How long do seeds last? As a rule of thumb, germination rates of seeds decrease every year. But some seeds are known to live far longer, especially if they are stored in a cool dry place. Here is a table of average seed viability taken from a UF publication.
UPDATE: This year-2020- as we are in the midst of the COVID19 pandemic; many of us have been under stay-at-home orders. With that backdrop, I pulled out an old shoebox full of seed packets. Most of my seeds were date stamped 2010 or 2011. I planted them anyway and with the exception of the pepper and onion seeds, they all germinated. So, give those old seeds a chance!
Vegetable Seed | Years Viable | Vegetable Seed | Years Viable |
Asparagus | 3 | Leek | 1 |
Bean | 3 | Lettuce | 5 |
Beet | 4 | Muskmelon | 5 |
Broccoli | 5 | Mustard | 4 |
Brussels sprout | 5 | Okra | 2 |
Cabbage | 5 | Onion | 1 |
Carrot | 3 | Parsley | 2 |
Cauliflower | 5 | Parsnip | 1 |
Celery | 5 | Pea | 3 |
Chinese Cabbage | 5 | Pepper | 4 |
Collard | 5 | Pumpkin | 4 |
Corn, sweet | 1 | Radish | 5 |
Cress, water | 5 | Rutabaga | 5 |
Cucumber | 5 | Spinach | 5 |
Eggplant | 5 | Tomato | 4 |
Kale | 5 |