It’s Valentine’s Day, and that means flowers. Lots and lots of flowers. If you’d prefer to grow your own, the good news is that this month sees Florida warming up and drawing closer to our last frost dates. Flowers for Florida for gardeners means it’s time to start sowing and planting.
Purchasing Flowering Plants and Bedding Plants
If you plan to purchase plants at your local nursery or home improvement center, you can begin planting them out now in South Florida. Be aware that some of these plants have been treated with systemic pesticides. While these make it easier for the grower to present you with beautiful, undamaged plants, it can also mean they could harm your pollinators.
Be especially diligent by avoiding plants that have been treated with Neonicotinoid insecticides. These are particularly harmful to bees.
Sowing Flower Seeds
You can avoid all synthetic pesticides when you sow your own flower seeds. Florida flower gardeners are particularly lucky, as our growing season is long enough to allow some scheduling leeway for sowing from seed.
The USDA and Farmer’s Almanac say that South Florida doesn’t have a last frost date. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be careful with tender seedlings.
In February, it’s still a good idea to nurture small seedlings under cover in case of a late frost or cold snap. This winter, it seems more important than ever. We seem to be heading toward a trend of cooler winters. Last year, we had a cold snap in mid-March.
Some varieties you can plant out or start in seed trays include:
The last frost date for Zones 9a and 9b fall in mid-to-late February. While you can still plant out fully developed plants from the nursery, starting fast-growing annuals from seed right now is a great way to reduce your landscaping costs.
For flowers in February, plant out starter plants of the following varieties. You can still start seeds as well, and plant out in 4 to 6 weeks. This will ensure that none of your plants are damaged by a late cold snap.
The last frost for Zone 8 falls in mid-March. So, it may be too early to plant out most flowers for Florida. However, it’s a great time to sow annual flowers for your butterfly garden indoors or under cover where you can keep them warm.
Consider the following varieties for planting out or sowing now:
agapanthus
asters
bee balm
crinum lily bulbs
dahlia bulbs
dianthus
lavender
nigella
pansies
snapdragons
viola
Flowers for Florida in February Guaranteed
One of the best ways to ensure you’ll have flowers in February is to plant out perennial flower bushes in the previous fall. Our mild temperatures and regular fall rainfall create the perfect conditions to establish flowering bushes and trees like plumbago, duranta, and hibiscus.
It seems there is far too much to do in February for the Florida gardener, but we’re lucky. You can plant annual flower seeds nearly year-round for a regular succession of colorful blooms.
New and experienced gardeners often find themselves frustrated by seeds that don’t pop. After spending hours deliberating over your garden plan and then money on starting mix, it’s a huge disappointment when your little cell trays remain empty. But one of the primary reasons your seeds didn’t germinate is soil temperature.
If you’re new to gardening, you may think that growing plants from seeds is simple – toss them in some dirt, and boom – a few weeks later, you have a yard full of flowers. Or vegetables. And yes, while nature uses this method, more or less, nature also uses hundreds if not thousands of seeds to produce one viable plant. Survival of the fittest, and all that.
I get it. You’re excited for spring and keen to get growing. You’ve had a miserable cold winter and need some green in your life. However, jumping the gun will lead to disappointment. If you want an abundant garden, you’ll need to learn about the importance of soil temperature.
What Seeds Need to Grow
Last week, I touched lightly on the importance of proper seed storage. To keep your seed stash viable as long as possible, you need to deny them the very things they need to germinate:
Light
Moisture
Heat
Oxygen
There is a pretty wide range of optimal germination temperatures depending on where the plant evolved and the climate of its origins. Some plants prefer cooler temperatures and will germinate very early in the spring. Others prefer higher temperatures and will do wonderfully in the summer heat.
Nature abhors a vacuum and will work to ensure a steady supply of flowering plants throughout the growing season. So, some flowers have evolved to germinate at 45 or 50 degrees, while others will take over when temperatures hit 85.
For a long-lasting and beautiful garden throughout the growing season, it’s critical to understand what you can grow and at which temperature to start them.
Container gardening lets you control moisture and soil temperature for a variety of plant species.
Soil Temperature vs. Ambient Temperature
One mistake I have commonly seen made by new gardeners is not understanding the difference between soil temperature and air temperature. While soil temperatures are relatively stable 10 feet below the surface, it’s much more variable at root level for your new seedlings.
Even at root level, soil temperatures are very different than the air temperature. For good germination, you need to be sure the soil temperature is right.
In cooler regions, the soil temperature may stay much cooler, even though the sun feels hot on your skin on a clear spring day. Worst of all, they may plummet in the night when the sun goes down. The soil — and your little seeds — could even freeze.
In warmer regions, however, the soil can remain much warmer than the air temperature, which isn’t always a good thing.
Last January, for example, our nearby IFAS weather station recorded lows of 26 degrees Fahrenheit, but the soil temperature barely dropped below 60. Now that it’s summer, the soil can reach up to 86 degrees F, even as the air cools towards evening into the 70s. Many flower seeds just won’t germinate above 85.
Optimal Soil Temperature Varies
The best temperature for germinating flower seeds will vary by plant species, plant origins, and even moisture levels.
Seeds too cold
Seeds in conditions that are too cold will not germinate. If those conditions are also moist, it’s likely the seed will rot before it sprouts. Heavy spring rains can also keep your garden soil from warming up, further slowing the process. And that’s if you don’t have a sudden late frost!
Seeds too hot
Seeds in conditions that are too hot may also not germinate. There’s a reason gardening experts recommend getting your compost pile above 100 degrees. That’s to kill whatever weed seeds may lie dormant in the pile. Too much heat kills.
Seeds just right
Seeds have been programmed by millions of years of evolution, along with careful cultivation by humans, to germinate when the ongoing conditions will be optimal for the plants to grow and thrive.
This is reinforced by the fact that the microbiology in the soil that will help your plants thrive also needs optimal temperatures to thrive.
Germination Temperature vs. Growing Temperature
More annoyingly, many plants prefer lower growing temperatures once they’ve germinated. So, that beautiful new packet of petunia seeds may need 75 degrees to germinate, but will perhaps grow better under cooler conditions around 60 to 65.
Other plants may be stimulated by a freakish warm spell or even the odd late freeze that cracks the shell.
Plants are weird.
This need for a particular sequential set of conditions is one of the reasons why so many gardeners turn to native plants. Rather than spending money on heaters and lights and misting systems, many gardeners prefer to take their cues from the natural conditions where they live and let nature sort it out.
Group plants by their preferred soil temperature when direct sowing a variety of plants.
Control Freak Gardening
Over the years, I’ve evolved from the hopeful and random scattering of seeds into a complete control freak, where nearly everything I grow is started in cell trays or soil blocks.
Aside from beans and Ipomoea spp. (and sometimes even those), I’m all about controlled conditions. While I do enjoy an extended growing season in Coastal Central Florida, I also have very little room. I take Charles Dowding to heart when he suggests starting as many plants as possible in trays so you’ll always have something to plug into the garden beds. I’m a big fan of soil blockers.
With flowers, I’m a little less controlling, but then, I’ve got more experience with vegetable gardening and I’m really just starting to experiment with growing ornamentals and wildflowers from seeds. I’ve had equal success with easy flowers with direct sowing as with using starter trays.
But as I talk to more gardeners across the country, both new and experienced, I learn more about how important soil temperature is for germination. I admit it — I’m spoiled by an excellent climate. We almost always have reasonable soil temperatures where I live. If anything, it’s managing moisture we struggle with most here in Florida.
As I learn more about optimal soil temperatures for germinating flower seeds, the more I become fascinated and keen to experiment. We’re in the hottest part of the summer, with daily UV alerts and heat indexes in the 100s. I’m excited to see if I can start some more heat-sensitive flowers indoors in my “farm office” for planting out as the weather cools toward autumn.
In temperate zones, many gardeners get a start on spring by starting seeds indoors in the winter.
Here in the subtropics, we can do the same thing to get a jump on fall gardening.
Starting plants indoors lets you provide optimal soil temperature for a variety of plants.
Optimal Soil Temperature for Flower Seeds
Most internet resources will tell you that anything between 68 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit is fine. But since I deal with a lot of flowers that are native to tropical and subtropical regions, I wanted to dive deeper than “just fine.”
I was also able to find some other critical information on the Iowa State University website that may prove useful — the common flower seeds that require light to germinate.
Some seeds require surface sowing, as they need exposure to sunlight to sprout. Others should be covered with soil, generally with 2 times the depth of the size of the seed.
For seeds that require light to germinate, barely cover with a sprinkling of soil. Or sprinkle lightly onto moist starting mix and press gently into the soil. Use a mister to keep seeds moist without disturbing them or displacing them.
With seeds that require darkness, remember that as soon as they sprout, they will need sunlight. Don’t leave them in the dark too long without checking them.
Flower Germination Temperature and Light Conditions
Flower Seed
Optimal Temperature for Germination
Light Requirements for Germination
Alyssum
55° to 70°
Light
Angelonia
70° to 75°
Light
Aster
65° to 70°
Light or Dark
Bachelor’s Buttons (Centaurea cyanus)
65° to 70°
Light or Dark
Begonia
70° to 75°
Light
Blanket Flower (Gaillardia aristate)
70° to 75°
Light
Blue Sage (Salvia farinacea)
70° to 75°
Light
Borage
65° to 85°
Dark
California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
55°
Light
Canna
70° to 85°
Dark
Celosia
70° to 75°
Dark
Cleome
70° to 75°
Light
Coleus
70° to 75°
Light
Columbine (Aquilegia spp.)
65° to 75°
Light
Coneflower (Echinacea spp.)
65° to 70°
Light
Coreopsis
55° to 75°
Light
Dahlia
70° to 80°
Light or Dark
Daisy (Bellis perennis)
65° to 70°
Light
Delphinium
60° to 68°
Dark
Dianthus
60° to 68°
Dark
False Queen Anne’s Lace (Ammi majus)
55° to 65°
Light
Four O’ Clocks (Mirabilis)
65° to 75°
Dark
Foxgloves (Digitalis)
60° to 65°
Light
French Marigold (Tagetes spp.)
70° to 75°
Light
Geranium (Pelargonium)
70° to 75°
Dark
Gomphrena
70°
Light or Dark
Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea)
60° to 70°
Light
Impatiens
70° to 75°
Light
Lavender
70° to 80°
Light
Liatris
55° to 72°
Dark
Lisianthus
75°
Light
Lobelia
65° to 75°
Light
Lupine
55° to 65°
Dark
Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia rotundafolia)
70° to 75°
Light
Milkweed (Asclepias)
70° to 75°
Light or Dark
Monarda
60° to 70°
Light
Moonflower (Ipomea alba)
85° to 95°
Dark
Morning Glory (Ipomea spp.)
70° to 85°
Dark
Nasturtium
65° to 70°
Dark
Nicotiana
70° to 75°
Light
Nigella
65° to 70°
Light
Pansy (Viola tricolor)
65° to 70°
Dark
Petunia
70° to 80°
Light
Phlox
60° to 65°
Dark
Portulaca
75° to 85°
Light
Red Poppy (Papaver rhoeas)
65° to 70°
Light
Roselle
75° to 85°
Dark
Rudbeckia
70° to 75°
Light or Dark
Scarlet Sage (Salvia coccinea)
70° to 75°
Light
Snapdragon (Antirrhinum)
60° to 70°
Light
Statice (Limonium)
68° to 75°
Light
Stocks (Matthiola incana)
60° to 65°
Light or Dark
Strawflower (Xerochrysum bracteatum)
70° to 75°
Light or Dark
Sunflower (Helianthus)
70° to 85°
Dark
Verbena
70° to 75°
Dark
Vinca (Catharanthus roseus)
70° to 75°
Light or Dark
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium )
65° to 75°
Light
Zinnia
70° to 80°
Dark
How to Make Optimal Soil Temperature Work for You
Now that you know the best soil temperatures for common garden flowers, you can use this information for better germination. Consult your local extension office to find the best source of soil temperature data for your area. I use, appropriately, the Florida Automated Weather Network, or “FAWN.”
If you’re starting early in the spring, you can use black plastic sheets several weeks before direct sowing to warm the soil.
The most popular option is to start your seeds indoors where it’s warmer. Many gardeners swear by heat mats for starting seeds and cuttings at any time of year. Heat mats will ensure a steady perfect temperature, regardless of the weather or the blasting AC in August.
If you’ve already hit high summer temperatures, you can choose to start seeds indoors or under cover where they’ll receive some shade. The summer sun on a bare garden bed can play havoc on seeds and other soil life. Growing them under cover until they’re mature enough to handle the heat is one technique to add to your gardening toolbox.
For my part, I know I’ll never try to start alyssum or nigella after April ever again.
Time to Grow
Adding flowers to your garden plan is always a good idea. They’re not just beautiful – they also add critical forage for those pollinator friends that help us with our squashes and cucumbers. Many also bring in necessary predatory insects that can help protect our work.
They add diversity to the garden with their own root exudates, enriching the soil and in some cases, purifying it as well.
It’s only June, but you’ve already filled your garden to the brim with summer vegetables and herbs. The flower borders are chock full, and you’ve even tucked a few spare cosmos and zinnias into the squash patch. The problem is, you still have packets and packets of flower seeds left to plant. Can you save them for next year? How long will flower seeds last in storage?
Maybe you just got swept away with gardening enthusiasm and bought too many seeds. Or maybe you ran into a great sale. We all do it – buy too many seeds. They’re relatively inexpensive, and it’s easy to fall in love with the picture on the packet. But too many seeds can also mean a few broken dreams.
How long can you keep these extra seeds without having to throw them away? Do flower seeds expire?
How Long Can Flower Seeds Be Stored
Depending on the variety, flower seeds will last in storage for 1 to 5 years.
How long flower seeds will last will depend on a few key factors. Are they annuals or perennials? What kind of seed coating or shell does the seed have? Where are you storing your flower seeds?
And finally – how important are these seeds to your gardening plans?
That seems like a harsh question, but it’s a valid one when it comes to deciding whether to simply toss them or to use critical storage space to keep them in the right conditions.
Seed Saving Priorities
If your garden is already full of zinnias, whose seeds are extremely easy to save, should you really bother to save that damp, torn, half-packet you found at the bottom of your seed stash?
Perhaps you have a small garden and very limited space for seed starting. Should you bother to save seeds when you know you won’t have room to plant them next spring?
Where Does Your Garden Grow?
For those of us who garden in the South and the subtropics, in particular, saving seeds after spring planting means saving them for fall planting. If you live on the Gulf Coast, for example, you may want to plant those zinnias in February, May, and September.
If you live in Iowa or Nebraska, however, when the season is short, you want to be ready right out of the spring gate. Perhaps you have a large property, with room to experiment? If your spring priority is getting food in the ground, perhaps you don’t want to spend time or money on flower seeds. You may want to save the ones you have to help bring in pollinators, but it’s not your top priority. In that case, you may want to save your flower seeds even if the germination rate is low.
If you’re anything like me, you save everything – obsessively — even seeds that are likely to fail. Even seeds for flowers that you hate and vegetables you won’t eat.
Because seed saving sometimes becomes a bit of a lifestyle.
So, how do you determine what’s worth keeping?
How Long Do Packaged Flower Seeds Last?
When you purchase seeds from a big box store, you’ll often find the package labeled with the “best-by” date and date of expiration. This date isn’t when the seeds expire, but it is the date that stores will remove them from their inventory.
Companies that handle a lot of seed packets will purchase and package all the seed they sell in one year and mark it for sale for the following year. For example, they’ll buy mass quantities of those same zinnia seeds harvested by farmers in 2022 to sell at your local garden center starting in January of 2023.
You may also see markings on the packets that include lot numbers and germination rates. While there are federal standards for vegetable seed germination rates, flower seeds are regulated at the state level. And to be honest, they’re pretty low standards. In many cases, germination rates as low as 40 or 50 percent are considered acceptable.
Seed Germination Rates Vs. Vigor
Many new gardeners are surprised to learn that good germination doesn’t always result in a strong healthy crop. Even though I’ve been gardening for many years, I made this mistake with an overlarge package of bush bean seeds. The first four crops were amazing, but planting number 5, about three years later, produced dismal-looking specimens.
So, while your flower seeds might sprout beautifully under the best conditions, the seeds may be too old to produce tall, strong, vigorous plants.
Oregon State University has proposed several methods of testing seed vigor, but they may be considered excessive by the average home gardener.
However, the difference between germination rates vs. vigor is another reason you need to determine your gardening priorities when saving flower seeds. Unless you’re a professional grower or garden designer, you may be willing to take more chances on old seed.
How long do perennial flower seeds last?
When stored properly, perennial flower seeds may last up to 5 years.
How long do annual flower seeds last?
Annual flower seeds, except for a few exceptions, will normally last up to 3 years.
Flower Seed Viability Chart
When properly stored, your flower seeds may last as long as shown on the following flower seed viability chart. The years listed are the maximum to expect under optimal conditions.
Flower Seed Viability Chart
How long to store seeds.
Ageratum
4
Echinacea
4
Petunia
3
Alyssum
5
Euphorbia
4
Phlox
2
Amaranthus
5
Forget Me Not
2
Poppy
4
Ammi majus
2
Four O'Clocks
2
Portulaca
2
Artemisia
5
Gaillardia
3
Rudbeckia
2
Asclepias
1
Gomphrena
5
Salvia
3
Aster
2
Helianthus
3
Saponaria
5
Bachelor's Buttons
5
Heliotrope
2
Scabiosa
3
Borage
5
Hollyhocks
3
Stocks
3
Calendula
6
Impatiens
2
Snapdragon
5
Campanula
3
Larkspur
3
Strawflower
2
Carnation
5
Lavender
3
Sunflowers
5
Celosia
4
Linaria
3
Sweet Pea
5
Clarkia
3
Lisianthus
3
Tithonia
2
Columbine
2
Lobelia
4
Verbena
5
Coreopsis
2
Lupine
5
Vinca
1
Cosmos
4
Marigold
5
Viola
1
Chrysanthemum
5
Monarda
4
Wallflower
5
Dahlia
5
Morning Glory
4
Yarrow
5
Daisy
3
Nasturtium
7
Zinnia
6
Delphinium
3
Nicotiana
5
Dianthus
5
Nigella
2
Digitalis
2
Pansy
2
So What Are Optimal Conditions to Keep Flower Seeds Viable
There are several elements that can hasten the demise of your stored flower seeds – and they’re the same elements that make them sprout: heat, light, moisture.
Experts recommend ensuring the following to provide optimal conditions to extend the life of your saved seeds:
Home Gathered Seed
If you’re collecting your own seed from the garden:
Remove any chaff, leaves, or stems
Air dry for one to three days
Freeze seeds for a few days to kill any insects
Package in a paper bag or paper packet for short-term storage
Refrigerate in a sealed container with desiccant packets
Long Term Storage
If you’re storing seed over the winter or for the long term, you’ll need to take better note of conditions. Once processed and whether home-gathered or purchased:
Ensure seeds are dry – 7 to 8 percent is optimal. You can dry your seeds on screens with a fan or out of the sun on a warm day.
Keep at temperatures below 50 degrees Farrenheit
Store below 50 percent humidity
Store in paper packets
Label thoroughly
Place paper bags or packets
Keep packets in a closed container such as a canning jar or baby food jar
Store in the refrigerator or freezer. Note that your freezer provides a more consistent temperature since it is opened less frequently than the average refrigerator.
Wildflower seed, dandelion. Free public domain CC0 photo.
Saving Flower Seeds to Last
Now that you have a good idea of how long your flower seeds will last, it’s time to start winnowing. If you’re done planting for the year – or even just for the summer – assess your inventory.
If you have seeds that are years old, with no hope of germination, it’s time to toss them and make room for others.
If you have seeds you’ll plant soon, dry them completely and put them in a cool, dark place until fall sowing.
For next year, make sure you tuck them away into the freezer. You don’t want them exposed to heat, moisture, and light before you’ve had a chance to plant them.
The rest of the country seems to be getting ready for winter. They’re unpacking their woolies and scarves and swooning over pumpkin spice lattes. But here in Florida, we’re still sweltering in the high 80s. And with Florida’s upside-down gardening schedule, you may be wondering what to plant in October.
Other Southern garden regions have the same dilemma. If you garden in New Orleans, Biloxi, or along coastal Texas, you know the gardening season has just really gotten underway.
That doesn’t mean it won’t get cold along the Gulf. It definitely will. But it usually doesn’t get cold enough to matter until late December or early January.
Last year threw us some curveballs. Temperatures dropped in Central Florida in late November, and it got REALLY cold in early December. Cold enough to matter. Cold enough to cover.
So, right now, in early October, the race is on to get roots in the ground and vegetables well established enough to survive any surprise cold snaps.
Knowing What to Plant in October
I’ve drawn data from several sources, especially the University of UF/IFAS website. But I’ve also been collecting data from other sources, including experienced gardeners and nurseries that include expanded selections far outside the limited one provided by UF.
There exists a plethora of exotic edibles from far-flung regions with the same climate and similar conditions. Why not take advantage of those resources?
Other regions that seem to mirror our unique gardening environment include parts of Southeast Asia, Central America, South America, and coastal areas in Australia.
I’ve drawn planting suggestions from gardeners and farmers in these regions as well, for those like me who like to experiment with new and interesting vegetable varieties.
North Florida
October begins the limits on planting out in North Florida, unless you have a greenhouse or a nurturing microclimate on the coast and a south-facing wall.
Cold-weather vegetables should do well, but be prepared to cover anything tender you planted out last month:
arugula
Asian cabbages
beets
broad beans
broccoli
cabbage
carrots
cauliflower
celery
chicory
chives
collards
English peas
fennel
French tarragon
green onions
kale
kohlrabi
lettuce
mizuna
mustard onion
sets
parsley
radish
rapini
rutabaga
salsify
shallots
spinach
strawberry crowns
turnips
Central Florida
The weather is still fine in Central Florida, and still warm enough to sneak in a few warm-season crops like tomatoes, summer squash, and melons.
Thankfully, it also gets cool enough for those plants to begin fruiting, as well. It’s also cool enough to consider planting herbs, peas, and lettuces.
arugula
Asian cabbages
beans, bush
beans, climbing
beets
broad beans
broccoli
cabbage
carrots
cauliflower
celery
chives
collards
cucumbers
daikon
English peas
fennel
French tarragon
green onions
horseradish crowns
kale
kohlrabi
lettuce
mizuna
mustard
onion sets
parsley
potatoes
pumpkins
radish
rapini
rosemary
salsify
shallots
snap peas
snow peas
spinach
strawberry crowns
summer squash
thyme
tomatoes
turnips
watermelons
South Florida
Summer vegetables are still a go-to for October gardening in South Florida. With few, if any, frosts, risk-taking gardeners can continue to plant out nearly anything their heart desires.
It’s still too warm for cold-loving plants like snap peas and some brassicas, but you can start these undercover to plant out next month if you like.
Asian cabbages
beans, climbing
beets
broccoli
Brussels sprouts
cabbage
carrots
cauliflower
celery
chili peppers
chives
collards
corn
cucumbers
eggplant
English peas
fennel
green onions
kale
kohlrabi
leeks
lettuce
mizuna
mustard
onion sets
parsley
peppers
potatoes
radish
rapini
rosemary
sage
shallots
southern peas
spinach
strawberry crowns
summer squash
thyme
tomatoes
tropical spinach
turnips
What to Plant in Florida Month-by-Month
For planning ahead for the Florida growing schedule, please check out my Florida Gardening Planner on Amazon. It provides a month-by-month list of edibles to plant out for every month of the year for the three regions of Florida (Zones 8, 9, 10), plus handy planning and garden design tools to help you move step by step for a productive gardening year.
I’m an obsessive seed collector. It’s probably pathological. I’ll buy them from the corner dollar store on sale, or at full price. I’ll buy seeds I don’t have room to grow. I will wade into median strips if a pretty wildflower or weed calls to me, looking for seeds. Seed saving can become addictive.
There are even plants I grow almost practically just to collect their seeds.
I know that sounds strange, so it would be more accurate to say that I grow and plant extra plants just to collect the seeds from them later.
I’ve even been known to risk my life to collect seeds.
That sounds even stranger, so it would be more accurate to say that I’ve collected seeds from dangerous plants thinking it was something else that looks a lot like something benign.
THAT was an interesting couple of hours.
I’ve been known to leave paper plants covered in spent blossoms sitting on any flat surface around the house, as well. I finally got that under control, and now I have storage with ventilation for drying seeds.
But storage has always been a problem. What do I do with them once I have them dried and bagged?
For years, I tossed plastic zip bags filled with seed and moisture absorbers into a big woven basket. Whenever I needed to plant seeds, I got to enjoy a whole hour or more of sifting through all the bags and trying to read the Sharpie labeling.
But then I saw something in a video or an article or somewhere that changed everything.
Photo Cases to the Rescue
There are a dozen different “manufacturers” for these photo cases. My guess is that small Amazon FBA sellers purchase them in bulk from Alibaba or some other factory in China, so the brand name probably isn’t particularly important.
But I can tell you that I got the one above from Amazon, and it has been a complete game-changer when it comes to storing and organizing my seeds.
I don’t miss spending hours browsing through my pile of plastic bags at all. I’m able to sort them according to what makes the most sense to me.
I’ve got brassicas all in one 4×6 container, tomatoes in another, lettuces in another, etc.
My seeds stay dry and organized while I’m creating soil blocks for planting them out. Better yet, the light packets don’t blow off the table or potting bench with every little breeze.
Seed Saving Benefits:
Easy to carry around the house and garden
Finding what I want takes just a moment
Seeds remain whole and uncrushed
Seeds stay dry and cool
Takes up very little space on my office shelves
Translucent containers makes it easy to assess what you have before opening
Heartily Recommended
I don’t normally like to flat-out recommend a product, and I’m not really recommending this particular seller or manufacturer, or model.
However, if you’re seed saving, whether your own seeds or purchased seeds, I can heartily recommend any of these photo cases for seed organization and storage.
September heralds the beginning of the main gardening season in the South — at least for Florida. The temperature finally tapers off enough that cool-weather plants can survive the heat of midday. And bonus points: it’s still fine enough for warm-season crops. Fall gardening is the prime reason Floridians can garden at all.
What to Plant in September in the Southern Garden
If you’re wondering what to plant this September, don’t tarry when it comes to sowing summer vegetables. It’s still not too late to start tomatoes, eggplant, summer squashes, and tropical spinaches, like Okinawa spinach.
Depending on your zone, if you can get these warm-season vegetables well established before your first cold snap, you can usually overwinter them by covering them whenever nights drop below 35°F.
With night temperatures in the 70s, you can also start planting those brassicas, which is a relief. Some, like broccoli and cauliflower, take quite a long time to grow, so the earlier you start them, the better.
I’ve found a lot of success with the Piracicaba broccoli, which is a heat-tolerant, non-heading variety. I’ve grown it as late as May, here in 10a, and unless you really feel the need for big broccoli heads, the flavor and quality are superb. Best of all, these guys really deliver! They can take some time to start producing, but once they do, you’ll get tiny little broccoli heads for months and months and months.
Speaking of Strawberries
Halfway through September is when you should decide whether or not to grow strawberries this year. Summer has not been kind to last spring’s plants, and I only have myself to blame.
I’m normally a lot more attendant on helping my strawberry plants get through the Florida summer. I use organic fungicides and relocate them to keep them from scorching. But this year, with the addition of the nursery and the chickens, they fell to the bottom of the priority list.
Many nurseries will have bare roots on sale, and some will even have starter plants as well. Check back later in October, as I’m sure I’ll have some on offer this year. And if I don’t, there are many local nurseries near you that can assist.
Grow ALL the Veg!
A quick list of veggies you can start in September includes cabbages, both the Asian cabbages like bok choi and Napa, and the boring old round-head types.
You can also start some of the sturdier leafy greens, like mustards, arugula, kale, and chard. Depending on your zone and microclimate, it may still be a tad too hot for lettuces, except for those bred specifically for hot climates, like the Hawai’ian Manoa and Israeli Jericho Romaine.
It may be worth the risk if your family eats a lot of lettuce, as mine does. Especially if you do loose-leaf types with a cut-and-come-again approach, including succession sowing.
Fall Gardening in Florida Offers So Much
Along with both cool and warm-season vegetables, the fall gardening season is also an amazing time to plant flowers.
Why flowers?
They’re pretty, they add color, they offer charm and beauty.
They’re also a critical boost to local wildlife, likes bees and butterflies, wasps and other beneficial insects.
Have you ever thought about making your own potting soil? That stuff at the big box stores is expensive, and you may not even know what’s in it.
Lately, there is a lot of controversy surrounding the use of peat in soil mixes. This is especially true in the UK, where there are so many gardeners and so little peatland. They’ll even be outlawing it by 2024.
Peat isn’t sustainable — not really. It takes thousands of years to replace. Here in the U.S., we get most of our peat from Canada, where we can assume that there is much more to be had. But it doesn’t grow back any faster in Canada.
While it seems disasterous that gardeners might someday run out of peatmoss, the really concern is that peat bogs sequester more of the earth’s carbon than any other type of vegetation. Every time a peat bog is drained and backhoe rips up a layer of peat, tonnes of carbon are released into the atmosphere.
And it’s not a trivial amount. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), peat bog harvesting results in the release of about 1.3 gigatonnes of CO2 every year. This equals approximately 5.6 percent of global CO2 emissions overall. That’s just flabbergasting.
Save Money AND the Planet by Making Your Own Potting Soil
With the UK banning peat in potting soil, manufacturers are rushing to create replacement mixes. You’ll find many brands overseas, but here in the U.S., they’re few and far between. They’re also expensive.
It may seem overwhelming to make your own potting soil, but it’s so worthwhile once you get a system in place. I can blame soil-blocking and a busted air conditioner for my foray into homemade potting soil.
I like the idea of using soil blocks. Mainly, because my seed trays were falling apart. I literally was using duct tape to hold them together. Soil blocking requires a special seed starting mix, so I was already armed with most of the ingredients for potting soil.
One of the key ingredients for potting soil is compost. That’s one that isn’t so quick to come up with — not homemade compost, anyway. I’ve been focusing a lot on soil health more than production this last year. So, I have finally managed to produce a somewhat adequate supply of homemade compost. (I also had a fresh bag of Black Kow to fall back on, just in case.)
Spare Covid masks make mixing potting soil safer too!
Soil Blocking Mix
For soil blocking (more on that another time), I started with a basic mix of:
Soil blocking relies heavily on the fibrous nature of the coir (or peat) to maintain integrity, hence the high percentage in this mix. I went with the Epsoma Bio-Tone because I didn’t want to invest heavily in bags and bags of blood meal, green sand, kelp meal, etc., that most soil block mixes prescribe.
Perlite is a unique volcanic mineral which expands from four to twenty…
I don’t really have room to store them, and I didn’t want to carry them all, either.
Seed Starting Mix
In seed trays, you don’t need such a heavy hand with the coconut coir. I modified the soil blocking mix to use as a seed starter:
4 parts coconut coir
3 parts perlite
2 parts compost
1 cup Epsoma Bio-Tone Starter Plus organic plant food per cubic yard of mix
Upgrade to Potting Soil
The best part of making your own potting soil is that once you have your seed-starter mix, you don’t have to start from scratch. Just take your seed starting mix and add more compost and Epsoma.
4 parts seed starting mix
1 part compost
1 cup Epsoma per cubic yard of potting soil mix
These formulas all work for Making Your Own Potting Soil for vegetable plants, flowers, foliage houseplants, and landscaping plants. The mix provides an excellent structure, microbiology, and some nutrition.
You can add liquid food for specific stages of growth without worrying about burning your plants.
Beautiful Homemade Potting Soil
Making Your Own Potting Soil is a Form of Freedom
One of my biggest gardening goals in the last two years is being able to break ties with the big box stores for most of my garden needs. While we have lived in Florida for several decades, the idea of “buying dirt” strikes something in my Midwestern (and frugal) soul.
I like to source as much of my garden inputs as I possibly can. (Just wait, I’ll be re-learning how to fish sometime this year, because when you live within walking distance of the Gulf, you have no excuse for buying fish emulsion).
Making my own potting soil feels like I’m that much closer to self-sufficiency.
You would think that August would be the worst month of the year to do any gardening, especially in Florida.
It’s hot, it’s humid, the daily rains pound baby plants, and the heat index regularly hits the three digits.
Weirdly, ironically, and in a typical Floridian manner, August is one of the best months of the year to get started on your fall garden.
For the most part, I defer to the UF/IFAS Gardening Calendar, but I also find it kind of lacking. While the conservative approach would be to use this as my gardening bible, they sometimes miss a few opportunities for some of the more unusual varieties.
But you know, that’s why they’re there – to provide a slow, safe approach that any gardening newbie will find useful and accessible. It’s a fabulous resource and they go far out of their way to make Florida gardening rewarding.
bell peppers and sweet peppers
Rebel Without a Pause
I don’t have a lot of land to experiment with – it’s just a 1/10th acre suburban plot. But I do have a lot of curiosity to satisfy. And a pack of seeds is only $4 at the most. So, why not push the zone and play with the calendar?
I also have to say that I live in a somewhat nebulous space, zone-wise. Clearly, around Tampa Bay, I’m in Central Florida. However, because I live on the Gulf Coast (within walking distance), I’m in a South Florida USDA zone.
Combined with microclimates, south-facing walls, shade cloth, overhead canopy trees, and the usual independent Floridian spirit, I’ll admit that I occasionally thumb my nose at institutional planting calendars.
And let’s not even talk about the planting maps on the back of seed packets.
Seed packets lie.
August is Time to Sow Seeds
Regardless of my personal desire to buck the system, even the IFAS admits that August is a good time to start sowing seeds for the fall garden. Depending on where you live in the state and the conditions in your garden, it’s time to start everything from tomatoes and calabaza squash to broccoli and cabbages.
I’ve been looking for the most heat-tolerant and disease-resistant varieties in the last couple of years and have found a few winners. In fact, even though I’m in 10A, I’ve started my broccoli already this year using the Piracicaba seed from Whitwam Organics.
I even had some sprouting in June, until my chickens decided to escape their coop and grab some lunch!
These producers really stand up to the heat. They do need some time to get going, however, so I went ahead and started seed cells undercover to give them a head start. Once these plants start producing loose brocolette heads, it’s amazing how much they deliver.
Heat-resistant Everglades tomatoes are already growing big and strong, and now that I have my official Florida nursery registration, I’m hoping to share these with others in my Etsy shop or sell locally at farmer’s markets or Facebook marketplace. I’ve planted several out already, but I want to save room for other varieties.
Other tomato varieties in the pipeline include vining cherry types like Sweeties and Gardener’s Delight. Larger varieties started include Floradade and Marglobes. Both are determinant varieties recommended for Florida growing.
I tend to prefer determinants because they don’t need a trellis. Plus, I’m short. Most of all, I often get a more satisfying yield when they produce all their fruit in a few weeks. Indeterminants seem to struggle on forever, giving me false hope when I need to just face the facts, pull the plants, and compost the remains.
On the eggplant front, I’ve got Black Beauty, white Chinese Bride, and Japan Mizuno types in seed trays. I’ve had a lot of luck with eggplant in my location and got a serious glut of Black Beauty last year.
What to Plant Where
In North Florida, you can start cool-season crops, like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and both traditional and Asian cabbages. You can also still start warm-season vegetables, like tomatoes, eggplant, and squashes.
In Central Florida, it’s time to sow warm-season vegetables only, like tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and summer and winter squash. You can sow cool-season veg in starter trays in September.
South Floridians can start and plant out heat-loving edibles like tomatoes, tomatillos, eggplant, okra, pineapples, and sweet potatoes. September is better for cool-season starts.
Or, if you’re like me, you do you and start what you think will thrive. But hold back some seed just in case.
Weather to Direct Sow
Because August seems to be the worst for me when it comes to summer storms, I use module trays and start my vegetables undercover rather than direct sowing. Coastal living comes with some destructive weather, so I error on the side of caution. Using seed trays lets me keep seeds and seedlings protected until the weather calms down or the plants are big enough to handle the downfall.
It does mean that I spend a lot of time carrying seed trays back and forth, but I’ve seen so many early starts drowned out that it’s worth it. About two weeks ago, we got 5 inches of rain in just a few hours, and that’s just too much for my little seedlings to take.
Aside from bush and climbing beans, I prefer using starter trays. YMMV.
Gardening Goals for Fall 2021
When the weather cools down, I’ll be experimenting with Charles Dowding’s multi-sow technique for root veg. The technique advocates planting three or four turnips, rutabagas, or radishes in one cell. According to the no-dig guru, they will transplant easily and grow just fine. The goal is to twist out the largest of the clump, leaving room for the remaining roots to develop further. I’m looking forward to seeing if it really works.
August always leaves me feeling conflicted. It’s just still too stinking hot for that back-to-school, autumnal mood required. Why do they start kids in school in August? Why should we start sowing vegetables in August? The heat index of 107°F yesterday does not put me in the mood for school uniforms and cauliflower soup. So, sometimes it’s a struggle to stay on track.
But like most gardeners, I’ve got plants… I mean plans… BIG plans. Gardening plans.
What are you growing this fall in your southern garden?
Nature has such a sense of humor! In my last post, I said (confidently) not to bother with a vegetable garden in June in any part of Florida. It’s too hot, too humid… too buggy! So, I had no idea what I could advise to plant in June in Florida, since I’ve found it to be a futile endeavor.
So, what else should happen than to be blessed with a surprise crop of oncoming cucumbers — a vegetable, I must add, that I have rarely grown successfully.
This variety is a complete beast! They’re called Sweet Success, and as long as you can trellis them, they will certainly perform.
With that admission, it’s also important to note that I didn’t plant them in June. I planted this in late March and this is their second cropping after suffering a dry spell.
You may have quite a few fruits and vegetables to harvest in June if you’ve taken care of your garden or simply been lucky. But there are still very few things to plant out.
It may be that you’re finally reaping the rewards of planting three months ago — or even three years. Our bananas are getting fat, and our Barbados cherry tree is dripping with fruit.
But if you don’t have a harvest, is there anything you can plant in June in Florida?
Some Unfamiliar Names
In almost all zones in Florida, you can plant a few exotic varieties of fruits and vegetables, even in the high heat of summer. Look for Southeast Asian and Central American edible plants to expand the variety you grow and eat.
I’ve tried quite a few of them, and if I’m completely honest, there are many I don’t like. There are also quite a few that I don’t like enough to fuss over during days when the heat index is 105°F and the humidity is 98%.
Fruits and Vegetables to Plant in June in Florida
One of the reasons I don’t think about planting some of the unfamiliar vegetables I do like in the summer is because I often plant them in late spring. However, there are a few you can start in June, and even July.
And the advantage is that our summer rainy season should help get them started. So, you won’t have to stand outside in our dry April, coaxing them to life with a garden hose.
Yard Long Beans
These are one of my favorites to grow in the summer heat. They start out a bit slow, which is why I plant them in April. However, you can pretty much plant them any time of year in Central or South Florida.
Note that you WILL need a trellis and you will need one a lot taller than you could possibly imagine. You’ll be rewarded with a constant flow of delicious meaty-textured beans until December for your trouble.
Sweet Potatoes
This is another one that I generally plant long before June, so I never think of it as a “summer vegetable.” Especially considering that it takes four to five months to harvest. I usually grow my own slips from store-bought organic varieties. It takes about two to three months to get healthy slips.
I usually plant to get slips started in late winter so I can start planting in March. This way, I can plant out the slips in succession, which gives me a harvest of sweet potatoes starting in July thorugh December.
However, if you can get your hands on some slips, you still have time to plant them out for harvest in November or December. The summer heat won’t faze them if you get regular rainfall.
This Caribbean veggie is remiscient of pumpkin, but can take the heat. This is the first summer I’m growing it, so the jury is still out. I planted mine out in May, but my sources tell me you can still plant it in June. It looks delicious, and I sure hope mine proves to be.
Alternatives to Plant in June in Florida
June might also be a great time to plant something other than edibles. Add some important companion plants to your garden, or draw in pollinators and other beneficial insects with herbs and flowers.
Marigolds
Tagetes patula, or French marigolds (which are actually Mexican marigolds) work in several ways to improve your garden. They’re not just cheerful and easy to grow.
Marigolds have been known to help deter root knot nematodes — something most Florida gardeners battle regularly. Planting a swath of French marigolds in your future fall tomato bed is a smart idea for summer.
They also attract bees, which is usually a good enough reason for me.
The skies over the gardens of Florida are filled with happy, frisky Monarch butterflies, looking to make more happy, frisky Monarch butterflies. What they’re looking for are milkweed plants, the singular host of their caterpillar.
There’s a lot of controversy about the use of Tropical Milkweed, since it isn’t native to the U.S., but is to Mexico and Central America. One of the key issues is that it tends to increase the chance of them getting a parasite called “OE” (Ophryocystis elektroscirrha).
This parasite is not a good thing and can result in deformed wings in adult butterflies that is nothing less the fatal. Tropical milkweed, because it doesn’t die back here in Florida, can increase the chance of them contracting this condition.
The problem is compounded by the fact that much of Central Florida and all of South Florida enjoys a year-round population of Monarchs that do not migrate to Mexico with their fellow butterflies. It’s warm enough for them to winter over here.
The advantage to Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias Curassavica) is that it germinates well and grows quickly in our subtropical climate. This means you’ll have plenty of monarch food in time for hungry catepillars. Other milkweed species — even Florida native milkweed — can be difficult to germinate and grow too slow for the current year’s brood.
The solution is very simple — cut back your Tropical milkweed to about 2 inches tall in October or November. This will cause the die-off of the parasites and reduce the infection. Also, make sure you have other nectar flowers on hand for them over winter.
But Tropical Milkweed is certainly a beneficial flower to plant in June in Florida and will bring color to your garden.
The Florida Garden Summer Lull
The gardening bug can often turn into an obsession. If you’re relatively new to gardening, you may feel compelled to keep planting through the summer. The COVID-19 lockdowns and subsequent panic over food supplies has meant a lot of new backyard growers in Florida, the U.S., and world-wide.
If you’re a long-time gardener but new to the state, you may find it weird that hardly anyone is planting corn and tomatoes and taking advantage of all this sunshine. That’s because we’ve learned to avoid heat exhaustion and sun stroke.
You may feel like you’re missing an opportunity if you don’t find something you can plant in June in Florida. There are a few things to keep you busy, but preparing for the main even in fall may be more productive.
See all the grass you’re cutting? Compost it! Rest the soil under some cooling mulch. Sharpen your tools, order your vegetable seeds, order your flower seeds, and plan your next season. If it helps, you can even start sowing starter tomatoes next month.
Did you remember to stock up on seeds back in
the spring when everyone was selling them? If you did, you may be wondering how
long do seeds last. And if you didn’t, do you know if the ones you purchased
last year will still germinate?
How long do seeds last after you’ve purchased them? Depending on how they’re stored, vegetable and flower seeds can last from two to five years and still be viable. Some of the longest-lasting seeds include cucumbers and lettuce. Seeds with a shorter life span include sweet corn and peppers.
So, if you’ve discovered some seed packets
you purchased last year or even a couple of years ago, you may be in luck. You
can also test them out and see if they’ll germinate before you start
double-digging your garden beds.
How Long Do Seed Last: Seed Viability Chart
One of the most frustrating parts of
gardening in the South is that by the time our fall and winter planting season comes
around, no one is selling seeds locally anymore. It seems that every garden
center has been turned into Santa’s Workshop.
So, you’ll need to buy them early in the year
if you want fresh seeds to plant in the fall and winter.
But what if you didn’t get all the seeds you
wanted back in March? Will the ones you purchased a year ago – or even two
years – still grow?
Let’s take a look at how long do vegetable seeds last in packets in the seed viability chart:
Seed Viability Chart
How long to store seeds.
Arugula
3
Asparagus
3
Beans
3
Beets
4
Brocolli
3
Cabbage
4
Carrots
3
Cauliflower
4
Celery
5
Collard greens
5
Cucumbers
5
Eggplant
4
Endive
5
Kale
4
Lettuce
5
Okra
2
Peas
3
Peppers
2
Pumpkins
4
Radish
5
Rutabagas
4
Spinach
3
Squash
4
Tomatoes
4
Turnips
4
Watercress
5
Watermelon
4
How Long Do Seeds Last: Seed Packet Dates
When you buy seeds, you’ll see that the company has printed the expiration date on the packed somewhere. However, this is the date that retailers need to remove them from the shelves.
And you don’t want to spend time preparing your vegetable beds only to find out that your seeds aren’t viable. Having an expiration date on the packet gives you an idea of the likelihood of germination.
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How long your seeds stay viable in storage depends on a couple of factors. The first consideration is what type of seed it is. Some seeds simply have a longer shelf life.
Another factor is how you’ve stored them. Conditions
like temperature and humidity play ab big role. Dry, dark, and cold conditions
will help you keep your seeds viable for a longer period.
How Long Do Flower Seeds Last in Packets
Annual flower seeds are some of the most
delicate of all the seeds. So, it’s important that you store your flower seeds
properly. However, most will only be good for a year. You can also try the germination
test on them, just in case.
Perennial flower seeds last from two to four
years.
How Long Do Herb Seeds Last
Herb Seed Viability Chart
How long to store herb seeds.
Basil
5
Chives
2
Cilantro
2
Fennel
3
Oregano
4
Parsley
2
Sage
4
Assorted vegetable seed-mix of snap bean, garden pea, pinto dry bean, winter squash, sweet corn, broccoli. Image CC by 2.0 SA by Lynn Ketchum via Oregon State University
How To Store Seeds
To make the most of your seed purchases, store them correctly. Remember: Cool, dry, and dark conditions will keep them alive the longest.
So, whether you collect seeds from your
garden or like to stock up on sales, you should:
Make sure the seeds are completely dry.
Place your seeds inside a paper envelope with
the name and date marked
Place the paper envelope inside an air-tight
container
Put the container somewhere where they’ll stay
cool and dark.
Some additional tips for seed saving
techniques:
Adding a desiccant to your air-tight container can help keep the moisture level below 10 percent.
You can refrigerate your seed container, but
don’t freeze your seeds.
How to Save Seeds
Saving seeds from your garden can help you save money. And it’s especially useful when you find a vegetable or flower that does particularly well for you. But first, you should know which seeds you can save.
Heirloom Seeds
Seeds from heirloom flowers and vegetables are your best bet if you want to save seeds. That’s because they’ll be the most like the parent plant.
You’ll need to let your plants go to seed –
which means vegetables will go past their best-to-pick stage. For flowers, you’ll
get seed pods that begin to dry up and turn brown.
Because they may drop before you can harvest
them, put a small paper bag or net bag over the seed pods to catch them.
Seeds from Hybrids
Hybrid plants have been bred to alter them
from their original form. That’s not the same as GMO, though, so you don’t have
to be concerned.
Some have been bred to improve their flavor –
such as varieties of sweet corn.
Others have been bred to improve their
resistance to diseases or pests.
Unfortunately, seeds from hybrid plants are
rarely viable. They won’t grow to form or may not grow at all.
When you first purchase your seeds, check the
packet label to see if they’re a hybrid or not.
While you now know that seeds can last for
many years, you may want to test them out before dedicating a portion of your
precious garden space.
It’s pretty easy to check them following the
method below:
Choose 10 seeds and lay them in a row on a paper towel that you’ve damped with water
Carefully fold the paper towel over them and then roll them up so that they don’t touch.
Place the paper towel in a plastic zip bag and close it.
Put the bag in a warm, well-lighted place like a windowsill
Carefully unroll the paper towel after five days to check for germination.
Dampen the towel by spraying it with water and reroll.
Roll the paper towel back up and put it back in the bag
Keep checking the seeds every couple of days
After two weeks, count how many of your seeds have germination.
The final number is the percentage of the germination rate, times 10. So if six out of 10 seeds began to sprout, your germination rate is 60 percent.
You can still use the seeds, but you may want to compensate for the low germination rate. So, if you normally put one seed in a starter tray cell, use two for extra insurance.
You may want to purchase new seeds, however, if the germination rate is very low. Keep in mind that the germination rate for some plants (particularly wildflowers or exotics) can be lower than more commonly used and commercial seeds.
Seed Float Test
Some people swear by the “float test,”
although I’ve only used it with morning glories and moonflowers.
When you’re ready to plant your saved seeds,
first put them into a small cup of water. Put them in one at a time and then
let them sit overnight.
After 24 hours, check the seeds – the viable
seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl. The “bad” ones will float.
Remove the floaters and then plant the seeds
that sank immediately. You can put them in peat pods or starter cells if you’re
not ready to sow outdoors.
Starting Old Seeds
It pays to remember that even when an old seed germinates, you may not get a healthy plant from it. So, if your seeds are beyond the storage dates in the seed viability test, you should probably just get new seeds. Even if they did germination when you tested them.
If you start your seedlings two or three
months before planting them out, you should have plenty of time to weed out any
that may not produce well.
So, How Long Do Seeds Last?
Saving your seeds is a good way to save money while identifying those sure-fire winners that thrive in your particular climate and soil.
If you’re like most gardeners in the South,
you know that sometimes you have to stock up in early spring on seeds you won’t
be planting until December. So, make sure you know how to save seeds by keeping
them in an air-tight container in a cool, dry, place.
While expiration dates on your seed packets are generally helpful, they’re not the end of the story. If you’re not sure whether your seeds are viable, just give them the germination test.
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