really old seeds - bin them ?

[sacbina]

found a random flower and veg assortment dated 2008

to bin or give it a go and see?

[funnyperson]

Sprinkle in a dark damp shady part of the garden outside and label them and I bet they all germinate. Almost certainely they will all germinate because you don't expect them to. The labelling is important so that you know what is coming up.

[Callmegeoff]

My years out of date Gardeners delight all germinated!

[sacbina]

a year I wouldn't even question, but these are 7 years!

[Takver]

Depends on species. Are they veg? If so - umbellifers & alliums are pretty short lived & I wouldn't even bother trying, brassicas/tomatoes/peppers quite likely to be ok if they've been stored cool, melons/cukes even more so. I've just grown out peppers this spring from 2002 seed, though that was stored in a freezer.

If you've got a fair bit of seed, you can do a quick germination test - thoroughly damp paper towel on a saucer, put a counted no. of seeds on it, then wrap loosely in a poly bag (so it stays damp). Put it somewhere that it'll be suitably warm, then see how many germinate in the next 10 -14 days.

[Callmegeoff]

Sorry I meant years as in really old not one year. It depends if it will put you back a bit if they don't come up and have to get new seeds.

[AndWhenYouGetThere]

Have you got some spare space? I'd give it a go and see what happens, survival of the fittest/Darwin style.