Chia seeds — how long do they keep?
Comments (10)
- 3 years ago
Related Discussions
How long will tomato seeds keep?
Comments (4)There are recorded instances of 50 year old seed being germinated under ideal conditions, germination of 15-20 year old seed when frozen is fairly common, and whenever this question comes up on the Tomato forum and the Seed Saving forum here there are many reports of 5 year old seed or more being used. Of course proper storage - cool and dry - will determine longevity. Personally I frequently use 5-8 year old tomato and other common vegetable seeds. Dave...See MoreHow long do you keep azalea seed around?
Comments (1)Don't ditch it; if stored cool and dry the seeds should still be viable after a year....See Morehow long can you keep seeds and how??
Comments (15)Many seed companies just recycle last years seeds. The garden centers ship them back to the distibutor and they test to see of the seeds are still germinating. If they get good germination rates, ( not sure what the percentage is), they just repackage them for the next year with a new date on the package... so your seeds may actually be older than the package states. It kinda defeats any knowledge of how long seeds actually last, but also encourages me to keep seeds a long time. If the seed companies are recyling seeds each year, I can too. On a side note, I am growing peppers from seeds I bought last year and from seeds I saved from a pepper last year, and the ones from the pepper are growing WAY better. Maybe because they are fresher, or it could be the variety. Just food for thought....See MoreHow long can I keep the seeds?
Comments (9)I'm thinking about buying tomato and bean seeds throught internet. Usually it comes in a package of 20-25. I would like to use only 5 for this year. Would the rest last forever if I store them in a dry cupboard? **** You have several choices as to how to store the tomato seeds. You can keep them in a cool dry spot with the packs tightly closed. You can put them in a jar, tightly sealed, and put it in the fridge. You can dry them down to a moisture level of about 6-8% and freeze them. I wouldn't say tomato seeds last forever, they can't, but the documented germination of seeds 50 years old was done when the Cheyenne precurser to the USDA was moved from there to Ames IA. My own record is waking up 22 yo seed but often that means using special little tricks. Another important factor is knowing the age of the seeds when you buy them, and even though a pack may say packed for 2008 that doesn't tell you how old the seeds are, it just tells you when they were packed. I keep my seeds in vials and some in open envelopes and they're kept at ambient temperature and I expect a germination of at least 50% and often much more from my own saved seeds. I know of only one tomato source where no tomato seeds sold are older than two years and that's Sandhill Preservation. Some of the smaller companies may also be offering some varieties that are fresh, but new stock plantings are rotated so any given place may be selling seeds for different varieties that are of varying ages. Since you're in Toronto you don't have to deal with blistering heat and humidity so if it were me I think I'd store your seed dry and cool and let it go at that. I'm not addressing the bean seed issue in detail b/c beans aren't tomatoes, LOL, but bean seed does do best dry and cool and has a longer shelf life than tomato seed does. Hope that helps. Carolyn...See More
3 years agoTest a tBsp in two tBsp water. About an hour. They should make a gell. When used in grain breads they need to be soaked first. Flax does not need to be ground if soaked as well.
Chia and other tiny seed like basil, have a natural coating that absorbs water and creates a gell surrounding each seed. Natures way of helping it germinate when it hits damp soil.Chia seed lasts a long time unless moisture found its way into you container. Any clumping i would toss it.
I soak my grain/seed/nut bread batter overnight.
petalique thanked sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)- 3 years ago
I make a few different grain/seed/nut breads. For a dozen years now. Your other post was not clear what you are looking for. I wanted what these would give me if they had a baby...
My father used to buy the fitness bread back when i was in high school---decades ago. Raincoast crisp is rock hard and i'm not a fan. Also 8$ for 5 ounces.
I make a seed/grain bread and crackers using the same recipe.
And make 'kits' while i have the ingredients out. Dad can make a small loaf just adding water and oil. I take a half dozen when i visit and they are in their freezer door. Easy for him using just a danish dough wisk, no kneeding, soak overnight and plop in a mini loaf pan. 94 and 93 now i make it for them, slice and freeze.
The crackers are a cross between a triscuit and a wheat thin.
*note, that i do not reply or post on a cross-post. (like your other post for seed/grain bread) Tends to get members out of the woodwork commenting off topic how my food choices are gross, 🙄or odd and just don't get the modernist approach to healthy foods.Using a bread machine i assumed you might be looking for a fluffy bread with added grain, etc). Still great bread but not anything i'm familar with.
We do make many other breads in rotation. But like having a healthier option in the freezer.
petalique thanked sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA) - 3 years agolast modified: 3 years ago
Thanks again, folks.
Sleevendog, I love the looks of the breads and crackers you make. And I am a big fan of ”kits” like those you make for your dad.
I was aiming for something jam-packed with seeds and whole grain, but edible for a ”toasted” breakfast. I’ve been eating that Trader Joe’s bread that is think and packed with pumpkin seeds.
I love almost all breads and crackers, but from what I’ve read eating things that have lots of un-processed nuts, seeds, grains and chunks is healthful — gives soluble and insoluble fiber and doesn’t give a jolt of easy carb-sugar (as, say white bread or store shelf whole wheat does.I used to make my own ”lots-of- seeds” crackers but don’t fel I have the time now. I sort of made up the recipe from seeing how various other recipes worked. I rolled the dough out in sheetsn with my Atlas pasta roller. I put holes into the dough with a new, washed, knob-bristled hair brush ;) Now, I know that one can buy docking rollers. Ha. They came out pretty well and tasted far better than store crackers.
I have two (2) bags of 25 Lbs. of while AP flour I have to use or donate.
I still have the chia seeds. Maybe I will vacuum seal them and return them to the freezer until I can use them.
With the super dried bread, grain,seed experiment, I’ve been adding it to a mix for my opossums — lots of water of low broth, powdered milk, fish skin, chick bones or gizzards, old yogurt or cottage cheese or soured milk.
If I had been making whole grain and seedy breads, I could have probably just incorporated some of that into the mix. But I have too many other things to do before cold weather.
sleevendog (5a NY 6aNYC NL CA)