellflower and peach leaf;
• 2-3 years - seeds of rudbeckia, cornflower, pyrethrum, foxglove, morning glory, iberis, bluebell, zinnia, malope, matthiola, lobularia, lobelia, clarkia, cosmos, helipterum, begonia, annual dahlia, fragrant tobacco, fiery red bean, snapdragon, lavatera, digitalis, purslane;
• 4-5 years – seeds of pinnate cloves, Grenadines, Turkish and Chinese, nasturtium, coreopsis, lupine;

5-6 years – seeds of sweet peas, amaranth and gillyflower. It is better to sow gillyflower seeds in the 4-5th year after collection, as this increases the number of double inflorescences.

The troublesome autumn was followed by a restless winter. Now is the time to think about seeds for next season. They lie in the house, preserved not only from this year, but even from the previous year. What to do with them? Leave? Will they germinate? How many and, most importantly, how to store them? Let's try to figure out these questions.

By the way, there are amazing cases in history when seeds were discovered during excavations of ancient structures, they were planted and they... germinated, and germinated after thousands of years! This was the case, for example, in the middle of the 19th century, when wheat seeds were found at the bottom of a 3,000-year-old vase: they were sown and they sprouted. True, this miracle can be explained: a constant temperature and humidity were maintained in the vase, and the seeds were apparently well ripened and dried. Namely, these conditions are necessary for better seed preservation. Then the metabolic processes in the seed are greatly inhibited, it enters a dormant stage, and the embryo under such conditions can remain alive for a long time.

However, the ability to maintain germination varies among different crops. And it depends not only on the type of culture, but also on maturation conditions, preparation for storage And storage itself.

The age of seeds is counted from the day of collection, and their longevity is divided into economic And biological.

More important for us economic durability- the time during which a certain (large) percentage of seeds retain the ability to germinate. Here, for example, are indicators of the economic longevity of vegetable seeds (in years):

Biological longevity time during which at least a single seed remains capable of germination:

By the way, the seeds lose their viability gradually. At first, only 25% die. This happens slowly, then the process accelerates and almost all the seeds die, although among them there may remain rare specimens that have not lost their germination, unlike all their fellows.

The main reason why seeds lose their viability faster is their high humidity , therefore, freshly collected seeds need to be dried in the open air, spreading them in a thin layer on paper or cloth so that moisture is easily absorbed. There is no need to dry the seeds in the sun; it is better in the shade with access to air. It is dangerous to dry near a stove or radiator - the seeds can easily dry out there.

Be sure to dry the old seeds, especially if you kept them in an unheated country house. Don’t forget about suitable packaging – bags made of thick paper or linen.

The seed shell is porous, so it easily absorbs moisture from the air, which is why store seeds It is necessary in a dry room and at a constant temperature. You can store them in the cellar or refrigerator, but only in an airtight container, for example, in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. The main thing is that the seeds do not absorb moisture, otherwise they will begin to breathe more intensely, lose nutrients, and the embryo will awaken prematurely from sleep and die.

Two ways to store seeds

First way used in production: the seeds are specially brought to a moisture content of 5–10% and only then put into moisture-proof packaging (for example, polyethylene), and then into fabric bags.

At higher humidity, the seeds will breathe more intensely and release heat and carbon dioxide. Therefore, if at home it is impossible to dry the seeds exactly to this moisture content (5–10%), then they should not be stored in plastic bags, otherwise they may suffocate.

Most suitable for gardeners second way. When drying at home in a warm room, the seed moisture content is 10–15%. It is better to pour such seeds into a fabric bag and hang them in a room where it is constantly dry and cool.

L. Kalugina, Khimki