00:00If you're anything like me, you always end up with way more seeds than you could possibly
00:04grow in a single season.
00:06If you're also like me, you don't want to waste anything, even the two dollars you spend
00:11on a packet of seeds.
00:13That's why I end up growing seeds long past their expiration date.
00:17To me, an expiration date is just a suggestion.
00:21Old seeds can still turn into tasty vegetables and beautiful flowers.
00:25Plus, using expired seeds saves money you'd normally spend buying new ones.
00:31I'm Laura from Gardening Know How, and today I'm going to show you how to germinate and
00:35grow old expired seeds.
00:38Let's dig in!
00:48I've got four packets of expired seeds here.
00:51Zucchini, yellow crookneck squash, watermelon, and spaghetti squash.
00:56I've had these seeds for a while, and all of them are several years past their expiration
01:01date.
01:01Some expired in 2018, and the most recent ones expired in 2020.
01:06To germinate old seeds, you'll need a paper towel.
01:09Make that a damp paper towel.
01:12Much better.
01:13Place your seeds so they're not touching.
01:25Then fold over the paper towel like a little envelope so the seeds don't fall out.
01:34Grab a plastic baggie.
01:36Pop the paper towel into the baggie, squeeze out the air, and zip it shut.
01:46Make sure to label your seeds, especially the squash, which all look alike.
01:51Then repeat the process for all the seeds you want to test.
01:54Different types of seeds remain viable for different lengths of time.
01:59Squash, despite the expiration date on seed packets, usually remain viable for about three
02:04years.
02:05Melon seeds also last about three years, as well as tomatoes, beans, and brassicas like
02:11broccoli and cabbage.
02:12Other plants like spinach, parsnips, chard, lettuce, and onions only last one or two years.
02:19But my theory is, try it and see.
02:21There's no harm in trying to germinate them.
02:24If they don't sprout, then throw them out.
02:28Place the baggies of seeds in a warm spot for a week or so.
02:33After a week or two, it's time to transplant any seeds that have sprouted.
02:38Start off with a good potting mix.
02:40You can use one specifically for vegetables if that's what you're growing.
02:43Just make sure that whatever you use has good drainage.
02:47You want to move seedlings into individual containers to keep growing until they have
02:51a set or two of true leaves.
02:53Then you can plant them out in your garden or into bigger pots.
02:56Use your finger or a pencil to create planting holes.
02:59Then open up your baggies and see what sprouted.
03:17The squash have done really well.
03:20So well in fact, their roots have started to grow into the paper towel.
03:24Gently loosen the roots from the paper towel and pop your squash seedlings into the planting
03:28holes.
03:29Repeat this process for each plant variety, making sure to get all the roots under the
03:34soil and leave the green seedlings above the soil line.
03:48Now, all of your seeds might not be equally far along, but if there's any sign of sprouting,
03:53go ahead and plant them anyway.
03:54They'll continue to grow in their new home.
03:58Once all your seeds and sprouts are planted, give them a nice big drink and place them somewhere
04:03sunny.
04:12In about two weeks, your seedlings should have their first set of true leaves.
04:15That means they're ready to transplant into their permanent home.
04:20Not all expired seeds will grow well, but most of mine did.
04:24The watermelon got to the seedling stage, but started to get eaten by bugs.
04:28That's okay though, because it didn't cost anything.
04:31That's why experimenting with expired seeds is so great.
04:34If I had followed the expiration date on the packet, I wouldn't have this delicious homegrown
04:39zucchini to eat.
04:40Thanks for watching and happy gardening!
Comments