HelpfulGardener.com

Hello Everyone!

I am new here & just placed my seed order online & missed ordering spinach seed by accident. Anyhow, I do however have lots left from last year (packaged in oct of 2019) & I wanted to ask if spinach seed remains viable for more than one year? The seed is a Stokes seed product, called "Longstanding Bloomsdale" if any are familiar with that product.

Have been a active gardener for 40 yrs +, mostly all vegetables.

Thanks!!

@Grow your own; Hi & welcome.

My info says spinach seed is good for 3 years. Generally I find seed stored dry in the fridge lasts longer than the 'official' word suggests

Germination rate might have deteriorated, but you should still get decent % to germinate unless they had been exposed to extreme heat and/or humidity.

I found out last year (I think) maybe the year before, that spinach seeds can be pre-germinated easily — soak for 4 to 6 hrs, then drain and put in the refrigerator — for keeping them moistened, either use moistened vermiculite or paper towel in something like zip bag or solo condiment cup with lid. Warmer part of the fridge like door shelf or egg keeper. They seem to prefer low temp to germinate.

Yep, I've grown Bloomsdale. A year old doesn't sound old to me. Do a germination test and see.

I did keep the seed in a dry place, in my garden tool shed, subject to humidity in the warmer weather though, think I will chance it & maybe do a germination test with a few seeds as suggested. Thanks

In many ways, it depends on the varieties of spinach, but if you have ordinary New Zealand spinach, your seeds will last for a maximum of 2 more years.

It also can depend on the storage environment on how viable your seeds can remain. Seeds need to be stored in a cool dry place. I kept my seeds stored in little jars in a box inside my house.