Seed life varies a great deal by species: onion, parsley and parsnip seed lasts about 1 to 2 years under good storage, corn, pepper and spinach 2 to 3, beans, peas, carrot and lettuce 3 to 5, and grain seeds 5 to 10 or more. These figures assume cool, dry storage, and seed kept hot or damp loses viability in a fraction of the time. Plant the short-lived kinds first and run a germination test on anything you cannot afford to lose.
Part of Seed & Food Salvage
Seeds are alive and slowly use themselves up, and how long they last varies from a year or two to decades by species. The table is the parent article’s and should be read as a rule of thumb.
Seeds Are Alive and Slowly Using Themselves Up
The parent article explains that seeds respire slowly, consuming stored energy, and eventually the embryo dies. How long that takes depends on species and on storage.
| Seed type | Years of viability, proper storage | Parent article’s note |
|---|---|---|
| Onion, parsley, parsnip | 1-2 | Short-lived; plant first |
| Corn, pepper, spinach | 2-3 | Moderate life |
| Beans, peas, carrot, lettuce | 3-5 | Reliable mid-term storage |
| Beet, cucumber, melon, squash, tomato | 4-6 | Good storers |
| Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli, kale) | 4-5 | Fairly durable |
| Radish, turnip | 4-5 | Reliable |
| Wheat, barley, rice, oats | 5-10+ | Grain seeds last well |
| Lotus, date palm | Decades to centuries | Extreme outliers |
Published tables differ by source, so use these as an ordering of short-lived to long-lived, not as promises. For storage detail see Seed Viability and Seed Storage.
What You Need
- Dates — the packed-for year on a packet, or when you harvested.
- Storage notes — where the seed has been kept, and how warm and damp.
- A germination test — see The Paper Towel Germination Test.
Method: Rank Your Stock by Urgency
Step 1: List what you have Species, age, and the conditions it has been kept in.
Step 2: Look up its range Use the table. Subtract the seed’s age from the top of the range to see roughly how much life is left.
Step 3: Adjust for storage The parent article says seed in a hot shed loses viability in a fraction of the table time, and seed in a freezer with proper moisture can last 2 to 3 times longer. Move your estimate accordingly.
Step 4: Test the doubtful Test any seed that is near or beyond its range.
Step 5: Plant short-lived seed first Onion-family seed goes in first, grains last.
Worked Example
A packet of onion seed is 3 years old and was kept in a hot shed. The table range is 1 to 2 years under good storage, and 3 years is already beyond the top of it, so the expected germination is poor. Test it. If 2 of 10 seeds sprout, the parent article’s own advice is not worth planting unless it is all you have.
Common Mistakes
- Treating a table value as a guarantee — the real test is germination.
- Ignoring storage — heat and damp matter as much as age.
- Keeping only the long-lived seed — short-lived seed must be planted and renewed.
What’s Next
- Learn next: The Paper Towel Germination Test — measure what is left
- Combine with: Building a Seed Library — track age and test dates