The Importance of FRESH Seeds

My Nigella seeds being sorted for sale.

As everyone knows I grow my seeds. I do this to ensure you are getting seeds immediately as I harvest them. And I store my seeds correctly to ensure a high germination rate. I only hold onto to my seeds for sale for one cycle which is usually twelve months. Seeds not sold during this time are either kept for me to grow or they are disposed of.

Large seed companies don't do this. When purchasing seeds from these places you run a risk of purchasing seeds with a poor germination rate.

What you don't know but need to know when purchasing seeds is:

• who grew them.

• how were they grown.

• how were they stored and long for before being packaged.

When at the retail outlet you need to take notice of:

• location of seed stock in the shop (are they in sun, are they being kept too warm, are the display conditions constantly cool and dry.)

• use by date.

• full horticultural growing instructions.

What frustrates me is that consumers often blame themselves when they can't get seeds to grow. In most cases it is not the consumer but poor quality seeds that are at fault.