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Feb 8, 2016 4:03 PM CST
Name: Rick Corey
Everett WA 98204 (Zone 8a)
Sunset Zone 5. Koppen Csb. Eco 2f
Frugal Gardener Garden Procrastinator I helped beta test the first seed swap Plant and/or Seed Trader Seed Starter Region: Pacific Northwest
Photo Contest Winner: 2014 Avid Green Pages Reviewer Garden Ideas: Master Level Garden Sages I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! I helped plan and beta test the plant database.
Hi Jerry

They will last longer, the drier you store them.

Around 40% to 50% relative humidity, I would guess "2-3 years" with vigor and germination % declining in the third year. My house gets up to 50% RH, or a little over, much of the year.

If you want that big jar to stay viable as long as possible (15-25 years?) , you might put a packet of desiccant in it. I use a paper coin envelope with a tablespoon or so of fresh silica gel (which you can buy in a craft store, in the flower-drying isle). If you're concerned about over-drying the seeds, use less silica gel and also get a humidity-indicating card.

https://secure.drierite.com/ca...
http://www.uline.com/BL_1002/H...
http://www.uline.com/Product/D...

Seeds stay viable longest if dried all the way down to 15%-30% equilibrium RH. The length of time that seeds stay viable approximately doubles for every 10% reduction in their equilibrium relative humidity.

Kew Royal Botanical Gardens Millennium Seed Bank Project :
"Seed life span approximately doubles for every 10% reduction in seed eRH. "
http://www.kew.org/sites/defau...


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