Question on age vs viability of bean and corn seeds...

**nctomatoman** · August 16, 2011

Now that my office is finally cleaned up and I can get at my entire seed collection, I am wondering which seed to toss and which to keep. Of course I am fine with knowledge of tomato, eggplant and pepper seed viability vs age - but just curious at to what those of you who are in the know have found with older corn and bean seed....thanks!

Jeannine Anne · August 16, 2011

Corn seed, two years then it rapidly goes down, but if you have lots you can pregerminate it and toss what doesn't make it but unless it is a very special one I wouldn't bother.

The official answer to beans is three years but I have germinated them well beyond that regularly,I germinated 9 year old beans this year and got about 40% up which was fine for me as they were quite rare. I wouldn't toss bean seed out till you do a test.

XX Jeannine

nicky · August 16, 2011

Don't know about corn but I had a similar experience with beans - germinated 8 year old pole beans a couple of years ago - about 8/10 came up.

Zana · August 16, 2011

I got about 40% germination on some seed from 2004 this spring....which was better than I expected. But like Jeannine, it was a rare bean, so I was happy to get that. I'll be saving as many as possible this year....going to taste a few and then save the rest.

The best I've had is germinating about 25-35% with 10 and 12 year old beans. I haven't tried anything older so I don't know how well it would. Allot might depend up on how they were stored too.

Not sure if that helps or not. Just my input.

Zana

Jeannine Anne · August 16, 2011

I totally agree about the storage thing, I am pretty careful about that.

I got some Gigantes beans from a Greek deli recently as I had had a glitch with the last few I had saved..my fault entirely, but I needed to start again. I have tried four times now to get a few to germinate but so far no luck and I suspect storage with the dealer is the problem . I will persevere though as my originals from 20 years ago came from Greece and it can be done.

XX Jeannine

Tania · August 16, 2011

I am growing corn this year from the seed purchased in 2005. I got 65-80% germination, which I think was pretty good considering the age.

I am also growing beans from 2003 (purchased) this year, can't remember the germination, but it was decent enough, around 50% maybe. My own 2005 saved beans sprouted 100%.

EDIT: the corn seed was stored at the bottom drawer in the fridge, the beans were stored at the room temperature in the laundry room

August 16, 2011	#1
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Question on age vs viability of bean and corn seeds... Now that my office is finally cleaned up and I can get at my entire seed collection, I am wondering which seed to toss and which to keep. Of course I am fine with knowledge of tomato, eggplant and pepper seed viability vs age - but just curious at to what those of you who are in the know have found with older corn and bean seed....thanks! __________________ Craig

August 16, 2011	#6
Tania Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anmore, BC, Canada Posts: 3,970	I am growing corn this year from the seed purchased in 2005. I got 65-80% germination, which I think was pretty good considering the age. I am also growing beans from 2003 (purchased) this year, can't remember the germination, but it was decent enough, around 50% maybe. My own 2005 saved beans sprouted 100%. EDIT: the corn seed was stored at the bottom drawer in the fridge, the beans were stored at the room temperature in the laundry room __________________ Tatiana's TOMATObase

August 16, 2011	#2
Jeannine Anne Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 1,553	Corn seed, two years then it rapidly goes down, but if you have lots you can pregerminate it and toss what doesn't make it but unless it is a very special one I wouldn't bother. The official answer to beans is three years but I have germinated them well beyond that regularly,I germinated 9 year old beans this year and got about 40% up which was fine for me as they were quite rare. I wouldn't toss bean seed out till you do a test. XX Jeannine

August 16, 2011	#3
nicky Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Ontario Posts: 600	Don't know about corn but I had a similar experience with beans - germinated 8 year old pole beans a couple of years ago - about 8/10 came up.

August 16, 2011	#4
Zana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Southwestern Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,521	I got about 40% germination on some seed from 2004 this spring....which was better than I expected. But like Jeannine, it was a rare bean, so I was happy to get that. I'll be saving as many as possible this year....going to taste a few and then save the rest. The best I've had is germinating about 25-35% with 10 and 12 year old beans. I haven't tried anything older so I don't know how well it would. Allot might depend up on how they were stored too. Not sure if that helps or not. Just my input. Zana