If, like me, you store seeds for future planting, it’s worth checking they will germinate. Luckily, the process is simple

I like to think of myself as an organised person, but if you met my seed box, you may disagree. It’s a recycled shoe box that once housed wellies, with cardboard dividing it into compartments labelled by plant family. Each section is a chaos of packets, envelopes, little jars and paper folded around seeds that have been bought, shared and saved. Not everything is labelled, some packets are empty and many of the seeds have been hanging around for too many years to still be fertile.

Seeds don’t last for ever, unfortunately. Their viability varies depending on how long they have been stored, the conditions they have been stored in and the type of seed – onion seeds, for example, are best sown within a year or two, whereas cucumber and kale seeds can be stored for about five years.  Generally speaking, a seed will last longer when it is kept in the opposite conditions to those required for germination. For most seeds, this means keeping them cool and dry.