Hi,
I was cleaning out some drawers and I found a packet of tomato seeds from 1991. Are they still viable?
If they are, is August a good time to start tomatoes in La Mesa, Ca?
Thank you for your time,
Karen R.
There's a decent chance, if you really want to keep that variety, and don't have much to lose if they don't germinate.
I can't advise on Left Coast planting times, though.
Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G
The seeds will probably be fine. Not clear on what zone you're in, but what the heck. Plant them and go for it. I remember reading an article about some USDA office that had seeds in a drawer of a desk that had been there since the '40's. No refrigeration, no nothing. The seeds were over 80% viable. Go for it!
Tomato seeds are good for about 7 years. After that, they start to degrade, but I'll bet a few of them are still OK. (just might not have a lot of vigor)
August is a terrible time to start them. Wait until March. :-)
Bob
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