10 rules for buying seeds

1. Before you go after the seeds - check your last year's supplies. Surely you have a lot of seeds left from last spring. Find the expiration dates shown on the package, and try to remember when you bought these seeds. If for a long time, it is better to throw them away. Otherwise, in May you will remain not only without seeds, but also without germination. In addition, please note that the expiry date refers to the sealed product, and if you did not use all the seeds from the bag last time, it is now better to sow them in double quantities. Faster than others, they lose the germination of parsnips, onion black cherry, asters, delphinium. In tomato, cabbage and pumpkin, the "activity" of seeds decreases insignificantly. The general pattern - the smaller the seeds, the longer they retain their original germination. Make a list of necessary seeds. Be sure to include in it species and varieties. This list will help you navigate in the garden store and "not get off the desired course." After all, very often, faced with a huge choice in the shopping center, we get lost and buy not what we were going to, but what was advised by random people or the seller. 3. Do not buy seeds for future use. It is not known what quality they will be in a year. The seeds that are in your home are much quicker to lose their germinating capacity than those stored in the manufacturer's warehouse. Another argument against stocks - selection does not stand still: next year may appear some extraordinary variety, so that bought today will not go with him in any comparison.4. It is best to buy seeds in a specialized store. Seeds are sold now anywhere, from markets to regular supermarkets. But who will give you a guarantee that the seeds were properly stored and, therefore, will ascend? So it's best to do it in specialized centers. In addition, there you can always get a qualified consultation and you will be assured of the quality of the goods (the company "Semko", "Agrotech", "Sedek", "Elkom Seeds", etc.). Pay attention to the expiration date of the seeds. Marking of imported and domestic seeds is different. The "expiration date" is more often indicated on "our" bags. That is, before the specified time, the seeds will still be "alive", but their germination may decrease. On imported packages, the expiration date of the germination test is usually indicated. However, if this period has expired, the seeds are still quite viable, but their germination (which no one is already guaranteeing) is likely to have decreased. Consider this fact when buying. Carefully inspect the label: the expiration date is applied to the bag not with a stamp, but in a typographical way - you have a fake: it means that the sachets are printed in large numbers at once for several years ahead. Preservation of seeds depends also on the type of packaging. Protected by the foil are kept somewhat longer. But it is necessary to open such a packet - and all the protective properties are lost. Durability of vegetable seeds

Peas - 5-6 years
Squash, patisson - 5-8 years
Cabbage - 4-5 years
Onion - 2-3 years
Carrots - 2-3 years
Cucumber - 5-7 years
Greens (parsnips, parsley, dill, celery) - 2-3 years
Radish, radish, turnip - 4-5 years
Salad - 3-4 years
Beetroot - 5-7 years
Tomato - 5-7 years
Pumpkin - 5-8 years
Spinach - 3-5 years

6. Thoroughly inspect the packaging. The package must include the complete address and phone number of the manufacturer, the name of the crop, the variety, the designation of the hybrid "F1", the standard (TU) for varietal and sowing qualities, batch number, weight in grams or number of pieces. If the lot number and the date of sale of seeds are printed in the printing house - this is a hundred percent guarantee of fraud. It is impossible to predict in advance when exactly the packing will take place and which batch of seeds will fall into these bags. 7. Do not pursue exoticism. In order to intrigue the buyer, very often scammers come up with sorts of poe-ozotichnee: for example, "Red Antillian cucumber", currant tree, tomatoes "Mammoth" ... When buying these names, do not be surprised if the result is far from the colorful picture on the package or these "exotic" plants they simply will not ascend. When is it best to buy seeds? If in the summer you were pleasantly surprised by the harvest obtained from the seeds bought in the spring, you should buy them in the autumn: it is likely that you will be able to purchase seeds from the same lot and the same quality (just do not forget about the shelf life!). And if you are unhappy with the result, postpone the purchase until February, when the seeds of the new crop appear. Acquire the seeds of well-known companies that have proven themselves on the best side. If you are still a beginner in this matter, listen to the advice of neighbors in the country or relatives. They will be happy to share their own experience, and at the same time with their garden and garden achievements. 9. Preferred hybrids are normal varieties. Hybrids are obtained by crossing plants of different varieties. Their production is expensive, so they are always more expensive than varieties. Hybrids are more productive and qualitative, but their properties are preserved only in the first generation (labeled on the package - "F1"). When buying seeds of cucumbers, tomatoes or peppers, the choice of hybrids is justified: they are much more resistant to diseases and unfavorable conditions. And as for the seeds of other crops, hybrids are often just an imported version with improved industrial qualities: for example, they have the same fruit or they are convenient for mechanical harvesting. When buying a hybrid brand, ask how it differs from the usual one, and analyze whether you really need these qualities. In this case, keep in mind that seeds from hybrids can not be collected. They will not only not repeat the original qualities, but they will be much worse than the parent pairs.How to store? The seeds should be stored in a cool, but not wet place at + 10-12 ºC. Minus temperature, many can not stand. 10. At home on each bag write the date of purchase. Over time, add the date of planting here. Do not throw away the package - on it you can choose the same grade from the same lot or make a claim to the manufacturer. Seeds by post