An easy way to check for seed viability is through a seed viability test. There are several tests you can do to see if the seeds are viable. I prefer the wet paper towel test. Let’s face it, I utilize this test because it’s the easiest! If the seeds are viable, you can get an estimate on the percentage of viability for the entire pack of seeds.
Just follow these steps…
- Take a paper towel and completely wet it.
- Place 10 seeds of your choice on ¼ th of the wet paper towel
- Fold the paper towel over the seeds so they are completely covered
- Fold the paper towel again so it is now 1/4th of the original size and can fit in a sandwich or quart sized bag
- Label a sealable sandwich or quart sized bag with the name of the seed and the date
- Place the paper towel with the seeds in the sealable bag
- Make sure the bag is completely closed and sealed
- Leave the bag in an area where it will not be forgotten
The original seed packet will say approximately how many days the seeds take to germinate. After the required amount of days, it is time to check the seeds.
- Open the bag
- Carefully remove the paper towel
- Gently unwrap the paper towel
- Count the number of seeds that have germinated
- Multiply the number of germinated seeds by 10
- You now have an estimate of the viability percentage
If you have nine seeds that have germinated, you can safely assume you have 90 percent viable seeds. In that case, you can plant as directed on the package. If you have 5 seeds that have germinated, the germination rate is 50%. You will need to sow two times as many seeds to get the same number of seedlings . Therefore, if the package recommends 1-2 seeds per cell, you should sow seeds at the rate of 3-4 seeds per cell to increase the likelihood of germination.
You can plant the germinated seeds as usual, being careful not to break the roots from the sprout. If there was no or a poor germination rate, you can discard the seeds before you have invested any time in planting them in your garden