I have some leftover seed from planting my garden.  Can I keep it and use it next year or do I need to just throw it away?

First of all, don’t throw that seed away, especially if you purchased it this year.  Seed can still be viable for a period of time as long as it is kept in the proper conditions.  You will want to store it airtight, in a cold and dark location for best results.  Here are some rough guidelines on vegetable seed viability:

• One Year–onions, parsnips, and parsley

• Two Years–leeks, sweet corn, peppers, and okra

• Three Years–Chinese cabbage, broccoli, kohlrabi, celery, celeriac, spinach, beans, and peas

• Four Years–cabbage, Brussels sprouts, beets, Swiss chard, cauliflower, eggplant, turnips, chicory, fennel, mustard, kale, rutabaga, pumpkin, tomatoes, sorrel, watermelon, and squash

• Five Years–garden cress, cardoon, endive, muskmelon, collard greens, cucumber, and radishes

• Six Years–lettuces

Hopefully that will get you started.  Be sure to come back and check out our Weekend Project this week.  We will be showing you how to make a simple seed saver that you can use to keep your leftover seeds organized and transportable.