How do you prolong seed viability, what's the oldest seed you've gotten to pop?

This may be kind of a dumb question but I'm hoping not to get any dumb answers ...seriously though, I've always rushed to get beans going but am in a situation where I have to take a small break and want to know if i leave my genes in storage somewhere cold and dark how long will they be viable?

I just put my seeds mixed in a mason jar with some dry rice beans. Even bagseed will pop it just takes more time. As long as the seed looks good and undamaged it will probably pop.

kangosna745 said:

This may be kind of a dumb question but I'm hoping not to get any dumb answers ...seriously though, I've always rushed to get beans going but am in a situation where I have to take a small break and want to know if i leave my genes in storage somewhere cold and dark how long will they be viable?

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years if its properly sealed

i had some coriander seeds witch popped after 3 years..
some one i know had a tin of tomotoes out of date about 5 years and he through them in the garden for a joke and a tomotoe plant grew,,,,youd be surprised,, iv got some baby cactus iv been growing from seed, and it took them 2 month to germinate,, there quite tough seeds , apart from if you nuclear bomb them not so tough,

Thanks guys, kinda what I thought but my catalog has some personal creations that I wouldn't want to see wasted.

kangosna745 said:

Thanks guys, kinda what I thought but my catalog has some personal creations that I wouldn't want to see wasted.

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you don't want the air to get to them,,, moisture and mould and all that?

I have popped beans 5+ years old. That's a rough estimate because I actually don't know how old they were when I received them, easily older. I was gifted them by someone who had them saved since a special time when they were collected. He keptem in this small wooden chest that was not sealed or protected at all. These seeds were tossed around and not treated special in anyway. They all germinated and grew fine.
But I recommend 2keepem in a container inside a mason jar.