Just read a seed packet fact that made me stop cold | Garden Seed Exchange

Mary Grant · 2026-03-28T19:20:05.253913+00:00

I was sorting my leftover seeds from last year and checked the back of my 'Brandywine' tomato packet. It said the germination rate can drop by HALF after just one year if you don't store them right. I keep mine in a kitchen drawer, which is way too warm and humid. I found this out on a university extension website while looking up why my old seeds weren't sprouting. Has anyone else had a batch fail because of bad storage?

clairepark6mo ago

Yeah, that's a brutal drop. Makes you wonder how many seeds we've all wasted, right?

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kelly_coleman616mo ago

Remember reading that silica gel packets are key for seed saving. I started tossing a few in my jars after losing a whole batch of lettuce seeds to mold. It made a huge difference for my pepper seeds the next season.

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caseys526mo ago

Actually, silica gel can dry seeds out too much if you're not careful.

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