What is the shelf life of seeds?
Some seeds are viable only in the year of purchase, and others can be kept for many years. If seeds have not been pre-treated or pelletized, and if they have been stored properly, here is the shelf life you can expect: 1 year: onions, parsnips, parsley, salsify, scorzonera, and spinach; 2 years: corn, peas, beans, chives, okra, dandelion; 3 years: carrots, leeks, asparagus, turnips, rutabagas; 4 years: peppers, chard, pumpkins, squash, watermelons, basil, artichokes and cardoons; 5 years: most brassicas, beets, tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, muskmelons, celery, celeriac, lettuce, endive, chicory.
