But you may well wonder if that old grass seed is still viable, or if it has gone bad with age. As with many items you find at the grocery store, you may have “sell by” or “best by” date, which normally indicates the end of the year those seeds were packed. Like I said earlier in this article, you could still try and use the seeds on a big area. Depending on how it has been kept and how it is planted, grass seed can remain viable for years. If this isn't practical, seek out the coolest location in your home. How do you know if your seeds are still viable? Grass seed can be broadly categorized into three types; fluffy or chaffy, smooth small seed, and smooth large seed. The shelf life of lawn grass seed depends mainly on the strength and health of the grass plants ( Poaceae ) that produced the seed and how the seed was stored after it was harvested. Many homeowners keep a large bag of grass seed in the garage or shed to have on hand whenever a patch of bare lawn needs to be reseeded. For more details, see our, How to Save Your Vegetable Seeds for Next Year. You can extend its viability by keeping it out of a hot garage or shed and storing it indoors where it is cool. Why Is Your Grass Seed Not Growing: What You Need to Know When you’re gardening your lawn, one of the first things you’d want to do is to plant good grass seeds to have a good starting point. Check the age of the grass seed used. I prefer seed that is over a year old versus a few months after it is harvested. Age – All seeds stay viable for at least a year and most will be viable for two years. A packet of vegetable seeds may look dry, brittle, and lifeless, but in many cases, seeds are very much alive. If you look on the back of your seed packet, there should be some type of dated information, at least with most reputable sources. How to Maximize the Timing Advantage. There are two easy tests you can take to … David Beaulieu is a garden writer with nearly 20 years experience writing about landscaping and over 10 years experience working in nurseries. How to Store Grass Seed. But you may well wonder if that old grass seed is still viable, or if it has gone bad with age. After it germinates you need to sprinkle it at least twice a day because the seeds are close to the surface and the normal sun and air will dry them out. We live in Ohio and this summer that grass is turning brown due to the heat. There are no expiration dates on the packages…. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! In many cases, these seeds are stored away for safekeeping, slowly accumulating with what many the gardening community refer to as a “seed stash.” So are old seeds still good for planting or is it better to acquire more? You can still get results from a bag of grass seed for many years, but the actual “expiry date” depends on how well you store your seed. 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Grass seed has been known to stay viable for decades if it is kept in a suitable environment. However, seeds do not remain alive forever. 3. Straight seed consists of only one type of grass and is suited to situations where you want to achieve a certain look or effect. One study showed laboratory-sealed cannabis seeds were still viable after 19 years. Many may also add rice grains to the jars to discourage the presence of moisture. The seeds that are still able to germinate will sink to the bottom of the container while the bad seeds will remain floating on top. This varies considerably by plant, however, and it also depends on how the seeds are stored. While it’s hard to know whether a grass seed is expired or not, there may be instances when one is able to easily tell that it’s good for a seed to be thrown away than to be used. How do you know which grass seed to use? If your grass seed dries out after it has started to sprout, it will die. In other words, if a seed packet or box of grass seed promised that 90 percent of the seeds will germinate and sprout when fresh, it will probably drop to about 80 percent in year two, and another 10 percent each year thereafter. Never start your fan too close to your seeds and on the highest speed setting. Improve the Soil. If the weather is hot and dry, you will need to mist with water more frequently. The seeding equipment should provide proper seed depth, uniform seeding rate, and good seed to soil contact. But a short while after you water grass seed for the first time, it starts needing oxygen to continue sustaining itself and its rapid growth. Seeds stored in a sealed container in a refrigerator usually enjoy the best longevity. However seed that is bagged and sold later the next year will actually germinate FASTER. If you’re using bag seeds then you never really know what you’re getting anyways. While proper storage conditions will help to prolong the lifespan of seeds, the viability of many types of seeds will begin to decline regardless. Q. It’s nice to know what to look for, but in the end the best test is just to put it in soil. It's best to plant cool-season grasses in the late summer or early fall, 45 days before first frost. Moisten a paper towel and place the seeds into it. Grass seeds need to be kept moist in order to germinate. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board. Many people begin gardening not only as a means to grow healthy and nutritious fruits and vegetables, but to also save money.