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THERE are few Irish households that have neither the need or space to grow 250 kale plants or 10 courgette plants in any given year.

Since nearly all packets and varieties of vegetable seeds come in far too great a quantity for the average home gardener, there is a good chance you may be currently throwing one eye over this year’s new seed catalogues and the other over last years half-full seed packets as you ponder, how many of these older seeds are still viable and how long do vegetable seeds last?

Unfortunately, there are no exact answers, but luckily there are some guidelines. As seeds are living things, much depends on what kind they are and how they are stored. If seeds are kept in cool, dry conditions, if follows they will last longer than those stored in warm, humid conditions. Some types of seeds are naturally more short-lived than others and most seasoned vegetable growers know that parsnip seed will not carry over from year to year. The same is true for spinach, but most other vegetable and flower seeds are relatively long-lived and remain viable for at least two years from packing. From my own experience, seeds will last longer and germinate and grow, once kept in the right conditions. Seeds are happiest when stored in their original resealed packets in the fridge, but in the absence of original packets, place them in brown envelopes as this will help draw moisture away from seeds.