As I could not find my new packet of parsnips I sowed what was left from last year, then true to form found the new packet. Should I start again or do I have a chance with last years seed?
CoMpO
OLD PARSNIP SEEDS
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
this crops up every year... the experts say that parsnip seed must be fresh.... last years is useless and should be discarded.
all i can say is ive often sown several year old seed.... two per toilet roll and get a crop.... maybe the germination rate isnt good enough for a commercial crop .... but for the couple of dozen plants i want it doesnt matter if half a dozen toilet rolls worth of compost are wasted..
all i can say is ive often sown several year old seed.... two per toilet roll and get a crop.... maybe the germination rate isnt good enough for a commercial crop .... but for the couple of dozen plants i want it doesnt matter if half a dozen toilet rolls worth of compost are wasted..
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Primrose
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I simply don't have enough growing space to use up a whole packet of parsnip seed, so invariably I always end up the following spring with a packet which is at least one year old, and often two years old. Although perhaps the germination rate may be lower, I've never had a total failure of sowing parnsnip seed even when it's been two years old.
I wonder whether cool storage of the seed makes a difference. I always tightly reseal the little foil packet immediately after sowing. Possibly storing it in the fridge might help extend its life - I've never tried it. As you've already sown the seed, I'd give it time to germinate in the soil, but you could try sowing a few of the new packet on damp tissue and then putting the sprouting seed into loo rolls as a back up. If you've got any of the old seeds left, I'd try putting a few of them on damp tissue too. It might give you an idea of how many of the seeds are still capable of germinating.
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I wonder whether cool storage of the seed makes a difference. I always tightly reseal the little foil packet immediately after sowing. Possibly storing it in the fridge might help extend its life - I've never tried it. As you've already sown the seed, I'd give it time to germinate in the soil, but you could try sowing a few of the new packet on damp tissue and then putting the sprouting seed into loo rolls as a back up. If you've got any of the old seeds left, I'd try putting a few of them on damp tissue too. It might give you an idea of how many of the seeds are still capable of germinating.
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Hi Primrose,
It is not just germination that has to be considered with old seed sometimes an old seed will germinate but lacks the vigour in growth because the initial source of nutrient has gone over and the plants suffer badly.
JB.
It is not just germination that has to be considered with old seed sometimes an old seed will germinate but lacks the vigour in growth because the initial source of nutrient has gone over and the plants suffer badly.
JB.
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Primrose
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Ah, that's something that hadn't occured to me although it obviously doesn't seem to happen much with tomato seeds. More than once I've sowed seeds from a packet that has been several years old and they still germinated. Tomato seeds must be virtually indestuctable, especially when they survive prolonged immersion in sewage systems then in the compost which comes from it !