One of the (many) things I do during the gardening off season is…
I verify seed viability.
I do this now so I have time to order new seeds if the ones I have are dead.
This is especially important
if I’ve harvested my own seeds and they were a little iffy. Maybe the eggplant wasn’t 100% mature. Or the tomato seeds kind of sprouted during fermentation.
or
if my seeds are old or damaged. They’re past expiry dates or expected viability life or they were in a basement that got flooded.
The process of verifying seed viability is super easy.
I put a few of the seeds on a damp paper towel. I then place the damp paper towel in a ziploc bag, seal it and set it somewhere dark and warm.
If the seeds sprout, it is highly likely most of the rest of the batch is viable.
If the seeds don’t sprout, I source other seeds.
This ensures I’m not wasting soil and time when I restart the garden in the new year.
(smiles)
