Some seeds need to be planted fresh!! Did you plant all the beans or can you try sprouting some to see if they are OK.

Paddy,
Every plants seeds have different lengths of viability. When buildings in London were bombed during the war (some of them hundreds of years old) amongst the rubble, green growth was seen everywhere as old seed germinated. I believe that they found viable wheat seeds in the pyramids! Other seeds need to be as fresh as possible to germinate. The use by date on the packet is an indication of the best time frame to use them by. It doesn't mean they couldn't possibly be alright after that. I reckon if you have them you might as well give it a try...what have you got to lose?!
Cheers,
Dee.

That's pretty good about the carrots Pat. I guess some things can lie dormant for years just waiting for a chance at life! Hope you have a good crop.

I planted fresh chestnut seed nuts and much to my amazement got 98% germination. At the same time I planted fresh acorns and had 100% nothing rate... Must have been the way I held my mouth when planting - I mean, acorns sprout all over the place here - except where I plant the blimmin' things.

I have a hollyhock growing here, (and flowering still:-) that a friend grew from seed from a plant that came up after a 100 year old slate path was lifted in a large old garden in Ballarat. The plant grew from underneath one of the slates, not in the cracks. Now it is fair to say that the person finding the plant assumed the seed was 100 years old, but it may not have been. It may have fallen on the soil after the stones were lifted. The plant did not however grow in the vicinity at that time.
Seeds found in pharoahs tombs have been known to germinate.
Robyn, maybe your acorns weren't mature enough to germinate - still green perhaps? I can imagine that you would normally expect over 100% from Ballarat acorns - LOL

Robyn,

To grow acorns, loosen the soil to 10 inches then plant the acorns on their side about 2 inches deep.

Cheers,
Dee.

Thanks all for your comments.seams like all seeds aint seeds like all oils aint oils. starting to get shoots of canner?lilies that I thought I killed about 10--15 years ago.I know lots of plants get carried by the wind & birds.anyhow found another packet different beans same vintage and still have some of the "failure"beans will try again under "nicer"conditions and not just in the garden.will post results if any.

Paddy,
What is the story with your Canna lilies? Did they reappear after you moved something else or what? I find that quite interesting.
Cheers,
Dee.

Hi Dee-I thought at the time I had dug up all the bulbs ect and planted hippies that over the years have thickened up quite considerably now all of a sudden up comes the cannas. don't think it can be birds I know of no other cannas any where around and despite lots of other garden beds close by they are only appearing in the exact spot where they first were. I don't have a solution but I admire the problem.

That is astonishing Paddy, what a surprise. Gardening is full of unexplained mysteries I think! Perhaps that's part of what makes it so enjoyable.
Cheers,
Dee.

When I was out gardening a week or so ago, I got my 3yr. old grand-daughter to plant some rather geriatric nasturtium seeds that had fallen down the back of the shelf in the potting shed.
She was quite excited at the prospect of them turning into flowers and I was a bit concerned that it wouldn't happen....but it did; the same day that she came home from kinder with green paint on her thumb (I kid you not!) was the day we found the little shoots popping up! Is this an omen of a new gardener in the family? I sure hope so!
Cheers,
Dee. (excited Grandma)

I have heard that nasturtiums are sometimes used to replace capers in cooking is that true?
Cheers
Ctace (Stacey)