Leftover Annual Rye good next year?

PaulInMi · Oct 29, 2001

I have a 80# bag of Annual Rye leftover. Will it still germinate next year when I put it down, or should I put in an unplanned Rye field for the deer?

I'd hate to see it goto waste.

Thanks in advance....

Paul

cowboydoc · Oct 29, 2001

Yes you'll be fine next year. I've still got seed mix from when we did BLM contracts that is about 10 years old and when I put it down it does just fine.

jdkid · Oct 29, 2001

Hi ya
there is 2 ryes 1 is a grass and one a grain the grass one will last for years cool,dark no mice/rat no probs....now the grain type (bigger seed )some say 2 years for 90odd % strike then it drops fast like 20%+ per year .in this case it sounds like the grass type so ya should be ok
catch ya
JD Kid

Bird · Oct 29, 2001

I guess the "shelf life" of different seeds is different, but I never cease to be amazed at how long some seeds can be kept and still be good; just as I still marvel at what some will produce./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif Labor Day I found a package of radish seed that I'd forgotten I had from last year (I bought new seed for this past Spring), so I just planted them Labor Day to see what they'd do. Last night I ate a radish with supper that was 3" in diameter (and it was good). Every radish I've ever tried in the past would be pithy and no good by the time it was half that size in diameter.

Bird

PaulInMi · Oct 29, 2001

Thanks for the speedy responses, I'll tuck it away until next year/w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.

Thanks again.

Paul

Tdog · Oct 29, 2001

Glad you asked that question, Paul - - I had the same question. I have about 100# leftover & was about to offer it to my neighbors.

jdkid · Oct 30, 2001

Hi ya Bird
yes some seed will last for years and radish is one of then cos of the oil in them rape, cabbage etc etc will last for many years and still grow well some others lose there germanition(??)% in a short time ,,i recall a story bout after the bombing in the UK during WW2 all these flowers and plants come up that dated back to the roman empire and had not been seen buy any one .
catch ya
JD Kid

RichZ · Oct 30, 2001

Many types of seeds can last for an amazing period of time. There was once an experiment done to see if seeds in an Egyptian tomb were still viable after thousands of years. They germinated!/w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif I think they were wheat seeds.

Rich

TerryinMD · Oct 30, 2001

Have you ever noticed that weeds pop up after you have freshly tilled or plowed some land. Dang things can lie dormant for years and years.

The one thing I would suggest is that you find a good container to store the seed. Especially if you store it outside. You may be providing safe haven and a daily meal for some field mice. The other advantage is that you will keep the seed dry.

Terry

PaulInMi · Oct 30, 2001

Terry-

Yes, those weeds are amazing. I figured after I ran the moldboard plow over an area, in theory the weeds would die. Nope, they come back, and they are mad/w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif!!

I think I'll put the seed in a small garbage can like I store the dog/bird food, so I don't have any unwelcome visitors.

Thanks again for all the great advice.

Paul