Ask John Negus

Can I still sow last year’s sunflower seeds?

QI didn’t sow every seed in a packet of sunflowers last year. Will they still be OK to use this spring?

Jennie Collins, Marlborough, Wiltshire

AI am delighted to tell you that sunflower seeds have a life of more than 10 years if kept cool and dry, such as in a sealed plastic bag in a fridge.

When you wish to sow the seeds, check their viability by sprinkling a few onto a sheet of damp kitchen roll placed in an open ice cream container, positioned in a warm place, such as on a boiler or in an airing cupboard.

If, within a week or so, the majority of seeds germinate and you are aware of tiny sprouts, remaining seeds will still be very much alive and will grow well for you when you sow them in pots, modules or seed trays.

The large seeds of the sunflower