Sort the seed box before placing the next order
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Before buying another packet of the same variety, empty the seed box onto a dry table and see what's already there. A small stock list can save duplicate orders and show which seed needs replacing before sowing time.
Keep the packet information
Record crop, variety, packet date or use-by information, whether it has been opened and roughly how much is left. Keep the sowing instructions with the seed rather than decanting everything into identical unlabelled jars.
The RHS notes that germination rates deteriorate over time, so old seed can give disappointing results. That's a reason to plan ahead, not evidence that every seed fails on the printed date or that an old packet performs like a fresh one.
For seed saved from your own plants, label the harvest year and origin separately from bought seed. If you're unsure of a variety, say so rather than giving it the name of the nearest empty packet.
Use storage guidance for the seed involved
The RHS describes keeping dry seed in labelled paper packets or envelopes inside an airtight container, and warns that excess humidity or warmth can make seed deteriorate. It also names exceptions: some seed is best sown promptly, and some must not be dried out. One storage rule therefore doesn't cover a mixed collection.
Follow the supplier's instructions for each crop. Pick an arrangement you can label, keep tidy and check without handling every packet repeatedly. Keep seed and storage materials away from food preparation and from children who could mistake them for something edible.
Link the stock list to the planting plan
Compare the remaining packets with the crops and areas you really intend to grow. Mark each as use, replace, seek advice or not needed this season. Don't order a full assortment because one crop is running low.
Keep the rotation map separate: having enough seed doesn't mean a crop belongs in a particular bed. See planning rotation by crop family when assigning locations.
Leave time for uncertainty
If an old packet matters to the season's plan, ask for crop-specific advice early rather than finding poor emergence after the last useful sowing window. A small trial may be informative, but don't turn a handful of seeds into a germination percentage for the whole packet.
Use a working list with six columns: crop and variety, packet or harvest year, amount left, storage instruction, intended use and action before sowing. Update it after sowing so the next order is based on what actually remains.
FAQs
Does the use-by date mean every seed stops working that day?
No. The RHS says germination rates deteriorate over time, which is a gradual decline rather than a cliff edge. Plan replacements where reliability matters.
Should every kind of seed be dried before storage?
No. The RHS identifies seed that is best sown promptly and seed that must not dry out. Follow the crop or packet instructions.
What should stay with a part-used packet?
Its variety, date and sowing and storage instructions. The RHS approach uses labelled packets, and a stock list keeps the link once a packet is opened.