Old seeds

[Susan W]

What do you do with OLD seeds, partial packets you won't be using etc? I was sorting through stuff as we do about now, and set aside a mess that need gone. I hate to throw in trash. To the compost? Do you put in bird feeder? I'm not talking massive volume, perhaps 1/4 cup total. These are ones I'm not using and wouldn't feel right to give to anyone.

[imafan26]

I throw them out reluctantly, but I do a test sprouting first, just in case. I have way more seeds than that I need to cull. Pretty much, most things over 5 years old, unlabeled and unknown seeds are prime candidates. Sometimes I just have to ask myself how realistic it is that I will ever plant those seeds at all. The ones I tried and didn't really like, are easy to throw out or if they are still relatively young, give them away.

Some seeds like beans, dill, fennel can last up to 10 years making it even harder to throw them away. I have come upon a kind of solution, though, I stopped collecting anymore of those seeds.

[applestar]

I guess it depends on what they are. Last bit of direct sowing type seeds just get mixed or sown at edge of new batch of same type seeds. If they come up, great, if not -- oh well.

For seeds that need to be started ahead, I might densely sow in a community seed starting container.

Special variety of OP or heirloom tomatoes and others might receive special attention and effort to germinate so I might grow and collect more seeds to refresh the seed stock.

[tomc]

Offer them up with disclosure on free-cycle.

[catgrass]

I put them into little plastic bags that you get at the arts and crafts stores for putting beads, etc, in. I label them with the exp. date and sell them cheaply when I have my yard sales, twice a year. There are people, like me, who won't plant a whole packet of seeds in a season, and don't mind trying older seeds with a good price. Many of my seeds are viable for several seasons.